How To Clean Hiking Shoes (Trail Running Shoes)

how to clean hiking shoes

Buying good hiking shoes costs a handsome amount of money. Suppose you want your shoes to last long and clean. I present you with the how-to guide for cleaning your hiking shoes. If you want your shoes to last long, it is essential to take a little effort and time to keep them in good condition. Right here are the top tips for preserving the life of your shoes.

Clean

After every hike, your hiking shoes need to get a proper cleaning. You can bang them together and get rid of any clay, grass or other particles. Cleaning will not only make your shoes attractive but also add life to your hiking shoes. Further, you can wipe it up with clean water. Refrain from immersing your shoes in water as it can change the general efficiency.

Brush

Remove the shoelaces and footbeds to enter the tight spaces of the footwear. Sweep aside mud as well as crud with a soft brush and bowl of water. You don’t need any unique instruments: a soft brush (an old toothbrush functions well) or a sponge and warm water. Gently dip the brush in water and also tidy the exteriors to remove all dirt.

The inside of your hiking shoes or boots will also need cleaning after a few hikes. The sweat contains salts that can deposit at the bottom of your shoe. It causes damage to the inner side. You can use warm water and a soft brush to clean it from inside. Also, let it soak naturally. You can put them upside down, so the water drips out quickly.

Condition

After brushing the shoes, it needs proper conditioning. The conditioning includes waterproofing. Natural leather shoes require conditioning to prevent splitting. See, if your shoes needs any repairing in it or stitches too. At the same time, all waterproof footwear requires you to reapply waterproofing agents.

Waterproofing Sprays:

With the passage of time and usage, hiking shoes lose their waterproofing. This function is recovered utilizing sprays that aid water in slipping off quickly without entering the footwear. Once or twice a year, the therapy is needed only.

Adhere to the primary application rules written on such sprays. Splash the item evenly all over your shoe. Pay a lot more focus to the joint and joints areas, given that the majority of the water enters from here. Leave them for an entire day to dry, as well as soak up the spray.

Waterproofing Grease:

This product is used explicitly on leather boots. It avoids premature ageing, a fracturing of the natural leather by making it water repellant. Unlike popular belief, it does not lessen the shoe’s breathability. The grease can additionally use it on membrane-type shoes. The grease is used using a fabric.

Every treatment assists in waterproofing. However, it does not ensure a 100% success rate.

Dry

Never completely dry your footwear with flame or heat. This will undoubtedly cause the degeneration or hardening of the outer layer. Natural drying is best. Also, you can use newspapers or any other paper for soaking purposes. It will not affect the shoe material. You can dry the smelly insoles in the sun by separating them from the shoes, as sunlight is the best deodorizer.

Caution: Don't try to boost the speed of drying out by using an outside heat source (hairdryers, sun, or any heating source etc.)
Source: Salomon

Store

Always store your hiking or trail shoes in cool dry place. Insert some clothings or paper in your shoes so it remains in good shape. You can use silica gel too for absorbing the moisture. Do not store at high temperatures. The shape gets disturbed. I hope you have enjoyed reading about how to clean your hiking shoes or trail running shoes. Stay connected…

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