How to Remove Spikes Without a Cleat Wrench

Removing old spikes and installing new ones on your golf or track shoes is an essential part of maintenance; without sharp, decent spikes, you can slip when hitting that crucial approach at the eighth hole or when you're 10 meters from the finish line in the 100-meter sprint. Most sports shoes are sold with a cleat wrench, a small tool which is designed to make removing old spikes from sports shoes quick and easy. But sometimes, this is not the case. On these occasions, you need to turn to alternate means to discard your old golf shoe spikes.

Clean the area where the spike meets the shoe. Spray any type of water displacing product around the base of the spike and wait between five to 10 minutes for the spray to take effect. Dampen the cloth and wipe away any grub and grime, as well as mopping up any excess fluid collecting on the shoe's underside.

Put the shoe over your less-dominant hand and strike around the outside edges of the shoe's sole using a hammer with your other hand. Apply gentle taps all the way around the perimeter of the shoe's sole, as you do not require a great deal of force to help shake spikes loose from their sockets.

Insert your pair of needle-nose pliers into the holes that are in the body of the spike. Make sure you have a decent purchase on the spike before twisting each spike. Pivot the spike around gently, but do not overdo this as you can damage the integrity of the spike's socket, which makes it less likely that other spikes will stay put in the socket in the future.

Warnings

Maintain the integrity of the shoe and the spike sockets whenever you are removing spikes from shoes — you can always buy replacement spikes, but replacement golf shoes are expensive. Do not worry about damaging old spikes when removing them — you are only going to throw them away.