Do you throw away your furniture when they get old?
Obviously not!
You try to repair and restore them back to life! Right?
Same is with your leather boots.
Once they get old, don’t dump them in the yard.
Instead bring them back to life with some easy and simple hacks that I am gonna tell you in this article. Because leather never becomes bad with time, they just lose the luster and shine and become dull.
Moreover, they cost you hell lot of money for buying again and again.
So, why always get a new pair of leather boots when you can restore your old in the brand new condition again?
Want to know how?
Well the process of restoring old boots is pretty simple and would just require a horsehair brush to clean off the dust, a boot conditioner to soften and nourish the leather fiber and at last a boot cream matching the color of your boots to fix the scratched parts. At the end just buff the leather with a goof brush to bring back the shine.
Let’s begin…
How to Re-sole your Old Leather Boots?
The main and the first problem that arises with boots is that the sole comes off from the body of the boots or the stitching becomes loose or some parts of the sole gets holes in it.
Well, for every problem there is one solution and that is resoling either the entire sole or some parts of it. Let’s see how to do that:
1.) At first, clean the sole with a toothbrush to get off all the accumulated dirt in it.
2.) Next, take sandpaper and scrub with it to get a smooth finish of the sole.
3.) With the help of a kitchen sponge apply glue either all over the sole if you want to replace the entire one or only on those parts where you want to attach a portion of the new sole.
4.) Leave the glue on the sole for about 5 minutes so that the glue becomes a bit thick in consistency.
5.) Repeat the above steps with the piece of new sole that you are going to attach.
6.) Once the glue has become tacky, press the new sole on the boots.
7.) Use an elastic band to secure the new sole tightly to the boots and let the new sole get fixed in the boots in this condition for a few hours.
8.) With the help of a small hammer and tiny nails, secure the sole permanently onto the boots.
How to Apply Polish like a Professional on Leather Boots?
You might be wondering, “Why does Stephen need to detail about polishing? It’s something that every one of us knows!”
But wait, there’s a difference between the polish you do at home and that is being done by a professional at the shop. Want to know the difference? Here it is:
1.) Take a bowl of water, a clean lint free cloth and a good quality boot polish.
2.) Now wrap a part of the cloth around your index finger and dip it in the polish.
3.) Move the finger in small circular motions on the leather. The professional tip is to cover only a small portion of the leather at a time.
4.) If you feel the area has become a little rough, add some water on the cloth by dipping it in the bowl of water.
5.) Keep on building up layers of polish and keep adding water until you achieve that high grade shine.
How to Dye Old Leather Boots?
Sometimes, it so happens that the color of the leather starts fading, or gets discolored completely. Not to worry because this can be fixed with just a good boot dye.
1.) Be careful with the selection of the boot dye. Read all the reviews carefully before making the purchase and match the color of the dye with the color of your boots.
2.) Apply the dye using a small brush in small portions of the boot.
3.) Work in circular motions and in a small patch of area.
4.) Repeat the process until the whole boot has been covered with the dye.
5.) Let the boots rest for one day so that the dye gets completely dried and the color sets on the boots.
6.) If you feel it necessary, you might work another coat of the dye on the whole boot or on some portions as required or desired.
7.) Allow the dye to set on the boots for another day.
8.) Apply a coating of a good polish over the dye to make it shine.
DIY Ideas to Restore Leather Boots
Your leather boots might undergo several damages being affected by various situations. Well, we the cure for every situation.
We have come up with really exciting DIY ideas to restore your leather boots in various conditions:
1.) When your Boots are Stained with Ink:
1.) Here you need a nail polish remover or a bottle of rubbing alcohol.
2.) Put either of the two on the ink spot on your boot. Don’t rub it now as the ink might spread in the neighbouring areas.
3.) Once the alcohol has been semi absorbed, take a piece of dry rag and rub off the stain.
4.) Now, take a soap solution and using a rag rub gently on the area.
5.) Dry the boots using a dryer. (We recommend using The Peet Dryer to dry your boots fast)
2.) When your Boots are Stained with Grease or Oil:
Grease or oil creates really stubborn marks on the leather. But, you don’t need to worry, as we have some easy tips for it too:
1.) Grab some cornstarch or baking soda and sprinkle it all over the greased surface.
2.) Rub the leather gently with a wet piece of cotton rag.
3.) Let it sit overnight.
4.) The starch will absorb all the oil or grease.
5.) Wipe off the surface with a damp cloth and dry the boots using a dryer.
3.) Any Other Stain:
Who knows your food might fall on your boots or your kid might drop their paint on your boots. Well there is a remedy for that too:
1.) Mix equal parts of lemon juice and tartar cream.
2.) Apply it on the stained area and leave it for 1 hour.
3.) Use a damp rag to remove the paste.
4.) Dry the boots.
Leather Boot Restoration Kit:
If you have the right leather restoration kit, you don’t need to run to the shop every time you are dissatisfied with your boots.
Want to know the essentials of a leather boot restoration kit?
Here it is:
Leather Restoration Kit:
| ITEM | NEEDED |
| Horsehair brush
Cotton rag Scissors Leather glue Leather conditioner Boot cream Leather wax Leather polish Piece of leather scrap of same color Dryer |
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 |
How to Restore Faded Leather Shoes?
Even our skin tone becomes uneven if we do not take proper care of it. Likewise leather too, being made of animal skin starts fading after a certain period of time.
To your relief,
We have found some really cool hacks to restore the color of your faded leather boots.
Step 1: Preparing:
The very first thing you need to look is that your boots are clean. If not, wipe them clean with a lint free cloth or a horsehair brush.
