When you're tired after a long day on the trails, the last thing on your mind might be giving your hiking boots a thorough clean. However, even if it's just a quick spruce, caring for your boots will expand their lifespan and keep them in tip top condition for future adventures.
Our hiking experts are here with a straightforward guide to cleaning both synthetic and leather hiking boots. Of course, you don't have to go the whole hog every time, how often you should clean your hiking boots and how frequently you waterproof them will be down to how often you used them and the nature of the trails.
How to clean hiking boots
These six simple steps broadly apply to both synthetic and leather hiking boots. For more detail on each of the steps, scroll further down this page.
- 1) Gather your cleaning materials and products – see below
- 2) Remove the laces and insoles – you can give these a wash separately if needed
- 3) Brush off dust and dirt – a shoe brush or old toothbrush is ideal
- 4) Wash your boots – dish soap for synthetics, dedicated leather cleaner for leather
- 5) Apply a waterproofer – this doesn't have to be done every time
- 6) Air dry at room temperature – you can stuff your boots with newspaper to speed this up
What do I need to clean hiking boots?
To get the best results, we recommend the following to get your boots spick and span.
- Shoe brush
- Soft cloth
- Leather boot cleaner
- Dish soap
- Waterproofer (if needed)
- Towel or newspaper/kitchen roll
Brands like Nikwax sell everything you need to clean hiking boots in one handy package. As well as everything you need to clean leather and synthetic boots, their Outdoor Complete Collection Kit also contains a waterproof cleaner and reproofer and spray-on UV protection for tents and other gear.
Meet our experts
Growing up in Scotland, Julia then moved to the US for university, where she developed a passion for the great American outdoors. These days, she’s back in Scotland and spends most of her hiking time clocking up miles in the Highlands and the French Alps. Needless to say, she’s tested a lot of hiking boots, hiking shoes and hiking sandals in the past 30 years and has spent countless hours cleaning them.
Alex is a Mountain Leader and former President of the London Mountaineering Club. He's passionate about hiking and knows the importance of product aftercare, particularly through the lens of sustainability. He keeps his boots in good nick with Nikwax products.
How to clean synthetic hiking boots
If your boots are not made of leather, you can follow these steps to clean them thoroughly. If you plan to use your boots again the very next day, you may simply want to give them a wipe and wait until you have a rest day so you can allow your boots to dry completely before you have to use them again.
1) Remove the laces and insoles
To make it easier to clean the details of your boots, remove the laces and insoles first. To clean the laces, rinse them in warm water with a little dish soap and lay them out to dry.
You can also hand wash the insoles with warm water and a little dish soap then set them out to dry. To deodorize and dry the insoles, sprinkle them with baking soda and set them aside.
2) Brush the mud off
If your boots are caked in mud, use a shoe brush (an old toothbrush or nail brush will work too) and remove the mud deposits first. You might do this outside in the driveway, in the garage or over the sink so you don’t get mud everywhere inside your house.
3) Wash with dish soap
Fill the sink or a basin with warm water and add a little dish soap. Dip your boots in the water then gently scrub them with the boot brush or a cloth. With synthetic boots, you can wash the inside too by submerging the whole boot in water to allow it to fill up, emptying it out then using the brush or cloth on the interior as well.
When your boots look clean, take a new cloth and dampen it, then wipe off the soap.
4) Apply a waterproofer
If you plan to re waterproof your hiking boots, do it while they’re still damp. Spray a waterproofing product such as Nikwax Fabric & Leather Proof or Grangers Footwear Repel Plus onto clean, wet boots and leave to dry before you next go hiking.
5) Air dry at room temperature
Stuff your boots with newspaper to soak up the moisture if necessary and allow them to air dry, away from heat sources.
How to clean leather hiking boots
If your hiking boots are made of leather, do not use soap or detergent on them. Instead, you’ll want to get a leather hiking boot cleaner and follow these steps:
1) Remove the laces and insoles
If the laces need to be cleaned, wash them in warm soapy water. Otherwise, just set them aside.
You can hand wash the insoles with warm water and dish soap and set them out to dry, or simply deodorize them by sprinkling them with baking soda.
2) Brush off dust and dirt
Use a soft boot brush to remove any dust and dirt from the outsides of your boots. You can do this outdoors, over a sink or the trash can to keep your house from getting too dirty in the process of cleaning your boots.
3) Wash and rinse
If you only want to wash the outsides of your boots, wrap a towel around your hand and place it inside the boot so the inside doesn’t get wet. Turn on the tap and rinse your boots under lukewarm water. Squirt some of the leather hiking boot cleaner on the boot and gently scrub the outers with a soft cloth. Some leather cleaners, like Nikwax's (pictured) come with their own brush for application. Then rinse the cleaner off.
If the insides of your boots also need to be cleaned, you can wipe them out with a damp sponge or soft cloth.
4) Apply waterproofing
If you plan to re waterproof your boots, do it while they’re still wet following the same instructions for synthetic hiking boots, above.
5) Air dry at room temperature
You can leave the towels inside your boots while they dry if you used them for cleaning, or stuff your boots with newspaper. Then let your boots air dry at room temperature, away from heat sources or direct sunlight. You can use a fan to speed up the drying process.
How often should you clean hiking boots
Believe it or not, you want to clean your hiking boots after every use. It sounds time consuming, but it doesn’t have to be. At the end of each hike, if you can walk through wet grass or wade through a puddle or shallow stream, you may be able to take care of any grime without having to even pull out the boot brush.
If your boots are only lightly soiled when you get home, you can usually give them a quick wipe with a damp cloth and set them out to dry away from heat sources.
If your boots are more heavily soiled after a tramp in the woods, or if you’ve been hiking a lot lately and need to give them a monthly maintenance clean, follow the directions above.
Why is it important to clean hiking boots?
Obviously, hiking boots are meant to get dirty, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clean them between hikes. When you’re out on a hike, they're bound to get covered in mud, sand, grit and even tree sap. If you don’t take the time to clean this off regularly, it will work its way deeper into the fabric of your boots each time they flex under every step. This can cause your boots to degrade faster and lose their waterproofing capabilities and if your hiking boots are made of leather, these substances will also dry out the leather, causing it to crack.
This also applies to your best hiking shoes , while knowing how to clean your trail running shoes will stop them falling apart too. Fortunately, cleaning your hiking boots doesn’t take a lot in the way of time, effort or equipment, and saves you money in the long run as it makes your boots last longer.
