Outdoor gear is designed to get dirty, but that doesn't mean that you should never clean it. To get the most out of your hiking boots, proper care must be taken to keep them clean.
Short Answer
- Remove laces and insoles.
- Brush off excess dirt and debris before getting boots wet.
- Use your soap and water solution along with your brush to gently scrub noticeable stains from your boots.
- After adequate scrubbing and most of the dirt is removed, wipe the soap away from your boot with a clean wet cloth.
- Dry boots in an open air space, if possible.
How to clean hiking boots will vary according to their design, but a few basic rules apply.
In this article, we will go through the basics of cleaning your hiking boots, including how cleaning your hiking boots will extend their lifespan.
If you are looking for a new pair check out our guide to the Best Hiking Boots.
How to Clean Hiking Boots
How often and how you clean your hiking boots will change depending on the frequency of use, trail conditions, and the materials the boots are made from.
Before you start cleaning, be sure you have the right materials and know a few must-know cleaning tips.
Materials and Cleaning Tips
All you need to clean most boots is a brush of some kind and some soap. The brush can be a specialty boot cleaning brush, an old toothbrush, a cleaning brush, or a standard kitchen brush.
As long as it has bristles and will work the dirt out of the materials, it should work just fine for cleaning hiking boots. Any brush with stiff nylon bristles will be a good fit for the job.
Next, the soap you use can be as simple as a solution of water and mild dish soap. We do recommend investing in some boot cleaner, like saddle soap, if you have leather boots.
Before you use any shoe cleaner or detergent on your boots, check and read the manufacturer's instructions to ensure it is the correct cleaner for the materials, and follow their directions for use.
Avoid using bars of soaps, scented soaps, or laundry detergents on your shoes, especially leather. Many of these soaps contain certain chemicals or agents that can cause materials like leather to break down faster.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Remove laces and insoles.
- Brush off excess dirt and debris before getting boots wet. To do this, use your brush to rub off dirt or dampen a cloth to remove accumulated dirt. (If your boots have salt stains, soak them in water for about an hour after this step.)
- Use your soap and water solution along with your brush to gently scrub noticeable stains from your boots.
- After adequate scrubbing and most of the dirt is removed, wipe the soap away from your boot with a clean wet cloth.
- Dry boots in an open air space, if possible. Stuff newspaper inside of your boots to help absorb moisture and odors. Replace the newspaper when it becomes damp. Do not dry them near a heat source, and do not place them in direct sunlight as this could cause them to shrink. You can use a boot dryer if you have one.
Expert Tip
If you are trying to remove sap from your boots, put them in a bag and then place them in the freezer for a couple of hours. This will harden the sticky area, allowing you to pry it off with a knife. Do this before you get them wet.
Depending on the type of boots you have, part of the cleaning process may be reapplying or waterproofing the surface.
Once you get into a habit of cleaning your hiking boots, ensuring they are correctly waterproofed will become much easier as well.
How to Waterproof Your Hiking Boots
If you are waterproofing your boots, it is best to do this before they dry.
You should plan to waterproof them every time you wash them, and to keep them in the best shape, spray or wax them the day you go hiking. Waterproof them after washing.
After cleaning and scrubbing the materials, the surface pores of the leather, suede, or nubuck materials open.
This opening makes them very susceptible to water, so to help them close and protect them from damage, apply waterproofing spray or wax.
Wax can be beneficial for hide-based materials to help moisturize them as well.
Conditioning Your Hiking Boots
Conditioning should be done when the boots are still slightly damp.
If you have leather boots, complete this process immediately after waterproofing them.
Not all hide-based materials need to be conditioned. For instance, materials like suede or nubuck do not require conditioning, just full-grain leather.
To know if your boots are full-grain leather, they will look smooth on the surface, not rough.
Do not apply too much or too little conditioner. Follow instructions as provided on the conditioner you chose. Do not use mink oil. These oils are designed to be used on industrial leather boots, not the commonly dry-tanned leather used to make hiking boots.
Polishing Your Hiking Boots
This step isn't as necessary as the others. Still, if you have chrome or metal hardware on your boots (usually where laces attach), this step can prevent rusting.
All you need to do for this is a cloth or cotton swabs and some chrome polish. You'll apply the polish, let it sit for the recommended time, and then wipe away with a dry cloth.
FAQs
How to stop hiking boots from smelling?
One of the best ways to make your hiking boots stop smelling is to sprinkle some baking soda on the insoles.
When you remove them from your boots to clean the boot's exterior, let the baking soda sit on the insoles until the boots are dry enough to put them back in.
You can also sprinkle some baking soda inside your boots when you put them away to store them.
Also, plan to keep your boots in a climate-controlled, dry environment when they are not in use. This prevents moisture and mold from building up.
If mold has appeared or the entire boot smells, wash them and disinfect them with a vinegar solution.
In most cases, regular cleaning will stop your boots from acquiring an odor of any kind.
Can you wash hiking boots in the washing machine?
No, hiking boots should not be cleaned in the washing machine. This can damage them. Leather shoes and boots should always be washed by hand.
Why Do You Need to Clean Hiking Boots?
Although it is tempting to toss your hiking boots into the closet after a day on the trail, leaving them caked in mud or covered in dust can cause them to deteriorate prematurely.
If you're going to invest in quality hiking boots, then after hiking, get into the habit of cleaning your boots before storing them again.
Sometimes we return home after a hike with a bit of trail fog, and we toss our gear down on the floor to deal with another day.
That's fine, but don't forget about it! Clean them the day after a hike if you need to.
If you have leather hiking boots, each time you walk, the boot flexes and moves. This works the dirt and grime deeper into the leather material causing it to break down.
If there is a coat of mud on your leather boots, it sucks moisture from the leather.
So, if possible, clean mud off before it dries to stop it from removing moisture from the leather, as this makes the leather age faster.
This can also happen with other materials, but leather tends to be the most sensitive.
While we may have heard of the pesky hitchhikers on the bottom of boats, did you know that invasive plants and insects can hide in the mud left on the bottom of hiking boots?
Yes, it isn't unheard of that hikers can track invasive species into new areas because they didn't clean the mud off the tread of their shoes.
So, clean your boots not only to help them last longer but to make sure you are abiding by Leave No Trace.
Final Takeaways
Although it is tempting to toss your hiking boots into the closet after a day on the trail, leaving them caked in mud or covered in dust can cause them to deteriorate prematurely.
If you're going to invest in quality hiking boots, then after hiking, get into the habit of cleaning your boots before storing them again.
Follow our guide to the basics of cleaning your hiking boots to make them last longer.
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