Oil your boots regularly. I try to get to mine at least once a month, but sometimes I am working enough that it gets hard to do, so I slack off to every other month. This has generally netted me a year and a half to two years out of my boots, under some of the worst work conditions for boots. Your mileage may vary.
LEATHER BOOTSLeather has a tendency to dry out and crack as natural oils and moisture are lost from the material. Dubbin is a good way to help restore waterproof properties whilst conditioning and softening the leather.
When you get your new boots, the temptation will be to oil them. Don't do it! Your foot is the mold and you want the leather to break in around your foot without the aid of oil or grease. Excessive oiling during the break in process can result is a sloppy fitting pair of boots.
Indeed, it is possible – even easy – to give your leather too much conditioner. Leather can only eat up so much conditioner before its starts to regurgitate. As conditioner absorbs through tiny pores, it can build up.
How to Clean Leather Cowboy Boots with Household Items
- Step 1: Use a damp cloth to wipe all over cowboy boots.
- Step 2: Dip the towel in spoiled milk.
- Step 3: Scrub onto the surface of the boots.
- Step 1: Mix water and vinegar in 1:1 ratio.
- Step 2: Immerse a dry cloth in the solution.
Do not use bar soap or detergents; many contain additives that can be harmful to leather or waterproof membranes. To clean mold, use a mixture of 80 percent water and 20 percent vinegar. Always rinse your boots thoroughly with clean water afterward. Never put boots in a washing machine because it can damage them.
- DO NOT wax too regularly, we would recommend once every five walks if regularly in use or once every couple of months if not, eventually you should be able to tell by the leather when it'll need waxing, it'll look dry.
STEP 1: Apply the vegetable oil all over the leather area using your finger tips. STEP 2: Now take the paper towel and dab on the oiled areas to soak in the excess oil on the tissue. STEP 3: Dip the towel in the soap-water solution and clean the oil from the boots. STEP 4: Pat-dry the boots using the fresh towel.
Best Value for Leather: Bickmore Gard-More Water and Stain Repellent. Best Value for Suede: Sof Sole Waterproofer Spray. Best for Uggs: Ugg Protector Shoe Care Kit. Best for Hiking and Outdoors: Kiwi Boot Waterproofer.
Waterproof your winter boots and shoes by giving them a coat of WD-40. It'll act as a barrier so water can't penetrate the material. Just spray WD-40 onto the stains and wipe with a clean rag. Your boots and shoes will look almost as good as new.
One option is to use a spray protectant or other commercial waterproofing product designed specifically for leather. Another option is beeswax cream. Beeswax is a natural waterproofing solution and has been found to be very effective at leather waterproofing.
Use a silicone spray for new boots, or apply a leather wax sealant for boots that you've had for a while. Either way, waterproofing them is a wise choice for adding comfort and dryness to your feet every day. Take time to protect your work boots from moisture and you'll be able to depend on them for years to come.
The decision to wear waterproof hiking shoes is a little more nuanced. So you want to consider the weather forecast, or more accurately, what the weather is going to be like during most of the hikes you'll do with your new shoes. If it's probable that it will rain a lot where you hike, get some waterproof shoes.
The Best Waterproof Hiking Boots, Tested
- Editors' Choice. Merrell Zion Mid Waterproof. moosejaw.com. $149.95.
- Best Value. Timberland Mt. Maddsen Mid. zappos.com.
- Best for Trekking. Scarpa Maverick Mid GTX. backcountry.com. $168.95.
- Most Secure. Danner Trail 2650 GTX Mid. backcountry.com.
- Lightest. La Sportiva Pyramid GTX. moosejaw.com.
Raw leather is permeable, so it absorbs moisture. The leather is treated in various ways to give it varying levels of water resistance. As a natural and permeable material, leather can never actually be made 100% waterproof.
How often you'll need to waterproof your boots will depend on how often you wear them. A good rule of thumb is to waterproof your boots whenever they get extra dirty or when water stops beading on their surface. This may equate to waterproofing them once every couple of months.
How to Waterproof Hiking Boots
- First, rinse the boots with clean water to remove mud and dampen their surface.
- Use a technical cleaner like Nikwax® Footwear Cleaning Gel. Shake well and press the sponge applicator to break the seal.
- Apply clean gel generously over the area to be cleaned; a light foam should develop.
- Rinse well with clean water.
Don't wash your shoes in a washing machine. After extended, rugged use, wash with mild soap and warm water. Be sure to rinse off all soap residue to avoid attracting more dirt.
How to clean a (very) dirty hiking boot:
- Knock off or brush off all chunks of dirt.
- Remove shoelaces.
- Stuff your boot with paper towel or a hand towel.
- Rinse your boots clear of any debris with water.
- Scrub-a-dub your boots with Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel.
- Rinse Cleaning Gel off boots.
For leather shoes, check manufacturer's instructions. Don't use bleach. Don't wash in the washing machine.
Sorel footwear displaying the waterproof designation must pass two footwear industry standard waterproofing tests and are guaranteed to keep your feet dry. *Please note: Laces and zippers incorporated in SOREL footwear are not waterproof. BEFORE STARTING: Determine what type of leather your SORELs have.
Once they've rested for about 12 hours, give them a rub with another dry rag to absorb any excess oils and moisture. Conditioning should be done quite often. I'd suggest once every 3 months if you live in a temperate climate – and once a month if you wear the boots every day or live in a dry, hot climate.
- Step 1: Clean. Using soap or leather cleaner, wash off any dirt with cloth or sponge.
- Step 2: Wait overnight for the leather to dry completely.
- Step 3: Smooth.
- Step 4: Apply leather filler.
- Step 5: Remove excess paste with the knife.
- Step 6: Let the leather dry for six hours.
Dubbin is great for leather boots, but not for suede or nubuck materials. Never use dubbin on suede or nubuck leather, as these types of material can be damaged by the oily nature of dubbing wax. There are alternative cleaning and proofing care products for these specific types of leather, which you can use freely.
Waterproof the boots.Step A: Grab the tube of Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather and squeeze out a few dime-size spots of the wax onto the leather upper. Then, using either your hands or a cloth/sponge, rub and massage the wax into the leather, spreading it out evenly over the whole surface.
Dubbin and shoe polish are both wax based products designed to protect boots and shoes. Dubbin will not have a colour to improve the general appearance of your footwear like shoe polish but will help soften and condition leather boots (particularly important with walking footwear that needs breaking in).
For full grain leather boots, we mainly recommend shoe polish or wax based shoe care products. After thorough cleaning, it can be beneficial to use a liquid impregnation as a base coat. Boots with Gore-Tex® waterproof technology must be treated with a dedicated impregnation.
Suede and nubuckTo reduce naps and imperfections in your suede, try a tool with nylon and brass bristles or an eraser function versus horsehair bristles. While less sturdy, these materials will clean suede and nubuck and dissolve cracks without damaging its surface.
When the sole begins to wear, the softer material of the midsole can become exposed and this can lead to the integrity of the sole breaking down, it is also much haeder to resole a walking boot once the midsole is exposed. Check for signs of cracking or breaking on the sole as this can show significant damage.
Brasher Boot CareTake care of your footwear – take out and rinse the footbed, rinse the inside to remove debris and wash the outside with cold water. Wipe away any surface water and allow to dry naturally. Treat leather footwear with appropriate creams and sprays.
