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Over the next several months, all of those new boots and booties you’ve been purchasing in preparation for the upcoming season will undergo some serious wear and tear. Whether you’re caught in the rain wearing your new booties, or you’re walking to work in your leather boots, your fall and winter footwear will be put to the test. Last year, I didn’t weather-proof any of my leather boots, and now they’re all ruined. Salt stains and discoloration have made them completely unwearable, so I was forced to buy new ones. Now that I know better, I already weather-proofed all of my new leather boots and it’s not even fall yet. Yes, I may be a little bit paranoid, but I love all of my new shoes and I don’t want to make the same mistake as last year. If you want to avoid salt stains, water stains and wet feet during the upcoming months, follow these three easy steps to keep your boots looking the same as the day they left the store. All you need is some beeswax and rubber gloves.
Step 1: Make sure your boots are completely clean. If they’re new, this shouldn’t be a problem, but if they have a little bit of dirt and grime on them use a vegetable brush to scrub it off.
Step 2: Remove laces and cover any buckles or embellishments with tape, because you don’t want the beeswax to ruin the metal. Caution: Do NOT apply beeswax to any areas that aren’t leather.
Step 3: Put on the gloves and generously rub beeswax all over your boots one at a time. I used The Walking Company Beeswax ($7.95), but any brand will do. Make sure both boots are covered evenly. The leather will appear shiny and darker at this point, but don’t worry, they’ll look normal when they dry.
Step 4: Once you’re done applying the beeswax, let your boots sit over night. The next day they should be dry and ready to take on rain, sleet and snow.
Disclaimer: Only use this method on leather boots. Beeswax will ruin suede and patent leather.
And don’t forget to check out: Loeffler Randall rainboots, Kristin Cavallari’s leopard heels and 28 fashion sneakers.
[Photo: Peace Love Shea]
