How To Clean Hiking Shoes

Cleaning the outside of your hiking and trail shoes.

How to clean hiking shoes. You ll have to get your hands wet and dirty. Rinse off the soapy water then leave them to air dry overnight since heat exposure can damage their materials. Take your shoes inside remove all the laces and insoles to make it easier to work on. A special boot brush an old vegetable brush or toothbrush specialized boot cleaner saddle soap or a mild solution of dishwashing soap and water cleaning hiking boot uppers. It is possible to wash keen hiking boots with the help of a little cold water alongside mild soap.

If necessary use a soft brush or a sponge to remove any mud and dirt that s left. Likewise you need a soft brush. Hiking boots are designed to get dirty but routinely cleaning them can help extend their lifespan. We asked gore tex footwear expert andy mcquerrey about his advice on how one should go about washing a gore tex boot. Then rinse the shoes or boots with clear water.

Loosen the laces or the quick lace. To remove bad odors fill socks with baking soda and leave them inside your shoes overnight. First of all forget your washing machine. Clean the exterior of your boots with a cloth or brush and lukewarm water. If your shoes have a gore tex type membrane you can re activate the waterproofing in the outer material by using a specially made spray or applicator.

If your shoes aren t made of lizard skin or leather you can probably follow these advise. Follow all the provided steps in the article above but don t apply the deodorizer yet. To remove excess dirt and stains scrub them with a brush or sponge and warm soapy water. Wash your boots with water and dish detergent and use a toothbrush to scrub the nooks and crannies. After a hike remove the laces and insoles then use a nylon brush to remove dirt deposits.

For the best performance try a soap formulated specifically for the material. Rinse your hiking shoes with water. Start the cleaning by doing some light cleaning on your hiking boots. For cleaning the uppers of your shoes this is what you have to do. First step smash em against each other.