You made a smart investment buying leather motorcycle boots. Sure, they were a little more expensive than average ones, but their reinforced (and even armored) foot protection over regular street shoes was a well-understood value - on top of their great style. A smart money type of investment that pays dividends through a long period of lasting service. But the reality is, such longevity is difficult to achieve without properly caring for the leather itself.
When you consider that motorcycle boots spend a lot of time whizzing along just inches above the road, it's easy to understand the constant assault they face from ground-level contaminants, bugs, oil, dirt, tar globs, fluids, and more. Yet still, it hurts to see new stains and gunk on your nice leather boots after a ride.
For that reason, we've devoted this article to discussing products that can help you remove the boot gunk, clean the leather, and give it a shield of protection that will keep the boots looking cherry and functioning the way they're supposed to for a long time. The process to achieve this isn't hard, and it's not expensive.
Supplies You'll Need To Clean & Protect Leather Boots
When leather boots aren't cleaned and conditioned, surfaces collect a layer of buildup which gradually clogs pores in the leather - resulting in waterlogging and loss of natural lubricants. Leather then dries out, becomes structurally degraded, and develops cracks. That's why old leather which hasn't been cared for tends to get coarse and stiff instead of buttery soft.
In our motorcycle riding gear chemicals section, we've got the specially formulated cleaners, conditioners, and water repellency formulas needed to combat this.
Leather Cleaners
It's especially important to cleanse leather boots periodically with specially formulated cleaners. These will soften hardened muck that collects around toes and underneath folds, and they'll lift dirt and grime out of pores. Good cleaners also effectively remove old layers of conditioners, restoring the leather's ability to breathe. Formulated with a neutral pH balance, they contain no alcohol or harsh abrasives that could cause discoloration.
For cleaning leather, we recommend Leather Therapy's Leather Wash and Hog Wash's Leather Cleaner & Protectant.
Leather Conditioners
While you don't always have to condition your leather boots after cleaning them, you do always need to clean them before conditioning. After a thorough cleaning, it's best to let the leather fully dry for 24 hours before applying conditioner. Many conditioners feature lanolin, a natural moisturizer that reduces water loss by a significant margin.
When it comes to stand-along conditioners for leather boots, we recommend Leather Therapy's Leather Finish to replenish natural tanning agents, lanolin, and other lubricants found in leather which get lost over time. For maintenance of leather boots that aren't grimy or in need of deep cleaning, we've got several Doc Bailey's products that are spray-on/wipe-off leather cleaners and conditioners in one. Natural detergents lift dirt out of leather, while natural waxes condition leather and vinyl surfaces without leaving sticky residues that encourage growth of detrimental microbes.
If your boots are black, go with Doc Bailey's Original Leather Black Detail Kit designed to fill and hide any light scratches and scuffs while darkening the leather with a supple-looking shine. For all other colors, choose the Original Leather Clear Kit.
Spray-on Water Repellency Treatments For Leather
If you've ever noticed how liquids run right off new boots, it's because durable water repellency (DWR) treatments have been applied by manufacturers during assembly to rebuff wetness, mud, and grease. But as these clear coatings wear off naturally over time, leather surfaces lose their ability to rebuff water.
For this reason, we recommend renewing your boots' water repellency with a specially formulated spray-on or rub-on treatment for the top surface of the leather. As discussed, you'll want to make sure your boots have been thoroughly cleaned and conditioned first.
This final step is well worth performing because when a boot absorbs water, natural oils that prevent aging and cracking are literally squeezed out. Plus, soggy feet and loss of confidence in your boots aren't fun. Leather that's wet also loses strength and becomes mushier, making it far less effective at protecting feet and supporting ankles when you need it most.
For leather boots, we recommend Leather Therapy's Water Repellent spray. If your boots are made partially or completely from Gore-Tex, nylon, or other fabrics, we've got Revivex Durable Spray Water Repellent that's optimized for non-leather applications.
How-to Steps For Cleaning & Protecting Leather Boots
Now that you know why it's important to clean your boots, let's discuss the how. Start by taking off shoelaces. These can be run through a washing machine safely in order to thoroughly remove any abrasive dirt. Should you decide to replace old worn-out laces, we've got excellent choices made by Fly Racing and Leatt.
Take a washing sponge with some warm water and remove excess dirt. If necessary, gently use a toothbrush for caked-on gunk that's a little more resilient. Then, dampen a microfiber cleaning cloth with any of the cleaners mentioned further above, and wipe leather surface areas thoroughly to lift out dirt. Applying the cleaner to the applicator cloth instead of directly on the boot will prevent too much cleaner from being absorbed.
Be gentle as you use the cloth, and make sure to switch it out with a new one if it starts to get dirty. Remember the point is to remove dirt, not brush it around. We recommend following any specific cleaner instructions regarding the optimal length of time to let the product remain on the boots before wiping it off.
Use another clean, dry cloth to wipe off the leather cleaner until all surfaces are dry to the touch. At this point, we recommend allowing boots to dry thoroughly for 24 hours before the (optional) next step of applying leather conditioner.
After 24 hours, go ahead and apply leather conditioner on a new clean cloth and work it into the boots. While it's okay to clean your leather often, we recommend conditioning it once or twice a year. An excessive buildup of oils from conditioning too often can clog pores in the leather, creating the risk of discoloration in worst case examples. Let the conditioner stay on for approximately 15 minutes (or as directed by specific instructions), then buff it off.
If you've decided to apply an additional water repellency coat, wait an additional 24 hours before spraying or rubbing that on. You may be eager to perform all the steps quickly and get the job done, but it's better to let pores dry thoroughly between each step to ensure they don't get gummed up.
How To Keep Your Boots' Interior Dry & Clean
Dry
Instead of overlooking this, experts recommend that thoroughly airing out your boots should become as routine as taking them off after each ride - not just when they're dripping wet. In our boot drying rack section, you'll find stands designed to hold boots and shoes off the floor in a position that's ideal for drying. Hint: the stands are also great as a way to hold boots when you're cleaning and treating them.
Many boots feature inner liners that are removable for the purposes of drying and cleaning. Either way, you may want to consider the DryGuy Travel Dry DX Shoe & Boot Dryer and Warmer - a set of small plug-in wands containing heating elements that reach a safe 99 degrees Fahrenheit along with a small fan to circulate the warm air and drive moisture out. Power jacks for car chargers and U.S. wall outlets are included.
Clean
Over time, salt from body sweat is transferred onto and into the interior liners of your boots, creating unpleasant bacteria odors. For sanitizing those inner liners, we've got Bike Brite Helmet Liner Refreshner. While it's marketed as a cleaner and deodorizer of foam helmet liners, it also does an excellent job on the inside of boots. And if your lining material is tattered and worn, replace it with a new inner liner.
In closing, we'll point out that a clean and well-protected boot is one that serves you well for a long time. In our Boots & Footwear section, we also offer the convenience of specially designed replacement boot insoles, rain boot covers, high & low riding socks, and more. Plus, we've got more in the way of rider protection with items for elbow & wrist protection, knee & ankle protection, chest & back protection, airbag jackets, and gloves to name a few.
As always, we believe an educated motorcycle rider is a safe one, so we invite you to read other informative articles on our website discussing topics such as in-helmet Bluetooth communication upgrades, helmet selection guides, riding gear and protective clothing, chest and back armor, neck braces, and more. We encourage you to call us with any questions regarding products in this or other sections - we've got knowledgeable specialists here seven days a week!