Having invested lots in the boots we wear for our travels, cleaning and condition is very important to extend their life.

Cleaning removes the small dirt particles that get in the pores of the leather which contribute to the breakdown of the leather. Cleaning also removes any chemicals that are on the surface of the leather.  Living in Colorado we encounter roads that are covered with magnesium chloride which gets on our foot wear while traveling. Mag Chloride is a very corrosive chemical and I doubt it is good for leather.

Conditioning is very important to prevent the leather from drying out. Once dry, leather has a tendency to start cracking in the areas of flex such as near the toe of the boot. This is any easy way to ruin a pair of good boot. Conditioning also helps restore the water repellency of the leather.

Through the recommendation of my brother Lou Dawson, I have started using Nikwax products on our wearable outdoor gear. Cleaning boot is a two step process using Nikwax Footwear Cleaning Gel and a conditioner such as Nikwax Aqueous Wax.

Here are the steps that I follow;

1. Rinse the root under cool water to remove any mud and loose dirt
2. Using the Footwear Cleaning Gel, scrub the entire surface of the boot. If the boots are really dirty you may need to use a stiff plastic brush to work the dirt loose.
3. Using cool water rinse the cleaning gel off the boots.  I hold my boots under the water with the opening facing down to prevent water from running into the boots.
4. Wipe the boots with a clean cloth to clean the remaining loose dirt and gel off the boots.
5. Apply your conditioner of choice to the boots. In my case I am using Aqueous Wax which is applied while the boots are still wet.
6. Wipe the excess conditioner off the boots.

Be sure you store your boots where they stay clean and can breathe. The original cardboard box is perfect for this.