How to Clean & Waterproof Leather Boots
You did it. Spent hard earn money on a nice pair of Justin's or Tony Lama's. Then it happened: rain, mud, gumbo, pasture land flat tires... or kids, or maybe all that at once.
When you want to get your boots back in action and ready for a night out, you need to do it the right way.
Want to learn how to stretch your leather boots so they fit perfectly?
Below you'll find a North 40 guide to getting your boots shined up like new.
Step by Step Instruction on Cleaning Leather Boots
1. Use a damp cloth to remove any mud or residue (you can also use a dry eraser or brush to remove any scuff marks)
2. If your boots become wet or saturated, the first thing you need to do is remove the insole
3. Use an absorbent tissue paper such as a paper towel and dry the boot thoroughly
4. Remember to never put your boots in direct heat as it causes cracking
5. Once your boots are thoroughly dry, use a leather conditioner on the boots with a dry cloth or a sponge
6. Be sure to rub the leather conditioner in well, using small circles starting at the bottom of the boot
7. Once you're done with the conditioner, apply a polish to the boot (never use polish on distressed suede as it may change its characteristics)
8. As with the conditioner, use small circles starting at the bottom of the boot until the polish is absorbed
Step by Step Instructions on how to Waterproof those Clean Boots
When you want to take your leather boots to the next level of functionality, the logical step is to make them waterproof.
There's a right way and a wrong way to do that though--mess it up and you'll have wet feet, or worse yet, ruined boots.
Read through the tips we've put together for you and check out #2--bet you wouldn't have thought of that!
1. Brush off any excess dirt (you should have just cleaned them)
2. Thoroughly wet boot (should still be wet from cleaning)
3. Clean with Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel (shake well first)
4. Scrub!
5. Rinse well
6. Apply Nikwax Waterproofing Wax for Leather (shake well first)
7. Rub with your hands or a sponge (pay attention to seams)
8. Wipe off excess while polishing
9. Allow boots to dry on a protected surface
10. Your boots are now waterproof!