With winter storm Jonas leaving parts of the East Coast completely covered in piles and piles of snow, it's nearly impossible to avoid the messy salt that keeps our sidewalks safe, but our boots looking nearly ruined. It's only January and this snowfall was the first of the season, which means there is probably a lot more where that came from, so how does one keep their boots looking clean with all the gross and slushy salt covering walkways?
Uggs seem to be the biggest issue as they are not only one of the most popular winter boots around, but probably the hardest to clean as well as those dreaded white stains are visible almost immediately. Other winter shoes made from suede have similar issues as they're hard to clean in general, let alone when they're covered in salt, and leather boots seem to be a huge problem as well. While it's hard to decide on what products to buy without taking the huge risk of ruining your footwear, there are some amazing at-home DIY remedies to get rid of salt stains on almost every shoe material!
Uggs
While Uggs do sell a special cleaner and protector for their products, there is a way to remove these salt stains from the boots on your own without ruining the material or fading the color. All you need is a clean soft toothbrush, a soft washcloth, cold water and a mild dish detergent, such as Dawn, according to eHow.
1. Mix a small amount of the dish detergent with the cold water.
2. Dip the soft cloth in the water solution and pat or blot the stains on the boots, but be sure not to scrub as this could remove color.
3. Allow the boots to dry naturally and repeat as needed if any spots remain.
4. Once the stain is gone and the boots are completely dry, use the toothbrush to gently lift the nap of the suede to restore the original appearance and have them looking good as new!
Suede Sneakers and Boots
While this process is very similar to the process used for Uggs, this uses white vinegar, which is not recommended on Uggs as it can cause fading in colored suede, so proceed with caution. For any suede sneakers or boots, you will need white vinegar, water, a clean soft washcloth or cotton balls, a suede brush or old clean toothbrush and newspaper, according to Life at Clover Hill.
1. Brush off any loose dirt on the dry shoe with the suede brush or old toothbrush.
2. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a small bowl.
3. Dip the wash cloth or cotton balls into the solution and buff out the salt stains on the shoes/boots. Make sure you get it just damp enough to wash off the salt without getting it soaking wet.
4. Stuff the inside of the shoe with newspaper to help keep the shape while drying and then let it air dry.
5. Once dry, restore the nap of the suede by brushing it with a clean suede brush or toothbrush.
Leather Boots
Leather boots can be a little simpler as the salt doesn't soak into the material as much as it does with a material like suede, but there's still risk of ruining the boot as salt can dry leather out and cause it to crack, so you have to be careful. To remove salt stains from leather boots quickly and effectively, you'll need one cup of cold water, one tablespoon of white wine vinegar, a small glass and spoon for mixing and a small cotton towel, according to Free People Blog.
1. Combine the water and vinegar and mix them together well.
2. Dip the cotton towel into the mixture and wipe gently over the surface of the shoe and continue this until the stains are completely gone.
3. Let the shoes dry naturally and be sure not to put them near heat as this can cause the leather to fade
Rubber Boots
While rubber boots are very easy to just wipe off, there is a quick solution to make sure all the salt comes completely off and that they end up squeaky clean. All you'll need is water, a soft wash cloth and baking soda or kitchen scouring powder, according to Good House Keeping.
1. Dip the soft cloth in the water and then in the baking soda or powder.
2. Rub the spots gently with the cloth.
3. Once they spots are completely gone, wipe the boots with a clean, damp cloth.
4. Buff dry.
In order to keep all your shoes clean - no matter what material they may be - and prevent them from getting those dreaded white salt stains, spray them with a water-repellent coating, like Kiwi Protect All Rain and Stain Repellent, which is just $10 on Amazon, and works on both suede and leather.
