With each new winter season, winter boots add another layer of abuse onto their already tattered appearance. They need to contend with stains from salt accumulations, scuff marks, and the leather material drying out. As with nearly every damage, disorder, or condition, there are many natural remedies on the market to assist in relieving your boots from the terrible shape they find themselves in. These solutions may not make them appear as they came straight out of the box, but they will give them a new luster with the essence of a brilliant new pair.
Tips On How To Restore The Life To Your Boots
Leather boots have a design meant to be durable and sturdy against the extreme conditions present during the coldest months of the year. They need to not only keep our feet dry and warm, but there needs to be solid traction to prevent falls and a heavy material not easily worn. With harsh conditions such as stomping on ice, traipsing through salt-covered sidewalks, and maneuvering our way around slushy parking lots, they take incredible wear. There are resources you can use to ensure that your beloved outerwear avoids ruin and come out to be the clean boots they once were. Let’s check them out.
- Salt stains can be a thing of the past when you apply a bit of white vinegar and some water. It never fails when coming in after snow, there will be white rings on your leather boots from wading through salt-laden sidewalks. To erase them from your leather, blend one part of water to two parts of the vinegar. You will rub this solution into the stain until it disappears. Take a soft cloth to go over the surface and let them air dry. Please don’t put them near heat because hot air will cause the leather to become brittle.
For suede, you should use a brush to remove any loose debris or dirt and then dab the solution gently into the material until it comes clean.
Vinegar is drying to leather. After you have treated your boots, research leather conditioning products and follow up with one of these. It will restore cracked leather and bring back the original shine.
- If at all possible, for suede boots, in non-salt instances, avoid using damp solutions. Suede needs to be kept dry in an effort to maintain its texture. The idea is to use an ‘eraser’ to treat. For example, if the napping is flat, use a toothbrush over the surface in vigorous motions. Doing so should restore the texture. Follow https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-clean-suede to learn more about cleaning suede.
- Essential oils are a natural solution to an odor issue. Boots have designs meant to keep the feet dry and warm. But frequently they do their job a little too well to the point that feet sweat creating moisture and odor. To neutralize the smell, use a teaspoon of baking soda overnight in the footwear. After finished, pour it out and follow that with essential oils to produce a fresh, clean scent. Just a few drops are enough to do the job.
- Baking soda saves the day with scuff marks on footwear. With leather shoes, you need to be particularly gentle when attempting to eliminate the nasty black scuff marks. Take a clean, soft cloth that you’ve dipped into water and dip it in some baking soda. Gently rub the solution on the scuffs. For a rubber boot, you can be more aggressive using a scouring powder to get them clean. Once your leather is back to clean, wipe them down with a damp rag and let them dry.
So far, we’ve discussed ways for you to clean boots that have already become tattered or damaged in some way. But there are things that you can do to prevent damage or protect the shoes before they feel the effects of the season. Here are ways to clean many shoes.
Applying a coating of water repellent right after cleaning will stop the issues that you are suffering in the cold months. When you treat, make sure to stuff them full of newspaper or some other material comparable to help them retain their shape. Once your boots have protection, feel free to enjoy the beauty of the season.