How-To Guide: Leather Boot Care

If you're here, your Poppy Barley boots have arrived (or will soon). They fit perfectly, and you're ecstatic, but before you go strutting your stuff around town (the strut comes naturally in PB's), it is so important to treat your leather footwear before exposing them to the elements. Maintenance is also crucial to prolonging the life of your boots, so an ongoing dose of loving attention is recommended.

Here, we've compiled a list of five essential leather boot care tips for your Poppy Barley boots so that you can start wearing them as soon as possible and keep them looking like new. We'll explore in detail the best products, techniques and approaches for each step in future posts, but until then, explore our leather care products, and keep the following in mind as you show off your Poppy Barleys:

1. Protect your boots

   The first step to caring for your boots is to apply a quality protective spray to the leather exterior. This will help to repel dirt, stains and water damage. Repeat this step at regular intervals.

2. Clean as you go

   Salt stains are one of those unfortunate truths about living in winter cities. Remove salt stains daily with a damp rag, dipped in a mixture of water and lemon juice or vinegar (you need an acid to penetrate the salt). This will drastically improve the daily appearance and longterm durability of your boots. (Here are three things to carry with you for on-the-go leather care!)

3. Condition your leather

   Leather is a natural material and needs grease so that it won't dry out. Prevent permanent damage like cracking by keeping the leather hydrated with a quality leather conditioner and polish. A good leather conditioner is designed to be readily absorbed and will restore flexibility in the fibres of the leather.

4. Keep things shapely

   Leather is flexible and stretchy, and a major upside to the material is that it will, overtime, become even more comfortable and contour to your unique proportions. On the downside, your boots could also lose their shape when they aren't on your feet. Using boot shapers will maintain structure to the leg and foot of your boots.

5. Resole as necessary

   As boots age, the first area to show wear and tear is usually the sole. Bring your boots into a cobbler for resoling before holes start to appear, as this could damage other areas of the boot. Resoling should cost around $20.

   Now go forth and enjoy the luxury that is Poppy Barley - these boots really were made for walkin'.