In five steps from pfui to hui: Bike shoe cleaning with Motorex
3/12/2025
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Patrick Bardelli
Road bike or gravel shoes are real eye-catchers. But unfortunately they are also very susceptible to dirt and stains. The white models in particular get dirty quickly. Here's how to get them clean again.
It was love at first sight. A year ago, I put a Suplest brand shoe on my feet for the first time and was blown away. The XC Pro gravel shoe from Burgdorf had quickly become one of my new favourites.
Only the design made me a little nervous at first. Not that I didn't like the cool white and black concept. On the contrary. I liked it so much that even the smallest splash of dirt on the shoe annoyed me at first.
Twelve months and around 2000 kilometres later, the Velo shoes regularly look something like this after a 90-minute gravel tour through autumn mud:
Durable and clean: the initial impregnation
Before you take your new favourite shoes out for the first time, it is essential to give them a protective treatment. This waterproofing extends the life of the shoes and helps them to look better. It creates an invisible protective shield around the shoes and helps to:
- dry feet
- dirt-repellent effect
- longer service life
In addition, breathability is maintained thanks to modern agents and the colours of the shoes remain intensely bright for longer. New models are often already impregnated. An additional treatment before the first outing optimises this protection.
Step 1: prepare
To clean my dirty Gravel XC Pro from Suplest, I bought products from Motorex. These included microfibre cloths, active foam and waterproofing spray:
Important: put on gloves. These not only protect your hands from dirt, but also from any irritation caused by the cleaning agents. Here I use my previous reusable ones from Muc Off:
You'll also need a newspaper and, of course, your dirty shoes. Everything at the start? Then you're ready to go.
Step 2: Rough cleaning
The first step is to tackle the coarse dirt. I use a wet microfibre cloth for this. This material is ideal as it effectively absorbs dust and loose dirt without scratching the surface. I now go over the entire upper material thoroughly, paying particular attention to areas where dirt tends to accumulate. For example, around the Boa fasteners or the tabs. This pre-cleaning creates a clean basis for the more intensive care that follows in the next step. This prevents the dirt from simply spreading later on.
Step 3: intensive cleaning with active foam
The next step is thorough cleaning with the active foam. This all-rounder is easy to use and fulfils several tasks at the same time: it gently cleans the shoes, cares for the material and neutralises unpleasant odours if necessary.
- Shake the can well before use
- Spray on the foam evenly
- Leave to work for three to five minutes
- Wipe off loosened dirt with a clean, dry cloth
The active foam from Motorex is also suitable for cleaning the inside of cycling shoes. Simply spray a little onto the inside, leave to work for a short time and then wipe out with a dry cloth. This neutralises unpleasant odours.
Step 4: leave to dry
After this intensive cleaning, the gravel shoes need enough time to dry completely. This is best done in a well-ventilated place away from direct sunlight. You should also avoid radiators, as this can damage the material.
To speed up the process, remove the insole and stuff the shoe with newspaper. This absorbs the moisture from the inside and helps the shoes to regain their shape more quickly. Finally, it's back to the beginning with the waterproofing.
Step 5: look forward to it
Once the cycling shoes are completely dry, they look (almost) like new. The soothing care extends their lifespan and gives me a good feeling. If you don't want to spend a lot of time caring for your shoes, I recommend appropriate shoe covers for autumn and winter. Depending on the model, these will keep you dry and/or warm. You can find all products in our shop here.
But beware: these shoe covers seem to be a controversial topic in the bike community . For whatever reason.
Header image: Patrick Bardelli
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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