A stroll along your favorite trail leaves you refreshed and energized, but it doesn't always come without a bit of cleanup. One step into the dirt on a drizzly day coats your shoes or boots with a layer of mud. Unlike rain and snow, mud steadfastly insists upon dripping from your boots onto the foyer mat when you take them off. Clean the mud off shoes or boots to preserve their condition and get them ready for your next outing.
Things You'll Need
Newspaper
Fabric brush
Liquid dish soap
Bowl
Sponge
Microfiber cloth
Saddle soap
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
Suede brush
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Fabric
Step 1: Dry the Shoes
Set your shoes or boots on a sheet of newspaper and allow them to dry. A thin layer of mud takes up to an hour to dry.
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Step 2: Sweep the Shoes With a Brush
Use a fabric brush or old toothbrush to sweep the mud off the shoes. The top layer of gunk will fall off, leaving only a residue.
Step 3: Create a Soap Mixture
Pour 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap into a bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water.
Step 4: Sponge and Rub
Dip a sponge into the water and wring it out well. Rub the mud stains with the sponge, using small circular motions. Reapply water to the sponge as necessary, until you have coated both shoes.
Step 5: Wipe and Repeat
Wipe the shoes down with a dry microfiber cloth to absorb the solution and mud. Reapply the dish soap if mud remains on the shoes.
Step 6: Wipe the Shoes
Run the sponge under cold water, and wipe the shoes down to remove the soap and any excess debris. Allow them to air dry.
Leather
Step 1: Clean Mud Off Leather Shoes and Boots
Place leather boots on a sheet of newspaper. Use a microfiber cloth to sweep thick chunks of mud and debris from the shoes.
Step 2: Apply the Saddle Soap
Apply a quarter-size amount of saddle soap to a clean microfiber cloth. Work it into the leather using small circular motions. Saddle soap thoroughly cleans leather while conditioning it.
Step 3: Wipe Off the Saddle Soap
Soak the same cloth in warm water, and wring it out well. Use large circular motions to wipe the saddle soap from the shoes, along with all mud. Allow them to dry completely, away from sunlight.
Suede
Step 1: Sweep and Dry
Place your suede shoes on a sheet of newspaper. Gently wipe away large chunks of mud with a microfiber cloth, using a downward sweeping motion. Do not rub suede, because it can push the mud farther into the nap. Allow the remaining mud to dry completely.
Step 2: Apply the Vinegar
Soak a clean cloth in warm water and wring it out well. Pour 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar onto the cloth. Gently rub the mud stains with the cloth. Vinegar will remove stains without altering the suede.
Step 3: Use a Suede Eraser
Rub remaining stains with a suede eraser using a back and forth motion.
Step 4: Brush the Suede Shoes
Brush the shoes with a suede brush, working in the direction of the nap in short strokes to finish cleaning the mud off the shoes.
Tip
Once dry, coat your now clean boots or shoes in a protective spray designed for their fabric type. This will act as a repellent and prevent mud from soaking through or adhering to them in the future. Cleaning mud off shoes is much easier when they're treated with these products.