Tips for Taking Care of Basketball Shoes When Playing on Dusty Courts

Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, and many players in different countries play the sport in various types of courts, from clean wooden courts to rough cemented floors. However, there are more players that play basketball on dusty courts, which are not usually well-maintained because of how dirty and sandy the floor is.

Dusty courts can be very dangerous to play in, as the floor can get slippery due to having so much dust scattered around, and an accidental slip can cause injuries to players. However, by having a well-maintained pair of basketball shoes, you won’t slip, no matter how dusty the court is. Here are some tips for taking care of basketball shoes when playing on dusty courts.

Wear Shoes that Have Excellent Gripping Ability

To have a much easier time taking care of your shoes on dusty courts, you will need to actually wear basketball shoes that have the excellent gripping ability. Grip is an important feature of basketball shoes, especially if you are playing on dusty courts. So, by having an excellent gripping ability, you wouldn’t have to try hard to retain the grip of your shoes, as they will still remain grippy even after hours of use.

For you to know if a pair of basketball shoes have effective gripping ability, you should read or watch reviews written or created by some of the most trusted and reliable shoe reviewers on the internet. Brands don’t usually provide information about the gripping ability of their shoes, so the only way for you to know about this piece of info is through reviews. Not only will reviews offer info that you don’t normally get from brands and sporting goods stores, but they will also provide the pros and cons for the newest and most popular basketball shoes.

Wipe the Outsoles Every Now and Then

In order to retain the gripping ability of your basketball shoes on dusty courts, you should wipe your shoes’ outsoles every now and then. The dust on the floor can often get stuck on the holes and gaps in the outsoles of your shoes, and this can result in the outsoles getting slippery over time. So, to prevent dust or dirt build-up, you can wipe the outsoles using a hand towel that you don’t use.

Of course, you can’t wipe the outsoles all the time when you are playing, so take advantage of the breaks and time-outs and use your free time to wipe the outsoles first before doing anything else. Wipe the outsoles thoroughly, although you don’t have to take out your shoes just to wipe the soles. You can then test out the grip of the outsoles by sliding the outsoles on the court with force, and if they make a squeaky sound, then you will know that they have a proper grip.

Store the Shoes Properly After Use

After you use the shoes on a dusty court, you should then store them properly so that they will remain durable and long-lasting. Don’t put the shoes in your gym bag or duffel bag right after you use the shoes, as the odor would remain inside the shoes and may even affect the odor inside the bag. Wipe the upper, midsole, and outsole of the shoes first, and let the shoes rest for about 15 to 30 minutes before putting them in your bag.

Once you are at home, you should store the shoes inside a shoe organizer that is made of plastic or metal. Putting the shoes back in their original cardboard shoe box is usually a bad idea, as the shoe box will absorb the moisture within the shoes over time, and the lack of moisture would create cracks on the midsoles and outsoles of the shoes. So, invest in a good shoe organizer or stackable shoe boxes so that your shoes will last longer. You may also want to buy shoe deodorizers, which are ball-shaped or pill-shaped and can be placed inside the shoes to eradicate odor.

Clean Your Shoes Regularly

Even if you wipe your basketball shoes constantly while playing on dusty courts, there will still be dust, dirt, grime, and stains that will remain in your shoes that can be hard to clean by simply wiping them using a hand towel and water. So, to get rid of those stubborn grime and stains, you should clean your shoes regularly.

Fortunately, cleaning your shoes is very easy to do, and you can even use household items to brush away dust and dirt from your shoes. You can use an old toothbrush and a mixture of hand soap and water to brush the dirty areas on the upper, midsoles, and outsoles of your shoes. 

But, if you want to have a much more convenient time cleaning your shoes, then you should get products that are specifically made for cleaning shoes. There are shoe cleaning solutions and shoe brushes that you can buy online or in sporting goods stores, and these products are effective in cleaning even the most stubborn stains on your shoes.

Dusty courts can be very hard to deal with. But, as we have mentioned, you will have a much better time playing on dusty courts if you have a pair of basketball shoes that is regularly wiped, cleaned, and stored in a proper place. Take care of your shoes, and your shoes will most likely take care of you on the basketball court.