Leather boots are very prone to becoming wet and absorbing water. This causes the leather to stretch, thereby making the boots lose on your feet. Water can also cause cracks in your boots that make them appear old even when they are fairly new. Drying leather boots is possible. But you have to do it correctly or you will end up with cracks on your boots. You also need to know how long it takes for the boots to dry completely before putting them back on.
Let us start by discussing how to dry leather boots using natural methods first. Since this method is free of charge and is fairly simple at the same time.
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So, we can keep our budget low because we all work hard for our money right? Yeah, it’s absolutely right.
Table of Contents
Here’re Some Steps for Drying Leather Boots
Step 1
The first thing we need to do is to use a toothbrush and scrub the boots completely. This step will help remove dirt from your boots. Plus it will also help get rid of water stains on them if it is not raining when you get home.
We need to get rid of all the dirt. Because it can contain particles that might scratch or damage your leather boots. So, make sure that you clean your boots properly before drying them.
Step 2
After cleaning the boots with a dry cloth, we need to wipe them down using a solution consisting of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water. Vinegar works as a solvent. That helps break down dirt particles which allow us to easily wipe them off our shoe. If there are any stubborn particles sticking onto the boot then we can try adding more vinegar to the solution.
Steps 3
The next step will involve using your blow dryer to further dry your boots. You need to turn on the heat setting of the blow dryer and make sure that it is set at medium heat before you start drying your boots. This is because we do not want our leather boots to shrink or harden when we are drying them.
For this method to work properly, you must be patient. Since it can take hours for the leather boots to completely dry depending on how wet they are.
Furthermore, you should keep checking how dry your boots are turning by trying putting your fingers inside the boot every ten minutes or so until it feels like there is no more moisture in them anymore. If you accidentally the blow drier turned on too high and it starts to damage your leather boots, then you can try using a heat gun instead.
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Step 4
Just like the blow dryer, we must set the heat on medium before using it on our boots. We must also be patient with this method. And wait until the boots are completely dried, which could take a few depending, even more, depending on how wet they are when we start the process.
Checking the boots every ten minutes is a good way to see if they are almost done. But do not forget that you might have to do some touch-ups if there are any areas that are still wet after drying.
Now that we know how to properly dry our leather boots. Let us move on to how to do it using a dryer. We will only be using the dryer if the boots are not wet. To begin with since we do not want our boots to get even wetter than how they originally were, that would defeat the purpose of drying them using this method in the first place. Just like how we did it when using a blow dryer or heat gun. You must set your dryer to medium heat before starting on your boots.
Since there is no water for you to soak up, make sure that you keep checking how damp your shoe is turning by putting your fingers inside every ten minutes or so until it feels like there is no moisture at all anymore.
Here’s Another Method How to Dry Leather Boots
Since there are no metal parts in most dryers nowadays. Let us just skip that part and move on to how we hang our boots up after they are dried completely. You can use a hanger or lay your shoe flat on the floor. But make sure that you do not hang them up. Because if your boot’s strap is made of leather. As well, it will stretch over time and affect how tight or how to lose you wear it. We also do not want to shower our boots again. So we need to be extra careful how we dry them properly.
We already know how to properly dry leather boots using natural methods. And let us now move on to how to dry them using a dryer by first setting the heat setting on medium. Then check how damp they are turning every ten minutes until there is no more moisture left inside the boots. Finally, we need to hang our boots up by using a hanger, and how we do not want our boots to get even wetter.
Before Drying Boots
There are so many things that need to be considered when drying leather boots. Because this process is not done well, it can ruin the look of your boots which you have tried so hard to keep in the best condition possible.
Most people do not have much experience. When it comes to drying boots which leads them to make some common mistakes. That results in a decrease in the quality and durability of their boots which will eventually lead them to purchase new ones. Because they cannot be repaired anymore.
It is important that you know all the necessary steps which should be followed for effective boots drying and which mistakes you should avoid doing yourself. This way, you will protect your investment and prolong the life expectancy of your favorite pair of boots. This means fewer shopping trips for new ones which in turn means more money saved which you can spend on doing other things that are important to you.
Discover which mistakes to avoid when drying boots and which steps need to be taken for successful boot drying. The following paragraphs will help you in prolonging the durability of your favorite footwear. That will pay off sooner than expected because properly maintained boots have a life expectancy of several years.
Mistakes That You Should Avoid
Mistake #1: Not properly washing the boots before drying
When you wash your boots before you dry them, they become free of dust and dirt which prevents the drying process from being interrupted by particles in the air. Some people think that it is better to start wearing their footwear immediately after cleaning instead of drying it. But this can result in increased damage due to wetness or even mold formation which will make the leather become hard and crack. Know more about how to wash work boots properly.
Taking off excess moisture is done by using a soft cloth or towel with lukewarm water. Which should be applied evenly on both sides of the clothing item for one minute on each side. Make sure that all areas are covered equally without leaving any moisture spots.
Afterward, you need to dry them by using a clean, smooth, and absorbent cloth. That should be applied to the damp area for two minutes on each side. You need to turn your boots upside down when drying them in order to remove excess moisture from the footwear without negatively impacting its overall appearance.
Mistake #2: Failing to use a suitable drying method
Incorrect boot drying can also lead to negative consequences such as cracked leather and soles. That will make expensive boots appear cheap and unattractive. Because of the damage that they have sustained while you were careless. While trying to save time or because you did not know any better at that point in time. Some people prefer not to dry their boots completely. So they can wear them again quickly after washing even though this decreases the quality and life expectancy of their boots.
The best way to dry boots is by using a fan. Because it creates a consistent airflow which helps in eliminating moisture quickly without causing any damage to the material. If you do not have access to a fan, then you can use a hairdryer on low heat. But you need to be careful not to overheat the leather and cause it to crack. Some people also put their boots near the stove or in front of the fireplace in order to speed up the drying process. But this should only be done when there is no danger of fire.
It is important that you avoid direct heat. Because it can cause the material to shrink, warp, or even melt. So make sure that you are using a safe boot drying method before you accept it as the best way to preserve your garments.
Mistake #3: Not protecting your boots when drying them
Even though some people think that it is okay to dry their boots by laying them on top of each other or by just tossing them into a corner. They are wrong. Because this can result in damage due to excess weight which causes the leather to rip and tear over time.
Some people stack their boots on top of one another or place them side by side with nothing between them which increases the risk of warping and cracking. These will make expensive boots appear cheap and unattractive for those who care about first impressions.
One way to protect your footwear while you dry them is by placing tissue paper or a shoe tree in between each boot. As a result, there is no contact between boots. Shoe trees help in maintaining the shape of your boots while they are dry. They also absorb excess moisture which will prevent the formation of mold and other harmful bacteria. If you do not have any shoe trees, you can use some old newspapers or magazines to achieve the same results.
Conclusion
We hope this blog post has given you some insight into how to dry your boots and what not to do. If you haven’t had the chance yet, we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation on leather care and advice on how best to take care of your boots. Our team will be happy to answer any questions or concerns. That may come up as well as put together an effective plan with all the steps needed for proper boot cleaning, conditioning, drying, and storage. So they remain in good condition for years.
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