Are you wondering about how to clean leather work boots? If yes, then this is the article that you need right now. If you are someone who has to work all day long with a pair of leather boots, then you can relate to this problem so easily.
Oil, water, grime, dirt, etc. can create stains on your leather boots. Also, your boots may produce an annoying odor if you wear it daily from morning to night. So it is important to keep the boots clean properly, so you can use the boots for a long time.
Cleaning The Outside Of Work Boots:
It is the first step of cleaning your boots. There are some different work boot cleaning kit and methods that you can use—
- Firstly, remove the laces of the boot out and replace them with another clean lace and wash the dirty laces separately.
- Now gently clean the big particles of debris and dirt with a cloth or soft brush, especially on the soles. Avoid too firm brushes as they can scratch the leather.
- Make a cleaning solution with 50% water and 50% dish soap. Now you can clean your leather boots using this solution.
- You can use moderately damp clothes or brushes that will wipe the dust and dirt away fairly well. Also, using an old toothbrush is a good idea on the welt.
- If the boots have any oil stain or grease on it, use a small amount of baking soda with water and make a paste. Rub the paste with a cloth on the stain and wait for about two hours.
- If your boots are incredibly dirty, you will need some cleaning powder or leather cleaning products.
- Before using any leather cleaning product, try to get as much grime off as possible so the process will be easier for you.
- Any petroleum product should not be used as a leather cleaning product, as they may have a bad impact on the leather. So, try to use any plant oil based cleaner.
- Also, you can use liquid spray cleaners for leathers just like other cleaning solutions. You just need to spray on the boot, wipe, and brush away the grime or dirt until it is cleaned.
- It is wise to soak the boots for one or two minutes after spraying for the caked-on gunk.
Saddle Soap: It is a natural mild soap blended with some leather conditioning ingredients, such as lanolin or beeswax, or other natural compounds. Its texture is like a waxy puck and soft that comes with a boot polish tin. You can use it with a clean and lightly damp cloth or brush.
Apply it in a circular motion and create foam on the lather surface. After that, wipe the lather away with a clean damp cloth. You may need some more applications to clean the whole boot. learn more about Boots for Motorcycle Riding.
Once the boots are clean, wipe away the remaining cleaner and foam. An extra benefit of the saddle soap is, it moisturizes and nourishes the lather besides cleaning, so it is really wise to have this product for your boot care.
When you are done with cleaning, let the work boots air dry. Avoid heating the boots as heat can crack and dehydrate the leather.
Cleaning The Insole And Inside Of Work Boots:
Besides cleaning the outside, you also need to pay attention to the footbed and insoles, as they produce a musty, rich smell, so clean work boots smell is a must. Here are some effective ways describing how to clean the inside of leather work boots.
- At first, take off the insoles and wash them through a washing machine with mild detergent or low pH shampoo. Now let it air dry.
- Wash the interior of your boots with mild low pH shampoo and a damp cloth.
- When the smell is gone, wash the interior with a cloth dampened with only water to blot up the shampoo residue.
- Now use a cloth that is dry and wipe as much moisture as you can.
- When you are done with washing, let the boot air dry with a boot tree or by making the boots upside down.
- Try to avoid applying heat to the interior as it may have a detrimental impact.
- Now you can use powder or deodorant spray, it will help to cut down the accumulation of acids, odor and salts.
It is better to wash the inside of your boot before the off day or the weekend as it requires air drying for at least one night. Know about more Top Work shoes for Flooring Installers.
Conditioning The Leather Boots:
It is important to condition your leather boots using any natural leather conditioner or leather oil after cleaning the boots. But, do not use any petroleum products, just apply any natural compounds to nourish and protect the leather.
- Let the boots dry completely before applying the conditioner.
- Wipe the conditioner down into the leather with a nourishing compound.
- You can use an old toothbrush and hit the welt along with the edge of the boots, as these areas need more attention than the rest of the boots.
- Leather oil will moisture the leather of your boot, prevent cracking, drying, and provide a water-resistant barrier. It also will protect your boots from sun damage and keep your boots workable for years.
- Also, you can use baking soda to prevent the odor. Put a sock in the boot with baking soda in it overnight, or simply sprinkle some soda in the boot. It will absorb the odors from coming back.
Bottom Line:
If you read the whole article, I hope you will find all the details about how to clean leather work boots. I have tried to explain the easiest ways to get rid of this problem. If you take care of your boots properly, they will last for years, you won’t need to think of buying new boots so often. Also, you can clean timberland work boots and wolverine work boots in the same way, the basic way is almost the same for all kinds of boots.
