We all know that motorcycle boots are made of leather or other protective materials, so it is crucial to keep them clean by removing dirt from them on a regular basis with the proper tools.
Leather should be cleaned with a soft brush and other essential cleaning products.
On the other side, some individuals choose suede shoes over motorcycle boots, which require a special brush to maintain the texture.
In addition to leather-specific cleaners, you can also clean your shoes with common household items such as baby wipes, pencil erasers, and cornflour.
This paper mentions the cleanliness of the footwear worn as motorcycle boots.
What Are Motorcycle Boots?
Before cleaning motorcycle boots, let’s define them. Motorcycle riders wear boots that extend from above the ankle to below the knee.
They wear a unique boot with a low heel to control the motorcycle. To improve bike safety, motorcycle boots are usually made of thick, heavy leather.
They may also have padding made of metal, plastic, leather, or a mix of these materials that absorbs shock and spreads the weight.
Some boots have Gore-Tex or Sympatex linings for wet weather.
Depending on how comfortable the boot is, the shaft opens lengthwise to allow for easy on and off.
If this happens, Velcro or hook-and-loop fasteners are used to close the boot at the foot, ankle, and leg.
This allows the rider to control boot tightness. Some companies put a quick-lacing system inside the shoe between the soft inner toe and the hard outer shell to make sure the shoe fits snugly and comfortably.
A racing boot’s heel is no more than 1/2 inch long and smooth. A curved plastic or composite plate may be used to protect the rider’s shin.
Follow The 7 Steps To Clean The Motorcycle Boots:
There is one standard method that can be used to clean all of the different types of boots that are used for biking.
In a later section, I’ll talk about the different ways to make boots from a wide range of materials.
Take a look at the following 7 common steps that will be of support to you while you are cleaning them.
1. Start With Brushing
You should use a brush to remove dry dirt or mud, as you cannot proceed without removing these muds.
These wet materials can cling to the bristles and make brushing the muddiest pairs of shoes more difficult.
Move the boot brush slowly with your hands to prevent damage.
2.Use Sponge
Now, using a piece of sponge and warm water, remove the remaining sticky marks.
However, you shouldn’t use too much water because it could damage the boots; instead, you can use a neutral soap that won’t cause the leather to become brittle.
3. Clean The Inside Part
It is essential to clean the interior, as it harbors odors, sweat, and bacteria. Use warm water and a neutral soap to thoroughly clean them from the inside out.
4. Clean The Outside Part
For cleaning the exterior of your motorcycle boots, you must use polish or special spray products that will not harm the leather.
There are a variety of cleaning sprays available for different kinds of materials; never use water to clean the exterior.
5. Cover Up With Water Repellency
If you don’t want to ruin your boots during the rain, it’s best to apply a water repellent that forms a water-resistant film on the boots and protects them from mud as well.
6. Clean Stubborn Stains
To remove the stains, this is an important step that cannot be accomplished using conventional means.
After the job is done, use cleansing milk or olive oil to get rid of stains.
Then, clean the rest of the area with a sponge and neutral soaps.
7. Dry The Boots
The last but important step is to dry the boots; keep them in a dry, warm place with better ventilation, where it will be easy to dry the boots.
But don’t use heat or direct sunlight, as it will distort them.
Method For Cleaning Motorcycle Leather Boots:
Get the following items prepared and at the ready before beginning the process of cleaning your bike boots:
They will be necessary for the process.
You will need a soft brush, clean clothes, baby wipes, leather cleaner or mild soap, leather shoe polish, and leather wipes.
Now, take a look at the instructions that are listed below, and ensure that your leather boots are clean.
Using a soft shoe brush, remove any dirt or grime from the shoes.
Scrub the shoe’s exterior to remove any dirt that has complied. If you rub too vigorously, you will likely ruin the leather.
To thoroughly clean your shoes, run the brush along the sole and seams.
Take your shoelaces off.
If your leather shoes have laces, remove and set them aside with care. This will safeguard them from cleaning or polishing product residue. If they are dirty, place them in a mesh bag before placing them in the washing machine or washing them by hand.
Use a damp cloth and a small amount of soap to clean the shoe.
Moisten and wring out a clean towel. Place a few drops of gentle liquid soap or leather on a piece of cloth. Using the grain or texture of the leather, gently rub it against the surface of your shoe.
Again, wipe the shoes with a damp cloth and allow them to dry.
Remove excess soap from your leather shoes using a towel. Allow the shoes to air-dry in a cool room. As the heat can cause discoloration and cracking, avoid storing your shoes near a heater.
Using baby wipes, spot-clean your footwear.
If your leather shoes become stained or dirty while travelling, use baby wipes to clean them.
Baby wipes are so gentle that they will not harm leather. Additionally, the moisturising properties of baby wipes will condition your shoes.
Using a vinegar and water solution, remove salt stains. Equal parts white vinegar and water are combined.
Soak a clean cloth in the liquid and rub it gently over the shoe’s surface. Wipe them clean with a fresh, damp cloth.
Using talcum powder, remove oil and grease stains.
If your leather shoes have stubborn oil or grease stains, cover them with an absorbent powder such as talcum powder.
