Leather is one of the most versatile materials for various types of apparel such as jackets and boots. It’s highly durable and can last long with proper maintenance and care. Although cleaning and maintaining your leather boots can be challenging, it’s worth it as it gives you the highest return on your investment.
Just like the skin or hair, leather needs to be cleaned and conditioned to give it a fine look and extend its durability. This guide concentrates on how to clean and condition your leather boots. Read on to find out more.
Cleaning Leather Boots
Maintaining and taking care of your leather boots starts with regular and proper cleaning. Muddy, dirty, and grimy boots look sloppy and wear out faster than clean boots. For this reason, it’s vital to ensure your boots are always clean. Therefore, purchasing leather boots from leading outlets is essential to ensure you get professional advice on how to clean your leather boots. For instance, when you discover Rossi’s collection of women’s boots, the brand will likely instruct you how to clean the leather boots to prolong their lifespan.
Generally, you’ll need an old cloth or newspaper, a horsehair brush, a damp cloth, and a leather cleaning soap to clean your boots. Depending on the brand and material of your boots, there might be extra steps you have to note. But you can still make use of the following tips below:
- Brushing: Start by removing the laces to easily access every part of the leather boot. Then using a horsehair brush, remove as much dirt, mud, and other debris as possible. Many people make the mistake of starting the process with a wet cloth. This is highly discouraged as water turns the dirt into mud, thus causing the dirt to infiltrate the leather. If your boots have spots, an old toothbrush works perfectly on them. The toothbrush will also fit along the zip or tongue, unlike a large brush. Generally, you should always brush your leather boots after every wear.
- Scrub With A Leather Cleaner: After brushing off dirt and debris, it’s time to scrub the boots with a leather cleaner to remove any stains or grime. Rub the brush on the leather soap until a lather covers the brush. Then scrub the leather boot in small circles until the lather in the brush is over. Then quickly wipe the soap on the boot with a dry towel.
You should remove any excess soap on the boot before adding more to prevent it from drying unevenly and forming discoloration. Repeat this step severally until all stains and grime have been scrubbed off. After cleaning the boots, allow them to dry for about 15 minutes.
Conditioning Your Leather Boots
After your boots are dry, it’s time to treat and condition them to attain a nice look and prolong their lifespan. Just as dirt and debris harm your leather boots, dry conditions also destroy them. Dry and unconditioned leather boots can easily crease and crack, especially when exposed to water.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to repair cracked leather boots. Therefore, the secret is to condition your boots regularly to prevent cracks. A thumb’s rule is to condition your leather boots monthly if you wear them regularly and live in a dry and hot climate.
When treating and conditioning your leather boots, you’ll need an old cloth, a leather conditioner or balm, an applicator brush, and dry, clean rags. Once you have all the ingredients follow the steps below;
- Wipe The Boot: Using a dry rag, gently wipe off the boots to dislodge and remove any remaining dirt and dust on the leather boots.
- Apply Leather Conditioner: Using an applicator brush, apply the leather conditioner onto the boots, including the most overlooked parts, such as the tongue. Then wait for a while for it to dry. However, when applying the conditioner, ensure it doesn’t affect the leather’s color, as most conditioners darken the leather a bit.
- Rub Conditioner Onto The Boot: When the leather conditioner dries up, another layer of conditioner must be applied. But this time, you have to apply the conditioner onto a rag and rub it on the boots in a circular motion. Use as much conditioner as your leather boots need, especially if they’ve dried out or you haven’t treated them in a while. In such cases, you may need two or three applications for the boots to be reconditioned. But if you treat and condition them regularly, one application of conditioner is enough.
- Wipe Off Excess Leather: Once the boots stop soaking in the conditioner, they’re fully hydrated. Using a dry cloth, wipe off the excess conditioner and let the boots dry for about 30 minutes.
The Bottom Line
High-quality leather boots are an excellent investment that should be appropriately cared for and maintained to extend their lifespan. If you follow a proper care routine like the one discussed above, you’re more likely to enjoy your boots for years to come. Remember, you should always store your leather boots in a place with stable temperatures and avoid drying them under extreme heat lest you interfere with their integrity.