Cleaning and care of your leather riding boots
Boots are something that we all wear to the barn – paddock boots, tall boots, cowboy boots, hiking boots.
Oooohhhh….shiny boots!
- We have to care for them – otherwise, the leather fails – cracks, dulls, it looks and feels terrible. In the show ring, your boots had better be shiny! And since we are all experts at the elbow grease method of grooming, the same applies here. Again, working for those amazing arms that look so awesome with the farmer’s tan.
I have some grime to remove here
Remove dirt, sweat, and grime to make your leather riding boots last a lifetime.
- Do this daily! A slightly damp rag will rub away the dirt and goo and stuff. Make sure the water is clean and the rag is clean. Many saddle cleaners make leather soft and fill the pores of the leather. Your boots will get soft and your boot polish won’t stick.
Boot polish comes in tons of colors and brands.
Once or twice a week, use a bit of castile soap to really clean the leather and follow up with some polish and buff.
- And the secret to a really shiny shine is to do a spit shine. And yes, use spit or a few drops of water after you have applied the leather polish and it has dried.
Can’t beat castile soap for taking care of leather
Even if you don’t wear your tall boots all the time in the barn, you can still use these tips to keep your leather work boots in good condition and looking great. This goes for your paddock boots and your casual fashion boots.
For all of your riding boot cleaning needs, I offer you these handy links! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There is absolutely no extra charge to you, and I greatly appreciate your support!
Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Liquid Soap – Baby Unscented – 8 Ounce
KIWI Deluxe Shine Kit M-26 (Packaging May Vary) – this comes in black and has the best brushes. You may be able to find the same in a different color polish. 
Meltonian Boot and Shoe Cream Polish, 1.55 Ounces – pick your color.