For leather shoes , boots, or bags, stuff them with crumpled newspaper to help hold their shape. While the leather is still damp, apply a coat of leather conditioner. Use a soft, clean cloth to massage the conditioner into the leather. Using small circular motions, apply the conditioner evenly over the entire surface of the leather. Leave it to dry for several hours or overnight. The conditioner will penetrate the leather through the pores left open from the evaporating water and will replenish the stripped oils.
If the leather still seems overly dry in places, apply additional conditioner to those areas and buff the entire surface of the leather.
If you prefer to make your own conditioner, check out our blog for a simple DIY. Thankfully, the ingredients of a quality leather conditioner are not only restorative but also protective.
However, if you are working with leather shoes or boots, those tend to face much more exposure to the elements and may require more protection to keep them water-resistant.
Consider applying a waterproofing spray or a beeswax cream for added protection. Leather is skin, after all. Is your skin ruined if your hands get soaked? No; you get dishpan hands for a bit and then maybe need to use a bit of moisturizer after they dry. It's much the same idea with work boots. Even if they are not only wet but, in fact, flooded with water, you just have to take care of them a little bit and they're fine. First, water leaches out the beneficial oils and nutrients in the leather.
The interior of the boot, including the insole and the footbed between the midsole and the outsole will hold water, often absorbing it. What happens to the upper is that any moisture left in the leather - which keeps it supple, but still strong - will also be leached away as it dries.
This leaves the upper drier, eventually making it brittle The footbed will start to mold, leading to odors as well as proliferating bacteria. Eventually, it results in rotting as the footbed crumbles away. That results in parts of the footbed collapsing. Before the collapse, your boots will get a powerful smell, and water will leak out as well as in. So yes, water does ruin leather boots IF you don't do anything to take care of them if or when they get wet.
If you invest in a good pair of leather boots, either work boots or casual boots for everyday wear, you want to take care of them. If they get wet, especially if they get completely soaked, there are some things you'll need to do to care for them. Obviously, you can't take them off in the field, so you may have to wait for an appropriate time depending on what you're doing. Boot care is an essential part of owning boots, whether you're relying on them for daily work or recreational use.
For interiors, boot dryers are best as they gently heat and cycle air through the interior, drying the insoles and footbeds. However, if you don't have them, there are some other things you can do. The best trick is to use old newspaper. Roll it up into balls and stuff the interior of the boot. Pack it as tight as you can, to preserve the shape of the boot, and leave it overnight. Leather conditioner adds moisture to the leather, allowing it to keep its suppleness.
Before using a leather conditioner, look at the bottle to see if there are any specific instructions, like shaking it. Apply the conditioner to a clean rag and work it into the leather. Use enough conditioner that the leather is evenly conditioned, but not so much that there is excess conditioner sitting on the surface.
If you accidentally use too much, just wipe it off. After applying the conditioner, leave the shoes alone for minutes. The conditioner will start to dry and leave behind a hazy appearance. Once it has dried, you can buff it away with another cloth. Next you can polish the shoes to restore them to their full shine. Follow our guide to polishing leather shoes and boots for a full explanation of the polishing process.
Once leather shoes have completely dried, shoe trees can be placed inside your shoes to help them retain their shape. Shoe trees are typically made of cedar, which is preferred for its ability to remove moisture and also its pleasant scent. Step 2: Remove The Laces The laces on leather shoes are usually cotton or some other natural fiber. Step 3: Remove The Insoles If your shoes are truly soaked, there is probably moisture trapped between the insole and the bottom of the shoe.
Step 4: Elevate The Shoes Leaving your shoes sitting on the floor will trap moisture between the outsole and the floor itself. Step 5: Stuff Them With Crumpled Newspaper Stuffing your shoes or boots with newspaper is especially useful when they are soaked. Water Damage On Leather Shoes After your shoes have dried, take a look at them and locate any areas that look out of place - there may be salt stains or water marks which will require additional treatment to fix.
Conditioning and Polishing Once your shoes have dried out, you should treat them with a high-quality leather conditioner.
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