How to clean sheepskin boots and remove water and salt stains

Step by step

1. 1

   Brush off dry dirt

   Make sure the boots are dry, then brush them all over with a suede brush to remove loose dirt and any dry salt crust.

   Why: Loose soil turns into mud if you wet it, and brushing salt off first leaves less to dissolve.

2. 2

   Dampen the whole outside evenly

   Use a sponge and clean cold water to moisten the entire outer surface of each boot, seam to seam, not just the stained area. Aim for evenly damp, not soaked.

   Why: Water marks and salt lines are edges where moisture dried. Wetting the whole boot lets it dry as one even color with no new tide line.

3. 3

   Clean gently with sheepskin cleaner

   Put a small amount of cleaner made for sheepskin on the wet sponge and work it gently over the whole surface. Don't scrub hard.

   Why: The cleaner lifts dirt and dissolved salt. The sheepskin surface is delicate, and aggressive scrubbing damages the nap.

4. 4

   Sponge off the residue

   Rinse the sponge in clean cold water and go over the whole boot again to remove the cleaner.

   Why: Leftover cleaner or salt can dry into a new mark.

5. 5

   Stuff and dry slowly

   Stuff the boots with plain paper to hold their shape and let them dry naturally for at least 24 hours in a cool, ventilated place, away from heaters, hair dryers and direct sun.

   Why: Heat and sun damage sheepskin and stiffen it. Slow drying keeps the shape and the color even.

6. 6

   Brush the nap and protect

   When fully dry, brush the nap lightly in one direction. Then spray a sheepskin or suede protector evenly from about six inches, outdoors or in a ventilated room.

   Why: Brushing restores the texture. A protector makes the next splash or salt line less likely to soak in.

Why sheepskin boots get water rings and salt lines

Classic sheepskin boots are twin-face sheepskin: suede on the outside, wool fleece on the inside, all one hide. The outer suede nap is open, so water soaks in and darkens it. As the wet area dries, it dries from the edges in and leaves a tide line where the moisture stopped.

Winter road salt adds another layer. It dissolves in slush, soaks into the suede, and when the water evaporates the salt is left behind as white, crusty lines. That's why both problems have the same fix: re-wet evenly so the whole boot dries at once, and clean out what's in the nap.

The maker of one well-known line of sheepskin boots rules out machine washing, dry cleaning, heat and sun, and notes that not all stains can be removed. For suede shoes in general, see suede shoes and boots.

By situation

Water stains on sheepskin boots

Let the boots dry, brush them, then follow the steps above: the even cold-water dampening is what removes the ring. If a faint line remains after drying, repeat the whole-boot method rather than dabbing at the line.

Salt stains on sheepskin boots

Brush off as much dry salt as you can, then use the whole-boot cleaning method. A wipe with diluted white vinegar is often suggested for salt on leather and suede boots (see salt stains), but the sheepskin maker's own method uses cold water and a sheepskin cleaner, so start there and test anything else on a hidden area.

Dyed or specialty sheepskin and fancy finishes

For dyed sheepskin, specialty suedes and leathers, the boot maker's guidance is gentler still: wipe with a very soft damp rag and use no cleaning product.

Dirty or smelly fleece lining

The maker's instructions focus on the outside. Keep the inside dry, let boots air out between wears, and see smelly shoes for odor.

Oil or grease on sheepskin

No maker-verified home method was found. Blot fresh oil without rubbing and take the boots to a professional suede cleaner.

What not to do

• Don't put sheepskin boots in the washing machine or take them to a dry cleaner. The boot maker rules out both; they damage sheepskin.
• Don't dry them near a heater, with a hair dryer or in the sun. Heat and sun stiffen and damage sheepskin.
• Don't wet just the stain. A spot that dries on its own leaves a new ring. Dampen the whole outer surface evenly.
• Don't scrub hard. The sheepskin surface is delicate and the nap can be damaged.

Other methods that work

Diluted white vinegar wipe for salt

Boot makers' care pages are reported to recommend wiping salt lines on leather and suede boots with 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water, then a plain-water wipe and overnight drying. Those pages block automated access, so the ratio couldn't be confirmed for this guide.

Caution: Not part of the sheepskin maker's method. Test on a hidden area, then re-wet the whole boot evenly so it dries without a line.

Professional suede cleaning

For oil, ink and stains that don't respond to the whole-boot method.

Caution: Not all stains can be removed, even professionally.

Stain still there?

A new ring appeared after cleaning

Part of the boot dried before the rest. Re-wet the entire outer surface evenly with cold water, sponge off, and dry slowly, stuffed, away from heat.

The boots dried stiff

They got too wet or dried too fast. Brush the nap gently once fully dry, and next time dry them in a cool, ventilated place for a full day or more.

White salt marks came back after drying

Salt is still in the nap. Brush, then repeat the whole-boot clean with a fresh sponge and rinse water.

Safety

• Spray protector outdoors or in a well-ventilated room.

Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.

Questions

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