From cleaning to storage, covering all the treatments dedicated to caring for your hiking shoes, we give you all the information you need to know how to look after your hiking shoes.
The more care and attention you give them, the longer the lifespan of your hiking shoes will be. Like all our clothing and accessories, if you want to get the most out of them, your walking shoes require particular care — a little more involved than most, given the sometimes extreme conditions in which we use them. From cleaning to storage, taking in the full range of possible treatments, here are some essential tips for looking after your hiking shoes properly.
Cleaning your hiking shoes
A quick clean after every outing is absolutely essential. Take at least a moment to remove any mud, knock your shoes together to shake off dust, remove the insoles and let them air dry — along with your shoes. The most important thing is to make sure they are thoroughly dry, both inside and out, before storing them.
Regularly, carry out a more thorough clean. As soon as you get home:
- Loosen the laces, tongue and bellows to encourage airflow and drying, and to reach every nook and cranny.
- Clean the outsoles thoroughly and make sure no stones or residue remain — these accelerate premature wear on your soles.
- Remove the insoles and, if necessary, brush or wash them, then leave them to dry in a well-breathable spot. Make sure they are completely dry before putting them back in your shoes.
- Grab a soft brush, make sure you have access to clean, lukewarm water and start scrubbing, both inside and out. Make sure you remove all residue that, over time, would contribute to the premature deterioration of your shoes. At the same time, a rinse with clean water will help combat bad odours and, if your shoes are breathable, help restore the breathability of the membrane.
- Finally, leave your hiking shoes to dry in a dry, breathable spot, away from direct sunlight or heat sources (so well away from a radiator, for example).
We should remind you that putting your shoes in the washing machine or tumble dryer is out of the question. If you want to speed up drying, fill them with screwed-up newspaper.
Different treatments for different materials
From time to time, we recommend using a treatment suited to your shoes and applying it only when they are perfectly clean. Various care products exist on the market, each specific to a particular material, and they can help restore the water-repellency of the membrane and protect your shoes from premature ageing.
- For synthetic shoes: use a waterproofing spray or water-repellent, and don't forget to apply it to the tongue as well.
- On a smooth leather upper: leather is a living material, which is why it must be nourished — neglect it and it will crack and age faster. To restore water-repellency and maintain suppleness, you can use a cream or wax applied with a cloth (avoid greases or polishes that reduce the waterproofing and breathability of your shoes). You can also gently warm the surface with a brief blast from a hairdryer to help the cream penetrate more easily (never do this if your shoes feature Gore-Tex®).
- With nubuck leather: use liquid waxes specially designed to help nubuck shoes retain their distinctive feel.
Repairing your hiking shoes
Cleaning your shoes is the ideal moment for a thorough inspection. Take the time to check the condition of the stitching, the laces, and particularly the outsole. It is better to spot a repair or replacement needed just after an outing than just before — or worse, during! And as with everything, the sooner a repair is made, the easier it is to sort out.
As for the outsole, it is sometimes possible to replace or reinforce it. Do not hesitate to ask your cobbler — having this done could let you get many more years out of your shoes, and it would be a shame not to take advantage of that.
Storage and packing away
Once your shoes are clean and completely dry, store them upright in a dry, breathable place (not in an airtight box or plastic bag) away from moisture, dust, direct heat or light sources. The same applies if you need to store them for several weeks or months.
You now know how to care for your hiking shoes. To find out more about hiking shoes, let our guide lead the way.
