This period, most areas in the south have experienced varying degrees of precipitation, and with the unusually hot weather, the “Southward Movement Day” in southern regions has become particularly severe. Besides moldy walls, clothes and shoes that have not been worn for a long time have all shown signs of mold.
For leather shoes and boots, rainy days are absolutely like an enemy. With the continuous rise in temperature and the recurring rainy season becoming more intense, it has become urgent to protect the leather shoes and boots in your possession.
Of course, leather shoes and boots come in many types. Today, we will focus on three categories: leather shoes, leather boots, and suede, to see how to clean leather boots and help them survive their annual “catastrophe.”
Leather Shoes
Prevention
First and foremost, let’s talk about the leather shoes that almost every well-dressed man has. When facing rainy weather, to protect your leather shoes, the first thing to do is prevention. Before the leather develops any issues, we must take preventive measures to minimize potential problems as much as possible.
If you want to do a good job of protection, one pair of shoes is definitely not enough. Many people say that a comfortable pair of leather shoes can be worn continuously for 365 days a year. However, the tightness of the leather comes from its own collagen. Prolonged wear leaves the shoes in a state of constant abuse every day, and once the collagen is damaged, the leather itself is also compromised. Therefore, it’s best to let the shoes rest for a day after wearing them before wearing them again.
The above two points can be considered preventive measures for leather shoes. Then, during rainy seasons like the monsoon or after regular use, the maintenance of leather shoes becomes particularly important.
Maintenance
The first step in how to clean leather boots (and shoes) is, of course, to remove the dust and stains on the surface of the shoes. Take off the shoelaces, gently brush the floating dust off the surface of the leather shoes with a dusting brush, preparing for the subsequent maintenance work.
Removing the floating dust from the surface of the leather shoes is like a person who has just taken a shower and is exposed to the air. This will undoubtedly accelerate the oxidation of the leather. At this time, applying a thin layer of leather conditioner is particularly important.
Squeeze an appropriate amount of conditioner onto a cotton cloth or brush, and wipe the shoes in a circular motion. This greatly helps to isolate moisture from the leather and also maintains the flexibility of the leather. Here, when using the conditioner, the amount is particularly important, especially in hot and humid southern regions, excessive conditioner can easily cause mold.
To keep leather shoes looking shiny and new, maintaining the right amount of oil inside the leather is the most basic protection for the leather. Choose shoe polish that matches the color of the shoes themselves, use a wax brush to quickly brush in circles to spread it, allowing the polish to penetrate the leather and spread evenly, restoring color to the surface of the shoes.
After applying wax, you should also use a waterproof spray to evenly coat the shoes to prevent them from fading or deforming when they come into contact with water again. This helps provide more complete protection for the leather.
For areas of the shoes that are particularly prone to scuffing, such as the toe and heel, you can reapply wax after spraying the waterproof spray. Finally, you should also disinfect the inside of the shoes by spraying a disinfectant, placing an appropriate amount of moisture-absorbing packets inside, inserting shoe trees, and placing the shoes in a well-ventilated, cool place. This completes the care process for a pair of shoes.
Among these, in addition to controlling the amount of care cream, there are a few small details that need to be noted:
When choosing shoe trees, do not select cheap plastic shoe trees or waxed wooden shoe trees. Although waxed wooden shoe trees look more premium, choosing regular wooden shoe trees is more practical to ensure they provide more effective moisture absorption.
At the same time, to keep the leather upright, when selecting shoe trees, make sure they fit snugly inside the shoes to prevent the leather from becoming loose or deforming.
Additionally, when waxing leather shoes, the color of the shoe polish should be slightly darker than the original color of the leather shoes, so that they can better maintain consistency with their original color after long-term use.
If they get accidentally wet or splashed with water, like other types of shoes, never expose leather shoes to direct sunlight or use a hairdryer to dry them, as this will only worsen the damage to the leather.
For regular shoes, simply insert shoe trees and place them in a cool, well-ventilated area to air dry naturally. After that, you can use the maintenance methods mentioned earlier.
For high-end shoes where the soles are also made of leather, in addition to placing the leather shoes in a cool, well-ventilated area, you should also lean them at an angle to ensure the soles are ventilated and speed up the drying process.