Step 2: Deep Cleaning:
Prepare a mixture of vinegar and water in a bowl. Now take a paper towel and soak it in the mixture. Then rub the leather using the paper towel gently. Don’t forget to dry the boots with a dryer.
Step 3: Applying Polish:
Apply leather polish or polishing wax using a cotton rag. This might require coating your boots in multiple layers according the degree of fading your leather has undergone. Work on areas especially where your leather is most faded.
Step 4: Buffing:
Again using a cotton rag rub off the excess polish from over your boots. Don’t forget to dry the boots using a dryer or under the sun.
Your leather boots would be restored to the new state with the same shine and color.
How to Condition Leather Boots?
There are really some simple and easy hacks to condition leather boots.
What Brings Leather Back to Life?
Bringing your old leather boots back to life isn’t a difficult task.
In fact, it’s as easy as cleaning them. You just need some basic items and need to know the correct process:
| ITEM | NEEDED |
| Horsehair brush | 1 |
| Boot conditioner | 1 |
| Boot cream | 1 |
Step 1: Cleaning:
Take the horsehair brush and gently rub the leather fibers in the direction of the fibers. You can also take a wet piece of cotton rag for the cleaning process, but then you have to be careful to dry the boots completely before getting on to the next steps.
Step 2: Conditioning:
Now, take a good leather boot conditioner and apply in generous amount all over the leather. This will soften, repair and condition your leather and will prevent them from cracking.
Step 3: Buffing:
Again take the horsehair brush and buff off the leather in slow movements. This will take off the excess conditioner from the leather surface.
Step 4: Apply boot cream:
At last, apply a good boot cream using a dry rag all over the leather in circular motions. Make sure you choose the right color cream according the color of your boots. Leave it overnight and then again repeat the buffing process.
Your boots would be back to life again with a new shine!
How to Fix a Cut in Leather boots?
With time your leather boots are bound to suffer wear and tear. Thank God that there’s a way out. You just need to follow some simple steps below:
| ITEM | NEEDED |
| Waterproof leather glue | 1 |
| A scrap of leather of the same color | 1 |
| Sand paper | 1 |
| Stick for applying glue | 1 |
Step 1: Cleaning:
Clean your boots using a clean cotton rag. You can use the vinegar and water mixture as well in case your boots are extremely dirty. Make sure your boots are completely dry afterwards.
Step 2: Make the surface around the cut rough:
Take the sand paper and rub the surface on and around the cut surface to make it rough. Continue rubbing till the desired area is adequately rough. This process is carried out to make the surface uneven so that when you paste the new leather piece, it comes in line with the rest of the boot surface.
Step 3: Cut the scrap of leather in shape:
Take the scrap of the leather, pace it on the cut part and cut it into the desired shape as per the cut or hole in your boot. Be careful that you don’t cut the boots in the process.
Step 4: Paste the glue:
Put glue all over the stripe of the leather on the opposite side. Spread it evenly and in adequate amount, concentrating mainly on the edges.
Step 5: Place the leather scrap:
Now take the glued stripe of leather and paste it over the cut part on the boots. Make sure you clear off the excess glue from the sides of the pasted part so that glue doesn’t settle on the old leather surfaces.
Step 6: Dry the area:
At last, you need to dry the glued part using a dryer and leave it under the fan overnight.
Congrats! Your boots are restored!
How to Restore Dried out Leather Boots?
Leather dries out due to lack of moisture in it and with regular wear and washing!
Regular washing and exposure to sun and harsh elements, tend to strip the leather off its natural oils and as a result, the leather starts to dry out eventually.
Thankfully, there are some easy and effective ways to restore dried out leathers and that is to condition them thoroughly.
#1: Coconut oil for dried out leather boots:
Coconut oil is an excellent conditioning agent for leather goods!
It replenishes leather fibres and softens and conditions it.
Steps to follow:
1.) Clean your boots thoroughly (how to clean leather boots)
2.) Heat 2 spoons of coconut oil in a bowl to liquefy it
3.) Take a soft lint free cloth and start rubbing the coconut oil in the boots in small circular motions
4.) Apply the oil all over the boots
5.) Let the boots soak in the oil for a few hours and then use a clean fresh cloth to remove the excess oil from the boots
#2: Mink oil for dried out leather boots:
Mink oil works wonders for leather! It not only conditions the leather fibres, but also increases the longevity of leather and waterproofs it.
Steps to follow:
1.) Clean your leather boots thoroughly with a clean lint free cloth s that thee remains to dirt in the boots
2.) You can also use soap-water solution to clean the boots if it is too dirty
3.) Now take a few drops of mink oil in a piece of lint free cloth
4.) Start massaging the leather in small circular motions with the cloth dipped in mink oil
5.) Continue massaging in small circular motions until you have covered the entire boot
6.) You can apply a second coating of the oil if you find it so necessary
#3: Leather conditioner for dried out leather boots:
Leather conditioner is one of the safest and easiest ways to condition leather boots because these are specifically designed for the purpose.
Steps to follow:
-
-
- Clean your boots thoroughly
- Apply a thin coating of the leather conditioner using the tips of your fingers or a clean lint free cloth
- Reapply if so needed
- And you are done
- Do not forget to dry the boots thoroughly before wearing them to work!
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Before we say Good Bye!
We have covered all the areas that you might need to know while caring and restoring your old leather boots.
All the hacks shared by us are very easy and worth trying at home.
They are after all less expensive than getting a new pair of leather boots.
You know how much a leather boot costs right?
So, we suggest you follow these simple tricks whenever you feel your leather boots need a new life.
Don’t forget to share with us your tricks and tips regarding restoring your leather boots.
Till then take care…
And…
Keep walking!
