Cowboy 101 – Boot Care

There is a saying around these parts, “Good boots ain’t cheap and cheap boots ain’t good.” Which is why it is so important to give your boots the proper care. No matter what type of boot that you have, if you want your boots to last you have to take good care of them. In this article, we look at how to care for all the different types of boots from leather to exotic with the same steps: clean, condition and protect.

Leather (Smooth/Soft Leather)

Dust and dirt can hurt your boots the most. Wiping down your boots with a damp cloth helps to prevent damage from dirt and dust from cutting away at the leather. Refrain from using saddle soap unless your boots are really stained, saddle soap can dry out your leather even more.

Next step is to condition, make sure your boots are clean and dry before you condition. You will want to appy your conditioner and buff with a soft cloth. The conditioner needs to soak into the pores of the leather to keep it strong and durable. It is important to choose the condition based on your need. An oil based conditioner will darken the leather, so it should only be applied to darker boots. I would say a lanolin based conditioner is your best choice with smooth leather and it won’t darken your boots.

Don’t forget to polish your boots. Using a matching cream polish, buff with a soft cloth. When in doubt on color, choose a clear polish. Polishing your boots can help to cover scratches and adds that shiny finish making your boots look brand new again.

All the steps above help to protect and care for your leather boots, but it’s not a bad idea to help protect your boots with a non-silicone water/stain protecting spray. Watch out with some of the antiqued boots like Old Gringo, it is always best to test a small area to make sure your product doesn’t stain the leather. These type of boots are made to look “used” or “aged” so they don’t use the same polishing treatments as the regular leather boots do.

Suede or Rough-out Boots

Suede and rough-out leathers have a nap finish and are treated a little different from your smooth leather boots. With suede, you want to use a suede or nylon brush to remove the dirt and stains. You don’t want to use conditioner on suede leather, this can cause discoloration. In fact, it’s not advisable to polish suede either. Instead after you brush the boots clean, apply a non-silicone water and stain protector and your done!

Exotic Boots

Now a day’s there are so many different types of exotic boots. You have caiman/alligator, full quill ostrich, smooth quill ostrich, lizard, giraffe, big bass, snake and shark, just to name a few. The care for the different types of exotics is different for each one. Some will say, keep your Big Bass clean, but leave them alone. Others, will tell you if your exotics get to dry they can crack or flake off. Make sure you know how to care for your specific type of exotic. No matter which type of boot you have the first step is to keep your exotic boots clean. Brush off dirt and dust with a damp cloth or soft brush. On snakeskin you should brush with the grain of the scales. You need to apply an exotic leather conditioner to your boots in several thin layers. Exotic leathers don’t soak up the conditioners the same way as the smooth leathers do. With most exotics, you can apply a matching or neutral cream-based polish and buff with a soft cloth. (No polish should be used on rattlesnake.) Lastly, apply a non-silicone water and stain protector. *note: some exotics can discolor with stain protector and you should test a small area first.

For best fish leather care, try to keep it in a cool, clean indoors location with balanced humidity. Inside a breathable case, like a wooden box or a dust bag, is an ideal location. If you notice any symptoms indicating your leather is getting a bit dry, or you just want to give it a protective layer to knock off the elements, you can find an exotic friendly leather conditioner. Silicon spray is also a workable alternative, but it has a tendency to dry out leather, so for good fish leather care, use sparingly and with caution. Test any leather conditioners before you use them; unfinished, lighter colored and exotic leathers especially can act strangely with some leather conditioning recipes.

NOTE: you should test your conditioner on a small area first. Use a soft, white cloth and apply a small amount of leather conditioner to a small area on your boots, and let it dry. If there is no significant color rub off on your cloth, discoloration in the leather, or any other negative side effects, you should be good. Spread it gently and evenly in thin layers across your fish leather with a lint-free cloth or bristled brush – in the direction of the scales – and let it dry for fifteen minutes. Don’t rub too hard, you don’t want to rub off some of the color. Buff the rest off, and your done.

For more information on boot care, visit these sites:

Tener’s Boot Shinin’

It’s always a good idea to know where you can go for boot repair and to get your boots cleaned, polished and protected. Our boot shining professionals here at Tener’s Western Outfitters have you covered for all your boot care needs. We even have in stock your polish and conditioners, everything you need to help your boots last longer and look brand-new.

Stop on by Tener’s and have Clyde, Don or Kero help clean and shine up your boots. Those boys can tell you everything you need to know about how to care for your specific boot. They do an amazing job getting my boots ready for a night on the town.