Leather Boots
Having discussed leather shoes, let’s talk about leather boots. Generally, men’s leather boots are divided into types such as Tolling, Martin, Chelsea, Chukka, and Desert Boots. The latter two are usually made of suede and we have included their maintenance in the suede section for discussion.
Tolling Boots are a popular choice among many stylish men, with brands like Timberland®, CAT, and Red Wing representing the epitome of work boots. One distinctive feature of these shoes is that although they are all made of leather, people prefer to wear them until they show signs of wear for a richer patina, making the cleaning and maintenance of such leather boots relatively simple.
When learning how to clean leather boots, prepare both stiff-bristled and soft-bristled brushes. The soft brush is used to remove loose dust from the shoe surface, while the stiff brush is used to clear pebbles and dirt from the sole.
After basic cleaning, you can wipe the shoe surface with a wet wipe or a damp cloth to remove stains. If the stains are still not clean after wiping with water, you can add baking soda to the water and wipe again.
Finally, let them air dry in a well-ventilated area. However, for oil-leather styles like Red Wing, applying shoe polish is absolutely essential. The addition of shoe polish allows the shoe surface to absorb sufficient oil, ensuring the sheen is particularly important for Red Wing.
If it’s Martin or Chelsea boots, their cleaning and maintenance are almost exactly the same as low-top leather shoes, but this refers to the traditional genuine leather versions of Martin and Chelsea boots.
Nowadays, most of these two types of boots are made of synthetic leather, and many people even wear them as rain boots, making their use and maintenance much more convenient.
Suede Shoes and Boots
Finally, let’s talk about suede. This material is naturally “high-maintenance,” as if it were born with a “noble” lineage. Today, it can not only be seen on traditional military boots like Chukka and Desert Boots but is more commonly found on highly gentlemanly loafers.
The delicate leather grain shone with a luster unmatched by other shoe models under the sunlight, and the elegant suede naturally required meticulous care, which also brought considerable trouble to the users.
Starting with dust removal, how to clean leather boots (and suede shoes) requires thorough effort. The soft texture of suede means that a specialized soft brush must be used for cleaning. If the manufacturer has specific operational requirements, these must be followed accordingly.
Gently brush away the dust from the surface of the shoes with a soft brush. Unlike the back-and-forth brushing method used for the other two types of shoes, the brushing technique for suede requires repeatedly brushing along the same direction as the grain of the leather. This prevents the shoe surface texture from appearing messy and losing the original luster of the suede.
At the same time, when cleaning dust and repairing the surface of the suede, it is essential to keep the shoe surface dry. Never brush when the surface is wet.
If you accidentally step in rain or get splashed with water, please use a soft brush to gently dip a small amount of water and lightly brush the soiled areas of the shoe surface to remove the existing dirt.
Then use a sponge or dry towel to absorb excess moisture. Gently press the surface of the shoes with the sponge or towel until there are no more obvious water stains.
After cleaning, you can place shoe trees or crumpled paper inside the shoes. This not only helps absorb excess moisture but also ensures the shape of the shoe surface.
After naturally air-drying in a cool, shaded place, remember to use a dry soft brush to go over the shoe surface along the grain once more. This ensures the pattern in the stained areas matches the rest of the shoe. Finally, apply a waterproof spray for testing.
If you encounter oil stains, you can use nail polish or cornstarch to help remove the stains on the shoes; if unfortunately splashed with mud, you need to wait until the mud dries, then peel off the mud clumps, and then use a dry soft brush to remove the remaining mud on the surface. Finally, you should also recondition the shoes themselves according to the cleaning and maintenance steps mentioned above.
Conclusion
In summary, no matter what type of leather material, maintenance is essential. Even if you don’t encounter various stubborn stains, daily basic cleaning and maintenance can make the shoes look brand new, making them more elegant when paired with outfits.
Knowing how to clean leather boots properly ensures they remain durable even in rainy weather. By following these steps—prevention, regular cleaning, conditioning, and waterproofing—you can extend the life of your leather footwear and keep them looking their best for years to come.