Allow two to three hours for the oil to be absorbed. Brush the powder away with a soft brush.
You can also use cornflour to absorb traces of oil, but you must let it sit for 7 to 8 hours for it to be effective.
Use the shoe polish on leather.
A few drops of leather shoe polish should be applied to a clean cloth. Use it to rub the surface of your shoe in small, circular motions.
Remove any excess polish with a second cloth. Do not use shoe polish on non-leather components of your shoes.
Follow The Procedure For Cleaning Motorcycle Suede Boots.
In the same way that you cannot write without a pen and paper, you cannot clean your boots without a brush and soap.
To complete the procedure, you will need a suede brush, a rubber eraser, cornflour, and a silicone-based protectant spray.
Now, follow the given instructions.
Using a special brush
Using a special brush, clean your suede shoes. Purchase a suede-specific brush from a shoe store or on the Internet.
Over the shoe, brush the suede in a back-and-forth motion. Brush the entire shoe’s surface to remove scuffs and stains.
Use a rubber pencil
Use a rubber pencil to eliminate smudges and scratches. Rub the eraser over the blemish or scratch.
To avoid damaging the suede, proceed in only one direction. Utilize your suede brush to remove the eraser residue.
Use corn starch:
Use corn starch to absorb the grease. Pour a small amount of cornflour onto the stain and allow it to absorb into the suede.
Allow powder to sit for two to three hours. To remove grease, brush.
Apply a spray:
Apply a spray containing silicone to weatherproof suede shoes.
Spray your shoes with a boot protectant spray as soon as you buy them. Always treat them after cleaning them.
Spray the protectant evenly over your shoes while holding the can at arm’s length from them.
Cleaning Guide For Genuine (Patented) Leather Boots
In addition to the two types of boots I talked about, I also talked about how to clean real leather boots and shoes. Once more, you need to assemble a few important things like mild soap, clean clothes, hand sanitizer, and mineral oil.
- Clean the Boots with a soap and water solution. Whenever necessary, remove your shoelaces. Add a drop of mild liquid soap to a dampened cloth. Rub it over the entirety of the shoe’s surface. Wipe them down with a fresh, damp cloth.
- With hand sanitizer, remove scuff marks. Soak a cotton swab in antibacterial hand gel. Apply it gently to the scratched portion of your patent leather boots. Using a clean cloth, remove excess hand sanitizer from your hands. In a hurry, petroleum jelly can be used to clean boots.
- Mineral oil can be used to polish boots. Mineral oil is the primary ingredient in commercial patent leather boot cleaners, and it can be used alone to achieve the same results. Put four to five drops on a clean cloth and rub it over the surface of the footwear. To restore the shine to your shoes, buff them with an additional clean cloth.
5 Tips To Prevent Bad Odour From Boots?
Even after cleaning your boots, if they continue to have a foul odor, you will need to employ additional strategies in order to get rid of or prevent the smell.
Here are some home remedies, along with some advice on how to keep them from going stale.
1. Wear Fresh Socks
If the socks in your boots smell bad, never reuse them; instead, use a new pair every day.
To avoid those embarrassing circumstances, hand wash the socks in warm water and leave them to air dry completely.
2. Clean Your Feet
The next area you should concentrate on is your feet. After returning home, always wash your legs.
Additionally, use deodorants before putting on new socks to keep them dry. You can also use antibacterial soaps to avoid offensive odors.
3. Use Essential Oil
Use a few drops of tea tree oil before or after wearing your boots to keep them odor-free with just a small amount of essential oil.
4. Use Teabags
If you drink tea, place teabags inside the boots to absorb odors and let the tea dry inside.
Don’t forget to take your boots off after they have had time to completely absorb and dry.
5. Sprinkle Talcum Powder
The simplest method is to use baby powder and toss some on your feet and inside your shoes. It will absorb sweat and keep you smelling fresh all day.
How Often Should You Change Your Bike Boots?
If you use them carefully and take good care of them, a good pair of motorcycle boots should last you between four and five years.
But it’s impossible for everyone to wear it in exactly the same manner at the same time.
There are a few signs that indicate that it’s time to purchase a new pair of boots, and I have listed them below for your convenience.
They Won’t Fit Anymore
You can feel that it is somewhat looser than it was previously.
After a period of time, anything that is used frequently, such as gloves, socks, etc., will become looser.
Similarly, you will observe that the upper portion no longer fits, as it has become baggy, and decide to purchase a new one.
Soles Become Smooth
Anything that continues to rub against another surface will become flat. When wearing boots and riding a bike, you use your legs to operate the brakes, gears, etc.
As a result of friction between the boots and the surface of those parts, the boots gradually become smooth.
When there are no remaining spikes, it is best to replace them.
It Starts Leaking
It will be irritating to wear wet footwear or socks.
You must determine whether water is leaking inside from the exterior or whether you are wearing the wet one.
If your boots start to leak, you can repair them with rubbers or buy new ones.
Conclusion
You should clean your motorcycle boots to prevent bacteria and bad odors. I have tried my best to show you all possible methods that will be helpful to you.
I hope you got all the information related to motorcycle boots from this article.
If you liked this article or have any questions related to it, then do ask in the comment section.
