If you own something made of leather, you know how hard it is to clean and maintain. Especially a pair of leather boots. So, to save those beautiful leather boots of yours, I have a piñata full of ways how to clean leather boots.
This is a 360-degree guideline on how to clean your best leather boots so good that it shines just like a brand-new pair. And after the cleaning session, you will get some tips and tricks on how to take care of leather itself. If your boots get wrinkled then you should know how to stretch leather boots?
Things You Need For Cleaning
There aren’t a lot of things that you need to clean your pair of leather boots. But it might depend on how you choose to clean your boots. If you want to be extra cautious, then there are many great products in the market that you can use. But there is also a do-it-yourself way. For the DIY way, you would only need some household items.
But the essential things that you must have been
Now let’s first talk about the DIY way. Listen, cleaning leather shoes isn’t an easy task. You have to be careful while meaning for an expensive pair of boots. So, when you follow the DIY way, please be careful about the ingredients and the portion.
Here is a list of things that you would need for DIY leather boot cleaning,
- Equal parts of vinegar and water solution
- A good quality cloth preferably microfiber
- Baking soda
- Mild Conditioning Soap
Please note that if you choose to use equal parts of vinegar and water mixture as a cleaning mixture, you don’t need baking soda and vice versa.
How To Clean Leather Boots (step by step)
Now onto the main part, how to clean leather shoes? There are two ways you can choose to clean your beautiful pair of leather boots. The first way is to use what you have in your kitchen and go to town. And the second way is when you are ready to splurge some cash on your shoes.
Not necessarily, you need Fancy stuff to get the job well done. But if you want the very best for your shoes, then it’s ok to invest in some good quality products.
General Approach Import Base Would Be
- Remove the laces
- Getting rid of extra dirt
- Using some cleaning mixture or soap to clean
- Using dry cloth or paper to dry off the moisture
- Use some conditioner or polisher
- Locking up everything with a re-coat
- Give it some time to dry and use
For those who like to get crafty (DIY)
First up is the do it yourself way. Here are the steps you need to follow
Step 1: Brush The Shoes
Brush off any extra dirt that is on the shoe. Use a soft bristle brush and brush for about 3 to 5 minutes. All the extra dirt and dust should be e falling off by the time you’re done brushing. You can run it under some water to absolutely cat every dirt.
Step 2: Use The Cleaner
Make a solution of equal parts of vinegar and water. This is your cleaner. Baking soda also works as a great cleaner. Any mild cleaning soap would work in this case as well. Now damp cloth and soak it into the solution. Now start cleaning.
Step 3: Rinse or Wipe The Cleaner
After you are done cleaning, get a damp cloth. Gently wipe off the cleaning solution that you have used. Make sure you get everything. Vinegar can be harsh sometimes if left off for long.
Step 4: Let it dry
For the last step, use a dry cloth to dry your boots. Then keep it aside for a good couple of hours.
For The Perfectionist In You
Now, if you ask me what the best way to clean shoes is, I would say use the products that are dedicated to doing one job. So, let’s discuss how to clean leather boots using store-bought products.
Step 1: Brush Off The Dirt
This is the same as the DIY step. Brush of extra dirt and mud from the shoe. Take extra care for the nooks and crannies. Do not forget the bottom of the shoe. Rinse it with some clean water.
Step 2: Use the soap
Get a good quality saddle soap. Saddle soaps are dedicated to clean, only leather. It is a combination of mild soap, conditioning ingredients like lanolin and natural leather preservatives like beeswax. Damp a piece of clothes and get some saddle soap and start cleaning.
Step 3: Clean The Soap
Clean the soap with either a damp cloth or water. Dry off with a dry towel.
Steps 4: Dry off and Polish
Use a good quality conditioner. Mink oil is famous for taking good care of leather shoes. You can try that as well. You can use a wax type of conditioner as well. This step is your answer if you are wondering how to shine boots.
Congratulations, you have successfully cleaned your shoes. If you have a white pair of leather shoes and you want to clean it then you must read how to clean white leather shoes.
How to Remove Stains from Leather Boots?
To remove stains from leather boots is not easy. There are several types of unfortunate stains like an ink stain, oil stain, scuffs, etc. You can always go to your nearest footwear care shop and get a professional good quality stain remover.
You can use some household items like rubbing alcohol as well.
Oil Stain
For oil stains, you can use cornstarch or baking soda on the spot.
Ink Stain
For ink spots, use mild rubbing alcohol.
Scuffs
And lastly, for scuffs, you can use toothpaste.
A word of caution, don’t go overboard with the home remedies if you don’t see any improvement then it’s best to use products that are meant for it.
How to take care of Leather?
Here are some tips and tricks on how you can take care of your leather.
- Let your leather breathe. Do not store leather plastic bags. Use some storage that allows your leather to breathe.
- While you try something new to clean leather, do a patch test first.
- Fairly regularly clean your leather. Using a damp microfiber cloth.
- Do not expose your leather to direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can shrink or dry out the leather very fast.
- While polishing uses natural or neutral colors.
- In cases where you have not tended to your leather for a good amount of time, let a professional take care of that.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I hope your question of how to clean leather boots have been answered throughout the article. While cleaning and maintaining a pair of leather boots is not easy by any means, but it surely is worth it. Leather is always a statement piece for any outfit. So, some investment and love are worth spending on your beautiful pair of leather boots.
