How to Clean Work Boots

If you are intending to know how to clean work boots? just read this article and get the best and easy solution. If you go on hiking, hunting, or trekking outside, then boots are your daily companion. Work boots are a must for guys working in a cow or pig farm or do construction works. Work boots are made to be exposed to dirt and mud. So they get dirty and muddy very often. To keep them reusable, you need to clean your work boots every day or on a regular basis. And this article is brought to you about How to Clean Work Boots.

How to Clean Work Boots?

Cleaning your boots is not a hard task. You can make your old boots looking new by cleaning and conditioning them by your own self at home. So why pay a cobbler for the thing you can do at your leisure? Let’s take a look over the entire process.

Clearing Dirt

It is obvious to get soil and dust stuck on your boots while working. You should clean them on a regular basis, twice or thrice a week. Things you may need to clean your boots are- a horsehair brush or dauber, a stiff and bristle nylon brush, a clean rag or tissue paper, saddle soap, etc. The cleaning process is described here for you.

First of all, remove laces from your boots. Put them in a clean place far away from the place where you are cleaning boot pairs. Otherwise, they may catch more dust.
Now use a horsehair brush or a horsehair dauber to remove any surface dirt and debris from the leather. You can use a nylon brush if there is much more dirt instead of a horse hairbrush. Do this outside. Else you will make your floor dirty.Use a stiff and bristle nylon brush to clean beneath the sole. Use the blade located in the backside of the brush to remove sticky and hard debris from the grooves of the sole and welt.Some people use sandbars to clean the sole. But this will wear out the soles.
Now clean the boots using saddle soap. Dip your stiff-bristle nylon brush into water. Now brush your boot with that water-soaked brush well. Then dip the brush in the saddle soap and brush the boot surface using it. You may repeat this depending on how much your boots are drossy. Do this over the sink or in the bathtub.
Now use a clean rag or tissue to wipe out the water. Place them at a well-ventilated place. You can use a hairdryer. But hairdryer may over soften the leather.
You can wash your laces too if they are dirty.

Now let the boot dry fully before doing anything else.

Conditioning

Conditioning is done to keep the leather of your boot healthy and shiny. There are different kinds of products available for conditioning your boots, for example- leather conditioner, leather oil, mink oil, leather bomb, etc. All these are used for conditioning.

Leather protectants and snow seal are used to keep boots waterproof. You may need a microfiber applicator or cloth, a sponge, a small brush like a toothbrush, pointy q-tips, etc. So the conditioning procedure is here for you.

Put some leather conditioner or mink oil on the leather. With leather oils, producers supply a stick to apply the oil over the boot. Then use a microfiber applicator to get even coverage over the leather. Otherwise, there may be some darker and some lighter spots on the leather. You can use your finger or sponge or any kind of cloth too if you do not have any microfiber stuff. Now hit the boot with a dauber for one last time.
If you use leather conditioners, the colour of the boot will become darker. But that will lighten up over time. In the case of mink oil, your boot will become the shiniest. But it will become dull over time. Leather oil makes the boot looking darker than the original look.
Now it is time to give your boots the water-resistant ability. Some leather protector comes in a spray. Spray them on the boot all over. But for an added level of protection, you can use snow seal. Put this on the welt. Now try to work it in using that little brush and smooth it out with fingertips. This will also dress up the rubber on the outside of the boots.
And lastly use q-tips to remove conditioner from little holes for the design and ventilation.
You can rub leather conditioner on the laces too. It will make them shiny and clean looking.

Now leave your boots for at least one day and let it be set.

Removing Odor

After a long hectic day, if the boot stinks as soon as you remove them, of course, it will disgust you. You can get rid of this fuggy odour by maintaining only a few manners.

1
First of all, try to build up a good food habit. Drink a lot of water and tea. Some recommend drinking saline or salt-water to get rid of this issue. Footbath is very effective in this case. Wash your foot with an antifungal foot soap. So your feet will be less prone to fungus and germs.
2
If possible, change your socks every day. Wash your socks at least once in every two days. Use antimicrobial odour control soles. And clean them once in fifteen days.Place dryer sheets before wearing them before a long working day. Throw them away after using them once.
3
After removing boots, spray an antibacterial-spray inside and put them in a well-ventilated place. Practice doing this every day.
4
Take half cup baking soda in a sock. And tie its mouth. Then put it inside the boot. This technique is very much helpful.
5
Kitty’s litter does the work too. Put some litter in an old sock and tie its mouth. Now put it inside the boot.
6
Ball up two fabric softener dryer sheets and put them in boots after using. They will release a pleasant scent and remove any excess moisture.
7
Peel off a lemon. Then crush the peel and put them inside the boot. Before wearing them the next day, spill out the peels of the boots.

If you are suffering from bromidrosis, consult with a doctor.

Maintain Regularly

Wash your boots regularly once a week at least, condition them often. And use deodorizers. All these will keep your boot neat and make them long-lasting.