How to wash grip socks so the grip lasts

After training, your grip socks are wet with sweat and often dirty from grass, sand or mud. You want to wash them properly. Yet the grip under the sole is exactly the part that handles a wrong wash the worst. Below you find how to wash grip socks step by step without hurting the grip. You also read how to tackle odour and when a pair needs replacing.

How to wash grip socks: step by step

You wash grip socks inside out at 30 degrees on a delicate cycle, together with similar colours. This is how:

1. Mud on the sock? Rinse it off with cold water first. Dried mud rubs in the drum.
2. Turn the socks inside out.
3. Choose 30 degrees and a delicate cycle. Wash them with clothes in similar colours.
4. Use normal detergent. No fabric softener and no bleach.
5. Take the socks out of the machine straight away and let them air dry, flat or on a drying rack.

These are the same rules as in our washing and care instructions. They also say: do not iron grip socks and do not dry clean them. Read how the grip works in our guide to grip socks.

What should you do and avoid?

This table shows at a glance what is good for the grip and what you should avoid.

Topic	Do this	Avoid this
Temperature	30 degrees	Washing hotter
Cycle	Delicate	A heavy-duty cycle
Side	Inside out	Grip facing out between zips and Velcro
Colours	With similar colours	White with dark clothes
Detergent	Normal detergent	Fabric softener and bleach
Drying	Air dry, flat or on a rack	Dryer, radiator or heater
Finishing	Simply fold them	Ironing or dry cleaning
Storage	Dry, cool and out of direct sunlight	Left wet in your kit bag

Why 30 degrees and not hotter?

Because heat puts stress on both the grip and the elastic of the sock. On the Classic GT GRIP Socks, the silicone grip pattern sits on the outside of the sole, against the insole of your boot. That pattern has to stay grippy to do its job.

Our care instructions put it simply: high temperatures can damage the properties of the socks. If you often wash too hot, the grip can start to feel smoother. The cuff can also lose its stretch, so your sock slides down during the match. Thirty degrees is enough to get sweat and grass out.

Grass stains? Rub a little liquid detergent into the stain before washing. That works better than a hotter cycle.

Why no fabric softener or bleach?

Because fabric softener leaves a thin coating on the fabric that also ends up on the grip. Fabric softener is made to make fabric feel soft and smooth. On a grip pattern that should feel grippy, you want the opposite.

Skip bleach too, even for white socks. According to our care instructions, bleach can affect the grip technology. Normal liquid detergent is all you need.

Should you wash grip socks inside out?

Yes. That protects the grip on the outside of the sole from zips, Velcro and press studs on other clothes. Those can catch on the pattern or rub over it. On top of that, the sweat sits on the inside of the sock. Inside out, that side gets the most contact with water and detergent.

Washing your grip socks with the rest of your sports kit? Put them in a laundry bag. That gives them extra protection.

Can you put grip socks in the dryer?

No, always let grip socks air dry. A dryer combines heat with long tumbling and rubbing. That is exactly what the grip and the elastic handle badly. We also advise against a low setting. According to our care instructions, your socks keep their elasticity and grip best when they air dry.

How to dry them well:

• Lay them flat or hang them on a drying rack.
• Do not wring them. Gently press the water out instead.
• Do not put them on the radiator or heater.
• Let them dry completely before you put them away.

Need your socks again soon? Then a second pair is the best solution. Our care instructions already advise rotating between several pairs, so each pair keeps its elasticity. Many players keep one pair for training and one for matches.

How do you get the smell out of grip socks?

Wash them after every training session or match and let them dry completely before you put them away. Odour mainly builds up when damp socks stay in a closed kit bag for a long time.

• Take your socks out of your bag right after playing. If you do not wash them straight away, hang them up.
• Wash them inside out, because that is where the sweat is.
• Stubborn smell? Soak them for half an hour in cold water with a little detergent before washing.
• Let your football boots dry out too, with the laces loose and the tongue open. Otherwise the smell moves back into a clean sock.

A hotter cycle does not solve odour: it mainly puts stress on the grip. You do not need extra scent boosters or fabric softener either.

When should you replace grip socks?

When the grip no longer feels grippy or when your foot starts sliding in your boot again. A grip sock without grip is just an expensive normal sock. Test it like this: run your thumb over the hexagons under the sole. If they still feel grippy and springy, all is well.

These signs tell you a new pair makes sense:

• The grip feels smooth or hard. Or the grip pads come loose.
• There are holes or thin spots at the toe or heel.
• The cuff is stretched out and the sock slides down.
• Your foot slides in your boot again when you cut and turn.

A sock that no longer fits snugly can also rub more. Read how to limit blisters in our article on football blisters. If your foot also slides with a new pair, find out what else can cause it in foot slipping in your shoe.

How long does a pair last?

That depends on how often you play, on which surface and how you wash. That is why we cannot give a fixed number of months or washes. You can limit wear, though: keep your toenails short, check your boots for small stones before you put them on and do not walk on rough floors in your socks. Store them in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Read how to work out the price per session in our article on why grip socks cost what they do.

Ready for a new pair? The Classic GT GRIP Socks are our basic model. The Classic GT GRIP Socks from GT Sport Selection cost €25, come in ten colours and four sizes from EU 34 to 52 and are washed at 30 degrees on a delicate cycle. Does a new pair slide down straight away? Then the size may be too big. Check the grip socks size chart.

Does this also apply to the Ultra Light and Pro Sleeve Socks?

Yes, follow the care instructions there too. The GT Ultra Light Grip Socks are thinner and more breathable than the Classic, made with Dryarn fibre. For a thin sock, a delicate cycle at 30 degrees matters even more.

The GT Pro Sleeve Socks have no foot and so no grip. There is less at stake, but their elastic also stays in shape best with 30 degrees and air drying.

Conclusion

Washing grip socks is simple if you remember four rules: inside out, 30 degrees, no fabric softener and no dryer. That keeps the grip grippy for longer and helps the sock keep its shape. Check the sole with your thumb now and then. If the grip feels smooth, it is time for a new pair from our grip socks collection. More questions about care are answered in our FAQ.