Put on a pair of rubber gloves and soak some cotton balls in acetone, which is available at most hardware stores. Rub the finish off your cleats with the acetone-soaked cotton balls until the finish comes off. This takes 30-40 minutes. The finish will look a bit pasty as it’s coming off, and the leather will start to turn a greyish color.
Save the pieces of tape you remove to use for later colors in the design. Using masking tape is an option to get the cleanest lines between colors. Another option is to not use masking tape and simply free-hand paint on your shoes, but the lines may not be as crisp.
Use small craft paintbrushes for most of your painting, and tiny paintbrushes for small details. It’s important to allow each layer to dry so that the paint doesn’t flake and crack when you’re wearing your cleats later.
If you’re not using masking tape or are done with the layers that need it and want to simply write or draw over the base colors, be sure the shoes are completely dry before adding new colors.
Use the matte finisher spray in a well-ventilated area, as there will be fumes. Allow your cleats to dry for a few hours before wearing them and congratulate yourself on a job well done!
Use the cleat wrench your shoes came with or a pair of needle nose pliers to remove the spikes. Look for spikes of different colors to fit your cleats at sporting goods stores and online. You can also spray paint your spikes instead of buying new ones. Choose different colors of bright spray paint at a craft store, place your removed spikes away from your shoes, and paint your spikes a variety of colors. [10] X Research source
Replace the insole to see if you need to cut more. Continue this process until the cleats are more comfortable on your feet.
