Guide Boot Care

We invest a lot of money in our footwear so it makes sense to look after them. In this guide, we detail the best practice for cleaning and reproofing your boots. This will improve your experience and help prevent sending them into early retirement.

A boot-upper is exposed to sucking mud, jagged rocks, wizened tree stumps, and the changeable British elements. Over time and left unchecked this takes its toll, mud-laden and saturated boots are more prone to leakage and splitting as the acidic soil eats into the carefully crafted suede or untreated leather slowly dries out and cracks.

By following a few simple steps and guidelines the longevity of your footwear can be extended helping save any trauma on both your wallet and the environment.

One

· Prep your work area get your equipment together that you will require:

· Clean warm water

· a nylon brush

· a sponge

·  water-based footwear cleaner

·  water-based reproofer and/or dry wax/ silicon cream.

Two

Now that your work area is prepped and you’ve got everything together, grab your boots and you’re ready to go. Before you start, remove the laces from the boot. This will allow you to get into all areas of the boot, including those high flex points which are prone to wear.

“Remember to remove the laces”

Three

With the laces removed. remove all visible dirt with a nylon brush. Use a harder brush on higher quality and tougher leather, and a softer brush on a softer leather and fabric boots .

Use warm water when scrubbing and make sure to scrub deep into folds and covered areas.

“Scrub those hard to reach areas with warm water and a brush”

Four

To aid in reaching some of those small and hidden areas, after brushing use a sponge or cloth to get into some of those hard-to-reach areas.

Tip: Some of the key areas that are missed are: Eyelets, Stitching (particularly stitch lines under laces), folds in leather, and the flex point.

“Get into the nooks and crannies using a sponge”

Five

Now you’ve removed the visible dirt, your attention can turn to the dirt that can’t be seen.

Dirt and mud can seep into the upper and act as an abrasive from the inside out drying and cracking materials. To remove this silent boot killer, apply a water-based cleaner, all over the cleaned surfaces, use a dabbing motion to clean. The cleaner will remove embedded dirt particles and prepare shoes for re-waterproofing.

Tip: All the visible dirt should have been removed in the last 2 steps so if the cleaning gel brush is getting dirty go back a step and clean with a brush or cloth further.

“Removing the ‘Silent Boot Killer'”

Six

When the cleaning gel is fully applied wash off with warm water.

Tip: Be sure to clean the linings of your boots with a warm damp cloth after each use as well. Salt from perspiration can pass into the lining rapidly destroying the leather making it dry and cracked.

Seven

At this point, if using cream leave the Leather boots to dry naturally. If using a water-based proofer, reproof straight away.

Tip: When drying naturally, the boots need to be dry to the touch. Make sure you dry boots in a well-ventilated airy location away from any strong heat sources.

Eight

Apply Wax to Fabric Boots when wet, dab in all the nooks and crannies you’ve just taken so long to clean!

“Reproofing made easy!”

Now back to the Leather boots, after they have been left to dry naturally, apply shoe cream; again ensuring that you get into all those easily overlooked areas.

Nine

Have fun getting them muddy again! Cleaning your boots may seem like an arduous task, but this process will protect your boots. It will be worth it on that next adventure.

Conclusion

So there we have it, your leather or fabric footwear is ready to face nature again, revitalized and strengthened.

“Ready to get dirty again!”

We advise that for maximum effectiveness the frequency of the cleaning process (points 1 - 6) should be after every trip. While reproofing must always be accompanied by the cleaning process above, it is only necessary when there are signs that water is soaking into the upper material and no longer beading on the surface.

“Test your boots for evidence of beading- if the water soaks in - reproof them”