Wellington Boots Care Tips
Living in the countryside for most of my life, I have always had a pair of wellington boots on standby. I am sharing my Wellington Boots Care tips, as like anything if you care for them, they last longer!
I confess, I actually, I have two pairs of wellington boots. My “winter pair” and the normal pair – which get worn more frequently. The winter pair are shearling lined, and are incredibly comfortable, but in hindsight I wish I’d bought them a size bigger! They are however fabulous when the weather is cold. The main benefit of having two pairs, is when one pair gets very mucky and wet (yes over the top of the boots!) I have a spare pair to put on!
Keep Your Boots Clean
I like to spend a little more on my wellington boots so they’re comfortable to walk in. The expense I justify, knowing they should last me well if I care for them. Keeping my boots clean I think is a good way of caring for them, it also ensures I don’t traipse mud everywhere! It’s so easy to clean wellington boots. Just use some warm soapy water to wash off the dirt, and then buff the boots with an old cloth. Stand very dirty boots in a bucket of soapy water so the worst mud can soak off. Then use a toothbrush to scrub at the soles to make sure you clean out the tread. You can buy Wellington boot cleaning kits, but I’ve never worried about these! I sometimes use a little olive oil on a cloth just to make the wellies look brighter.
Dry Your Boots Out
Drying your boots out is one thing which is really important to learn for Wellington boots care! Especially if you have small children who love to jump in muddy puddles, and inevitably get water inside their boots. There are several ways to dry out boots. Scrunched up newspaper squished into your boots is probably the easiest way. The newspaper will absorb the dampness. Growing up my parents would always store wellington boots with rolled up newspapers inside, just to ensure they didn’t feel damp. Another way to dry your wellingtons is with rice. I know people who will fill their boots directly with rice. I prefer to use a sock filled with rice, as it is less messy! You can also buy boot dryers, I’ve never used one but they seem to take the fuss out of wet boots!
General Wellington Boots Care Tips
Try to keep your wellington boots in a dry room. If you leave them in a cold garage or on the porch, they will always feel a bit damp. Be mindful that if they’re stored in direct sunlight they will perish over time, leading to splits – and that means wet feet! I wear wellie socks with my boots, but in order to ensure my boots stay smelling fresh when they are dry I sprinkle the insides with a little bicarb of soda. Bicarbonate of soda left in the boots overnight will neutralise any bad smells. Also, if you tend to transport your wellies in your car to put on when you’re out, a big Ikea blue bag works well as a boot bag. Containing your boots tidily, and when your boots are dirty it’s so easy to pop them into the bag!
