Scuff Up Boots

Boots are one of the only types of shoes that often look better with signs of distress. You can, of course, scuff of your boots naturally over time, but sometimes immediate results are desired. First, make sure that your boots are durable enough to withstand the scuffing process without falling apart. Then, rub your boots with an abrasive material, use a tool, or drive over your boots to achieve scuffed up, distressed boots.

Steps

Rubbing with Abrasives

1. Go over the shoes with medium grain sandpaper. Sandpaper can be found at hardware stores and many supermarkets. Hold the sandpaper and begin to rub your shoes with it. Apply some pressure as you rub. Don’t rub over the entire surface of your shoes with the sandpaper. Only go over the parts where you would like to see marks.
2. Use a pumice block. A pumice block is typically used to remove dry skin, but it is also a great way to scuff up your boots. Hold the boot in one hand and the pumice block in the other hand. Rub the pumice block back and forth over one part of your boot. Move on to another part of your boot when you are satisfied with the marks. Repeat with the second boot.
   • You can find a pumice block online, at a beauty supply store, or at many supermarkets.
3. Rub with a wire brush. A wire brush is good to use for lighter, wispier scuff marks. Hold the boot in one hand and the wire brush in the other. Go over the boot in a back-and-forth motion. It may take a couple of minutes to achieve noticeable scuff marks. Move on to other parts of the boot and then repeat on the second boot.
4. Use a scouring pad. Scouring pads are made out of steel and wool and are typically used to clean tough surfaces, which makes them great for making scuff marks. Use the scouring pad to get larger, more noticeable marks. Simply rub the scouring pad over the part of the shoe where you would like to see marks—like on the toe. It may take some time to achieve the desired scuff marks.

Using Tools

1. Bang the toes and heels of the shoes with a hammer. You can use any type of hammer. Lay the boots on the ground or on the table. Gently tap the toes and heels of the shoes with the hammer. The hammer may not produce scuff marks as well on other parts of the shoe. Do not use too much force, or you may damage the shoe more than intended.
2. Make marks with a rock. Find a fairly large rock that you can hold with one hand. The rock should have a few sharp edges. Hold the rock and begin to buff the boot. Then, strike the heel and toe of the boot in a downward, diagonal motion. Continue to hit the boot until the desired results are achieved.
3. Use a hacksaw. Be very, very careful when using a hacksaw. Gently scrape the hacksaw over the shoes in one quick motion. You should see several small and thin marks on the boots. Then, move the hacksaw down and across the boot to see larger marks. Do not use too much force, or you may end up with holes in your shoes.

Driving Over Your Boots

1. Inspect your boots for durability. You should not use this technique if your boots are very thin or made out of easily damaged material. Look over your boots to see how thick and durable the material is. Real leather boots, like Doc Martens, should be fine.
2. Ask a friend to supervise. You can do this alone, but it is safer to ask someone to be there with you when you run over the shoes. Ask your friend to stand outside of the car as you run over the shoes. They can tell you to stop if the shoes are being damaged too much.
3. Find a pebbly surface. You can use any surface, but a pebbly surface is ideal to use because it creates a nice texture. If you can’t find a pebbly surface, you can place the boots on your driveway or asphalt. Avoid unpaved surfaces, like dirt roads, unless you don’t mind your shoes getting dirty and stained.
4. Place the top part of the boot under your tire. Do not put the heel or toe boot under the tire because it may crumple under the pressure. Only put the top part of the boot under the tire. Line it up with the tire so you know exactly what you will be driving over.
   • This will not work well if you have boots that don’t have much of a top part, like ankle boots.
5. Drive over the boots a few times. Once you have lined the boots up with your tire, go over the boots back and forth a few times with your car. Get out of the car, inspect the boots, and turn them over to the other side. Repeat on the other side. Then, repeat the process on the other boot.

Tips

• Stuff your shoes with crumpled up magazines or newspaper so that they keep the shape while you work.
• You can use acetone to discolor the boots. Pour a little bit of acetone on a paper towel and rub it on the boots until you see the color begin to fade.
• It is also an option to use techniques from all three methods to scuff up your boots.

Warnings

• Be very careful when using any type of tool. Ask for help if you are unsure that you can use the tool properly.
• Do not attempt to drive over the shoes if the boots aren’t made well or have weakened a lot over time.

Things You’ll Need

• Medium grain sandpaper
• Pumice block
• Wire brush
• Scouring pad
• Hammer
• Hacksaw
• Rock
• Car

Sources and Citations

See also

• Remove Dye from Suede Shoes
• Clean Flats
• Scuff Up New Shoes
• Clean Wrestling Shoes
• Re‐Ice Shoe Soles
• Clean Muddy Shoes
• Clean Hiking Boots
• Clean Shoe Insoles
• Clean White Converse
• Clean White Shoes

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