How to Clean & Care for Leather Boots

Dirt, water, and other environmental factors can break down leather causing it to tear or crack. Proper care will make your leather boots last longer by preventing deterioration that can occur with hard wear out in the elements. These same steps can be applied to work boots, hiking boots, cowboy boots, or just about any other boot or shoe that is made of or with leather. Watch the video below or just follow the instructions spelled out underneath.

What you’ll need

• Leather cleaner
• Leather conditioner
• Water protector
• A stiff brush
• A couple of rags
• Optional: Tack Sponge (soft sponge specifically for leather cleaning)

Steps

1. Prep & Pre-Clean

Remove laces and use your stiff bristle brush to remove as much of the caked-on surface dirt as possible. If there is not much visible or caked on dirt, you can skip the brushing part and go right to using the leather cleaner.

2. Clean

Apply a small amount of leather cleaner (about the size of a quarter) to your tack sponge or a small rag. Using the sponge or rag, work your way around the boot, scrubbing the leather down. You can add more leather cleaner to your rag or sponge as needed to keep up with the cleaning. When complete, wipe any excess cleaner off of the boot.

3. Condition

Apply a dime sized amount of leather conditioner to another sponge or rag and work into the leather. You can apply more as needed, but you don’t want to be globbing it on. Once complete, you can wipe off the excess.

4. Protect

Apply the leather protectant to your hand or a rag and apply a light coating all over the boot. The goal is to have it soak in to the leather, but not build up on top. Make sure to get in and around all the seams and crevices. In this video we are using mink oil, but you can use the water protector of your choice.

Wrap it up

Put the laces back in your boots and voila! You’re all set. Repeat these care steps as necessary to maintain good condition of your footwear. In between full cleanings like this, you can maintain the appearance of your boots by wiping them down with a little bit of conditioner. This will allow you to stretch the time between cleanings.