To clean cowboy boots, brush off the dust and dried mud with a soft brush, wipe the leather with a damp cloth, let the boots dry completely away from heat, then condition them. That is Ariat's method for smooth cowhide, and Lucchese and Tony Lama broadly agree. Exotic skins, roughout and distressed finishes each break one of those rules, so check what your pair is made of first.
SneakerSalt is not affiliated with any of the bootmakers quoted here.
What your boots are made of decides the method
| Upper | Clean with | Condition or polish? | Our foam |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smooth cowhide or calf | Soft brush, damp cloth, or a leather cleaner or saddle soap on a damp cloth | Condition once dry; polish if you like | Excellent on white; other colours, test inside the shaft first |
| Ostrich | Products made for exotics | Exotic conditioner, worked with the grain | Not tested |
| Caiman, alligator, lizard | Products made for exotics | Exotic conditioner and polish, with the grain | Not tested |
| Rattlesnake and other snake | Products made for exotics | Tony Lama says rattlesnake needs no cream or polish | Not tested |
| Suede and roughout | Dry brush, eraser, light blot | No conditioner | Good, blot only |
| Distressed or stonewashed | Brush, damp cloth | Lucchese warns conditioners and polishes fade these finishes | Not tested |
How to clean cowboy boots at home, step by step
For smooth cowhide and calf, which covers most pairs:
- Let mud dry, then brush. A soft brush takes off dust and dried dirt and, Ariat says, scuffs too. Work along the stitch rows on the shaft, where dust packs in.
- Wipe with a damp cloth. Ariat uses a damp cloth for the remaining dirt and mud. Tony Lama adds saddle soap or a leather cleaner on the cloth for heavier grime, and says not to let it dry on the leather.
- Clean the welt and sole edge. A soft brush along the welt, then the cloth.
- Dry completely. Room temperature, boot trees or paper inside. Ariat says direct heat causes cracking, and Lucchese names space heaters and hairdryers specifically.
- Condition. Only once the leather is fully dry. Test a hidden spot first, inside the top of the shaft, since conditioners can darken some leathers.
- Polish if you want shine. Ariat treats this as optional.
Step two is where SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam can stand in for the soapy cloth on smooth cowhide: two pumps per panel, ten seconds, a dry wipe. It's rated excellent on white leather. On brown, black or a coloured pair, try it inside the shaft first; it has no bleach or solvents and hasn't lifted dye on anything we've tested. It doesn't condition, so step five stays, and we haven't tested it on exotic skins or distressed finishes, so it stays off those.
Exotic skins: ostrich, caiman, lizard and snake
Exotics change the products, not the patience. Ariat says to use exotic-specific cleaners and to rub conditioner and polish with the grain of the scales or quills, not against it. Its exotic care page also warns against harsh cleaners. Lucchese says ostrich can be extremely sensitive to oils, so an oil spill gets talc, not a wipe. Tony Lama says rattlesnake needs no cream or polish at all. Makers disagree on some of the finer points, so the care card that came with your boots is the best guide. We haven't tested our foam on any exotic skin.
Roughout, suede and distressed boots
Ariat's damp-cloth-and-conditioner routine is not for suede or distressed nubuck. For roughout and suede, dry brush first, use a suede eraser on marks, and if you need more, one light pump of foam blotted off with a dry cloth, never rubbed. Brush the nap back up once dry. The suede and nubuck guide has the full technique. Distressed and stonewashed finishes are designed to look worn; Lucchese warns that conditioners and polishes fade them, so keep it to a brush and a damp cloth.
Household items, and what to skip
- Dish soap. A few drops in warm water, on a cloth wrung almost dry. Keep it weak; a strong mix can discolour leather and strip its oils.
- White vinegar. Diluted, for salt marks on smooth leather. It can dry leather, so condition afterwards.
- Baking soda. Inside the boots for smell, left a day and tipped out.
- Talc or cornstarch. On fresh oil, overnight, then brushed off. On ostrich, it's what Lucchese recommends for oil spills.
- Vaseline. A common internet tip; we found no bootmaker that recommends it.
- Soaking or rinsing. Skip it. A Tony Lama product page suggests rinsing non-waterproof cowhide with warm water, but Ariat uses only a damp cloth, and we'd go with the cloth.
- The washing machine. None of the bootmakers mention one. Their methods are cloth and brush only.
The inside, wet boots and old pairs
Inside. Take out the insoles if they lift out, and air them separately. A light mist of equal parts white vinegar and water inside the shaft, then a full air dry, is a common way to freshen the lining; a dry alternative is baking soda overnight. A removable insole can take two pumps of foam and a dry wipe while it's out.
Boots that got wet. Lucchese says to let wet boots air dry, away from direct heat. Blot the outside, put boot trees or paper inside, and wait until they are fully dry before cleaning or conditioning.
Old or used boots. Brush thoroughly, clean in two light passes rather than one heavy one, let them dry, then condition with a hidden-spot test first. Work the conditioner in thinly and brush off whatever the leather doesn't take up. Cleaning won't close cracks that are already there.
Questions people actually ask
Are you supposed to soak cowboy boots in water?
No. None of the major bootmakers soak boots; Ariat's method uses a damp cloth. Soaking means a long drying time and, with heat, a risk of cracking.
How often should you condition cowboy boots?
Makers don't agree on a schedule. Ariat's sequence conditions after every proper clean, once the boots are dry, and that is a sensible rhythm. Condition sooner if the leather looks dry or pale.
Can you use Dawn dish soap to clean your cowboy boots?
On smooth cowhide, a few drops in warm water on a wrung-out cloth is fine, then condition. On exotics, use the products made for them; Ariat warns against harsh cleaners on exotic skins.
How do I make boots look new again?
Brush, clean, dry, condition and polish, in that order, with patience at the drying stage. That is as close to new as cleaning gets. Deep scratches, cracks and worn-through finishes are repairs, not cleaning.
For the cowhide pairs in your closet, SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam handles the cleaning step for $24, ships free, includes a brush and cloth, and is refundable if it doesn't work.
