Boot Care
Caring for Your Leather Cowboy Boots
The rules for caring for cowboy boots are simple: treat your leather like you treat your skin. Just as your skin needs moisture and nutrients to stay healthy, so does the leather in your boots. Regular conditioning will keep them supple, strong, and ready for years of wear.
Over time, your boots will naturally develop a casual, distressed look — much like a favorite pair of worn-in jeans. This patina isn’t damage; it’s character. It tells the story of every mile you’ve walked and every adventure you’ve taken. With the right care, your boots will look great, feel great, and last a lifetime.
Using boot trees in your cowboy boots is recommended to help maintain their shape.
The four steps for proper leather cowboy boot care are:
1. Clean
2. Condition
3. Polish and
4. Protect!
Clean: Dirt and dust are leather cowboy boots' worst enemies. Wiping down often with a damp cloth can prevent dirt and dust from cutting away at the microscopic fibers that make leather strong and durable. Boots should be cleaned with our Leather Cleaner. Do not use regular soap because it will dry out and damage the leather!
Condition: Use a Cream/Dressing: only when they are clean and dry so the conditioner can penetrate through the pores to keep the leather soft and pliable. See below which one is best for your boots. Too much oil or wax can attract dust and hurt the leather so don't overdo it!
Polish: Rejuvenate cowboy boots by applying our leather dressing or cream and buff to shine. This will cover scratches and bring a glossy finish to the leather. You can also use a color based polish to cover scratches (we don't sell these).
Protect: Use Boot Trees and our Protective Boot Bag. The trees will keep the shape, draw out moisture, and keep them from cracking. The boot bag will keep them from drying out and vastly extend the life of the boots.
More Helpful Tips
- Use edge dressing to make soles and heels look new.
- Let boots dry at room temperature, never dry over direct heat.
- Do not store in cold or damp places; mildew can damage cowboy boots.
- Use a Boot Jack to get your boots on and off.
- Use the Boot Trees! These will take moisture out of the boot and maintain the shape for long life. Without them your boots will curl up, hurting the leather and become prematurely aged!
- Store them in our Boot Bags. Keeping them out or in a box will dry them out. Our Oxford Bags will keep them perfect for many years to come.
