Cleaning Wellies

How to Keep Your Wellies Clean

How To Guide For Winter

The winter weather calls for a sturdy pair of Wellington Boots to keep your feet warm and dry. Most of us own a pair of wellies and wear them knowing that they’ll come back wet and muddy, making the idea of cleaning them seem like an endless task.
However, there are steps that can be taken to ensure easy cleaning which will help to keep your boots in top condition, prolonging their lifespan.

TOOLS

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Olive Oil

Cloth

Warm Water

Dish Soap

Soft Bristle Brush

White Vinegar

Spray Bottle

HOW TO

THE FULL CLEAN

Cleaning the Outside

Clean the jacket using cold water and a sponge to wipe down the outside of the jacket. Avoid using hot water, or any kind of soap and NEVER put the jacket in the washing machine, as this will remove the wax coating permanently and the jacket cannot be re-waxed.

Cleaning White Film

Take a tin of Barbour Wax Thornproof Dressing. Remove the lid, and stand the tin of dressing in a container of water hot enough to soften the wax. It should take approximately 20 minutes to melt the wax into a liquid consistency.

Cleaning Dried Mud

Using an old cloth, rag, or sponge, work the melted wax well into the jacket paying particular attention to seams, creases and dry patches. Wipe off any excess wax. You should keep the wax tin in the hot water while working in order to keep the wax softened. If the wax begins to harden top the container with more hot water. Ensure you keep the wax away from the corduroy collar, the inside of the jacket and inside of the pockets.

Cleaning the Inside

Once you've re-waxed the jacket, hang it up. Allow the jacket to dry overnight in a warm place away from other garments. Be aware the jacket may lose excess wax for a short while so take care not to get your newly waxed jacket near leather or upholstery.

IMPORTANT

It is important to note that you should never clean rubber wellies with a bleach solution, as this will react with the natural rubber and cause damage to the boots. With regular use, it may be best to clean the inside of your boots at least once a fortnight.

Shop Wellies

WELLINGTON TYPES

TALL OR SHORT

Tall Wellies

To wade through puddles and mud terrains many of us opt for long boots. Whilst these boots are strong and durable to keep water and dirt out, this can also make the interior harder to access and clean. Cleaning the inside of your Wellingtons helps to keep harmful bacteria away, and prolongs longevity of the boot.

Here is our simple five-step process for the best way to clean your wellies:

Firstly, create a cleaning solution consisting of 2 cups of hot water, with one teaspoon of non-bio laundry detergent or dishwashing soap.
Get a rag or soft bristled brush and wipe down the inside of the wellies as much as you can.
Rinse off the solution with another rag soaked in clean water.
Create a secondary solution with a 50:50 ratio of water and white vinegar. Lightly spray the inside of the boot to kill any odours and prevent bacteria.
Finally, air dry the boots upside down. You can also stuff the boots with newspapers to absorb any extra moisture, just make sure to regularly change the newspaper until the boots are completely dry.

Ankle Wellies

Shorter wellies are easier to clean inside. The same process as above can be followed. Though if your wellies have come into contact with contaminated flood water, you can take care to add an extra step of sterilising the interior of your boots with a tougher disinfectant spray.

When the boots are dry, you may wish to add some baking soda to the inside and leave overnight to freshen them up, tipping it out before wearing the boots again. Baking soda has mild antibacterial properties and is able to neutralise acids while absorbing moisture to reduce odours and prevent bacterial growth.