It’s Boot Season – Here’s How to Keep Them Looking Fab

One of the best things about the change in seasons is pulling out my favorite pairs of boots (and purchasing a few news favs). I love boot season! What I don’t love is pulling last year’s boots out only to be disappointed by all their wear and tear. If you think of your favorite pair of boots as a statement piece in your wardrobe that won’t go out of style, then you need to take good care of them. Here are 6 things you can do to keep them looking fabulous year after year.

1. Making Cleaning Your Boots a Priority

When is the last time you cleaned your boots? They need to be cleaned regularly – especially if you wear them in places where they get dirty. Use a soft cloth to wipe away any dust or debris on your boots. If you need to remove debris from a wintry mix (such as snow or salt), apply a salt stain remover to your boots and let them dry overnight. This will prevent staining.

 Note – If your boots are suede, use a suede brush to clean them.

2. Use a Barrier Spray

You can avoid a significant amount of wear and tear if you apply a protective treatment to your boots. Just like a protective barrier for your furniture protects it from stains, a protective boot spray can help repel liquids away from your boots and makes it much easier to wipe them clean.

3. Add a Protective Sole

If you want to keep these boots in your wardrobe forever, then consider adding a protective sole to the already existing sole. You’ll need to take your boots to a shoe repair shop to have this done, but it will make your boots last significantly longer.

4. Invest in Boot Shapers

Whatever you do, do not leave your boots standing upright without putting something inside them to hold their shape. If you don’t, your shapes will bend and become damaged or misshapen. I recommend investing in boot shapers, which are designed for this purpose. However, if you don’t want to wait until you can find some boot shapers, you can stuff your boots with something in your home.

5. Keep Your Shoeboxes

Storing your boots in the off-season is just as important. Ideally, you should keep your shoeboxes for easy storage. If you have gotten rid of your shoeboxes, then store them in a box with a loose lid (leather needs to breathe).

6. Remove Scuffs

Your boots are going to get scuffed at some point. Go ahead and purchase some leather crème in the right shade to have on hand for when this happens. For small scuffs, you can use a soft cloth, baking soda, and water to buff the boot. For bigger scuffs, you will need to use the leather crème.

Note – If your boots are suede, use a suede eraser to remove the shiny spots on the material.

Do you have a pair of boots that you adore? Tell me all about them (or better yet, post a pic).