You do not need to soak soccer cleats in water, and as far as we could find, no manufacturer names it as a method. Retailers actually warn against hot water and submerging. You make new cleats fit better by breaking them in slowly.
The sources are limited. Below you will find what we did find, and where we honestly do not know.
Should you soak or spray soccer cleats?
No, you should not. We found no official manufacturer source about spraying or soaking cleats, and no warranty terms about it either. Brands do not recommend heat or submerging.
So check the terms and the care advice of your brand before you try anything yourself.
Soccer cleats in water: what do retailers say?
Retailers advise against fully submerging cleats, since it can damage materials, remove support from the shoe and cause mold on the inside. Other retailers say hot or boiling water can attack the glue.
Leather gets softer when it is damp, but direct heat is bad for leather. On synthetic, wetting may work, but do not overheat it. Hot water is discouraged.
How long should you wear soccer cleats in warm water?
There is no manufacturer advice for that. The mildest variant we found comes from a retailer: dampen the upper and sole with warm water, and then wear the cleats with socks for at most an hour. That is a retailer tip, not a test by us.
Given the risks retailers describe, you are better off choosing breaking in first. Our guide to breaking in soccer cleats gives the step-by-step routine.
Why is soaking a risky idea?
The logic behind soaking is that wet leather is softer and takes the shape of your foot. There is something to that: leather does become more pliable when damp. The trouble is everything else that comes with it. Water can wash out the glue between the upper and the sole, warp the insole and leave the inside damp for days, which is where mold and smell start. If you add heat to speed up drying, the leather can shrink and crack.
Synthetic and knit cleats gain very little from the whole exercise. They barely stretch whether wet or dry, so you take the risk and get close to nothing back. For a leather cleat you are better off with a method that has a track record, and our guide to washing and drying soccer cleats explains how to dry cleats safely after a wet game.
What if the cleats simply do not fit?
If a cleat is too small in length, no amount of water will fix it. If it is too narrow in the forefoot, the better move is a model with a wider last. Our page on what to do when soccer cleats pinch helps you work out where the pressure comes from and whether the cleat is worth keeping.
What should you do with new soccer cleats?
- Try them with your soccer socks and check that they fit. How that should feel is in how should soccer cleats fit.
- If you have leather, break it in slowly. Leather models that suit a wide foot are in our list of leather soccer cleats for wide feet.
- Knit and synthetic give little. If the cleat is too tight, it is probably not the right one.
More on stretching and what does and does not work is in how to stretch soccer cleats.
What is the best way to make cleats fit your foot?
Pick a model that suits your foot. Then you do not have to force anything. Use the cleat finder if you do not know where to start. If pain lasts longer than a few weeks, see a podiatrist or your doctor. We give fit advice, not medical advice.