Clean Leather Boots
Leather boots can be a gorgeous fashion statement, a comfortable choice for everyday walking, or a practical necessity for certain types of jobs. Different types of leather require different cleaning methods, so it’s important to know what kind of leather you’re wearing before you apply cleaning agents or start scrubbing. Read on for tips on how to clean your leather boots and help them last for years to come.
Steps
Basic Care
- Know your leather. Find out what type of leather your boots are made from, whether finished or unfinished, before you begin to clean them. Women and men’s fashion or walking boots are typically made with finished leather, which has an outer protective seal. Work books are made from unfinished leather.
- You can test what type of leather you have by putting a bit of leather cleaner on the surface of your boots. If the cleaner sits on the surface for a minute, your boots are finished. If it gets absorbed immediately, your boots are unfinished.
- Oil or polish your boots. If you have unfinished boots, buy a boot oil and rub it into the boots with a piece of cloth. If you have finished boots, buy a boot polish and apply it with a foam applicator or a piece of cloth. These substances help protect your boots from stains general wear, and they keep them looking new.
- Brush off the dirt. After a day of walking around in your boots, use a soft brush to knock off the dirt that has accumulated. If mud is caked on the boots, carefully scrape it off with a blunt object, making sure not to scratch the leather.
- Don’t let dirt and mud sit on your boots for a long period of time. The leather will deteriorate if you don’t clean your boots promptly.
- Keep them oiled or polished. Apply oil or polish frequently to protect your boots from dirt and damage.
Stain Removal
- Make a solution of gentle moisturizing soap and water. Dampen a cloth in the mixture and rub the stain on your leather boot. Wipe off the soapy water with a damp cloth, then wipe again with a dry one.
- Water doesn’t hurt leather, so repeat this process as often as you need to. Just make sure you wipe the soap from the leather when you’re finished.
- Try baby wipes instead of soapy water if you like.
- For salt stain removal, use vinegar. Mix vinegar and water, dip a cloth in the solution, and dab at the salt stains until they are gone. Run a cloth dampened with water over the area and allow the boot to dry.
- For grease stain removal, use cornstarch. Blot away the excess grease and cover the stain with cornstarch, leaving it in place for several hours or overnight. Brush off the cornstarch and clean the affected area with soapy water. Run a cloth dampened with water over the area and allow the boot to dry.
- For scratch removal, buff with a q-tip and olive oil. Dip a q-tip in olive oil and rub in a circular motion over the scratch until it is less visible. Cleanse the area with a wet cloth and allow to dry.
- Finish by oiling or polishing your boots. Once you’ve removed stains and scratches, oil or polish your boots to protect them from getting stained again.
Tips
- Never scrub soft leather with a tough brush, as it will scratch.
- Take your boots to a shoe repair store to remove the toughest stains and scratches.
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