Washing, treating, and waxing hiking boots

Taking care of hiking boots is very important, since the right kind of maintenance will increase the life span and comfort of the boots. Maintaining hiking boots might seem difficult at first, but it is in fact extremely simple! After reading this article you will know how to service your hike-strained boots quickly and with ease. You’ll also learn what products we recommend to use on your hiking boots.

First the basics:

Perhaps the most important rule to keeping hiking boots in good shape: remember to use your boots! Don’t leave your shoes to gather dust in the closet for months, because their soles get brittle if left unused for long periods of time.
Remember to store the boot withs the insoles removed and stored separately. Store the boots in a dry and well ventilated place, protected from direct light (not next to a heater or on top of a radiator).
Always clean your hiking boots after use.
Regularly apply suitable care products to your boots.

These instructions will help keep your hiking boots in good condition for a long time! Next we will go into the instructions in greater detail.

Cleaning and washing hiking boots

Hiking boots should be cleaned after each time they have been in use. Depending on the use, sometimes a quick clean is enough, and sometimes the boots require a thorough wash. A quick cleanup can be done with a shoe brush or with a wet rag.

You should remove the insoles and the laces before a proper wash. Very dirty hiking boots should first be rinsed under a shower in lukewarm water, perhaps helping with a soft brush. If the dirt won’t come off with water alone, you should use shoe shampoo or a waterproof material cleaner such as Nikwax Tech Wash.

You should also wash the insides of the hiking boots regularly. Dirt as well as sweat accumulate inside the boots over time, clogging the waterproof membrane and fabric. Washing the inside of the boot can be done the same way as with the outside. A clean shoe breathes better!

Waterproofing and waxing hiking boots

You should waterproof and wax shoes as needed. How often you need to do this depends entirely on the amount of use. You should wax leather boots when water no longer beads on their surface. It is worth waterproofing the shoes more often than waxing them, since the waterproofing products keep the leather in good shape.

Waterproofing hiking boots

The boot should first be cleaned properly, with its laces removed. Waterproofing should be done after washing the boots, when the leather is still slightly damp. That way the product gets absorbed better. Remember that sprays containing silicone should not be used to waterproof Gore-Tex boots, since the silicone will clog the membrane. Instead we recommend that you use Meindl Wet Proof spray. You may wax the boots right after waterproofing them, if necessary.

Nubuck leather shoes have their own Nikwax Nubuck & Suede spray, and hiking boots that have both fabric and leather should be treated with Nikwax Fabric & Leather spray.

Waxing leather boots

Leather hiking boots require regular waxing, since regularly waxed leather stays waterproof and in a good shape. The waxing itself is very simple and fast, it’s enough to spread the wax on the surface of the boot with your fingers. You can also use a piece of cloth, if you don’t want wax on your hands.

We recommend that you only use suitable products to wax your hiking boots, such as Meindl Sportwax. Please never use hard greases or oil, because they clog the pores in leather. Our experts will gladly help you out with selecting the appropriate products!

The edges of the tongue of the boot, the inside fabric of the boot, and the leather on the upper part of the hiking boot can be waxed with ordinary hand cream.

Other instructions

We have high quality hiking boot laces if your laces ever break or get damaged. We also have new insoles for a wide variety of new boots.

You can also change soles on most hiking boots. Changing the sole is the recommended procedure if the boots are in good shape otherwise but their soles have perished.

Once the maintenance procedures are done with, it’s a perfect time to start planning the next hike once!

Read more:

How to take care of your waterproof shell garments

How to choose a headlamp

How to choose hiking boots