Your Best Guide to Cleaning Your Walking Boots...
Although our walking boots are made to get dirty, cleaning them can often be a real effort at times, and the team at Hi-Tec Europe knows this.
That is why they have shared this must-have guide on the top tips to know when cleaning your walking boots – and a little maintenance can go a long way, in their opinion.
Things You Will Need
1) Water – preferably lukewarm water is best.
2) Brush and Sponge – a small soft brush for scrubbing and a sponge for soaking your boots.
3) Saddle Soap – saddle soap, or even a mild detergent is great for washing your boots.
4) Wax Protection – boot wax conditions your leather boots and can act as a water repellent.
5) Water Repellent Spray – this will help keep boots looking newer for longer by preventing stains.
6) Odour Spray – spray regularly inside to avoid getting smelly boots!
Washing Your Boots
If you boots are wet, first leave them to dry. Remove the laces and use a boot brush to get rid of any loose dirt or mud on the surface.
Wipe them down with lukewarm soapy water using your sponge and a small soft brush, and if your boots are suede do try to be gentle as they can easily be damaged by over excessive scrubbing.
Drying Your Boots
Try to keep boots away from intense heat, such as radiators and fires, as this may cause them to change shape as they dry out and can cause the leather to harden and crack.
Remove the laces and insoles and place them upside down to let any excess water escape the inside of the boot, and you can even crumple up some newspaper and place it inside to help soak up water.
After Care
If you boots are leather it is important to moisturise them with a conditioning treatment such as Grangers G-Wax, which will prevent the leather from cracking.
Other Grangers products such as their Footwear Repel water-repellent spray and Hi-Tec’s exclusive i-shield disinfectant odour prevention spray will also assist in keeping your boots looking and feeling newer for longer.
Top Do’s
- Use a regular boot brush on dry boots to remove clumps of mud and loose dirt from the uppers and outsoles.
- Use a smaller brush, such as a toothbrush, which will enable you to access those harder to reach places.
- Brush in a circular motion – this will ensure that the dirt is not rubbed into the boots, which can cause a permanent stain.
- Treat leather boots regularly with waterproofing and conditioning wax or cream to help them last longer.
Top Don’ts
- Avoid powerful detergents like washing powder on your boots, this can damage the leather.
- Do not use high heats like hair dryers or radiators to dry out your boots.
- Do not put your boots in the washing machine!
- Avoid alcohol-based products, which can eat into the boots leather.
We hope that you found these tips helpful – and that you are now on the road to keeping your boots in tip top condition!
If you are keen to get started with a brand-new pair of boots, then we have a little something to help our Walkers Club friends and fans. Hi-Tec Europe has given us an exclusive discount code which, when entered at check-out, will discount 25% off your total basket.
That is not just on boots – but any Hi-Tec Europe items!
Make sure to head to www.hi-tec.co.uk and enter THEWALKERSCLUB25 code when you get to check out.
Happy walking. See you soon! The Walkers Club Team