5 Best Tips for Making Your Leather Shoes Last Through Winter

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Leather shoes are a quintessential style for fall. Unfortunately, however, the material doesn’t stand up so well to the elements when temperatures start to drop. Unless your boots or dress shoes are of the patent variety, most leathers actually soak up water like a sponge and can lead to premature damage — not to mention are susceptible to salt and other unsightly stains that come with rain and snowfall. Moral of the story? If you want to keep that expensive pair in good shape, you’ll want to take preventive measures so they don’t get ruined in the cold weather.

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Below, we’ve rounded up the best ways to weatherproof your leather shoes for extended wear in the months to come.

Use a Brush to Remove Any Traces of Dirt

Complete with a handcrafted wooden brush and biodegradable cleaner, this top-rated package is perfect for removing tough stains. It’s patented to clean up to 100 pairs, so it’ll easily last you multiple seasons.

Jason Markk premium shoe cleaner brush and solution. - Credit: Amazon
Jason Markk premium shoe cleaner brush and solution. - Credit: Amazon

Amazon

Revive Old Leather with a Deep Conditioning Treatment

This deep conditioning treatment has been around for 50 years, and still continues to be a best-selling formula. Not only does it restore leathers that are cracked and dry, but also waterproofs your shoes with just one application — and doesn’t leave a sticky residue behind. For the best results, use this product with shoes straight out of the box before they hit the streets.

Leather Honey leather conditioner. - Credit: Amazon
Leather Honey leather conditioner. - Credit: Amazon

Amazon

Combat Salt Stains Instantly With Handy Wipes

Salt stains don’t just look nasty, but can cause leather to crack and fade over time. These handy little wipes will effectively remove salt-related spots when you’re on the go to prevent future damage.

BootRescue all natural cleaning wipes. - Credit: Amazon
BootRescue all natural cleaning wipes. - Credit: Amazon

Amazon

Repel Water with a Leather Spray

Kiwi’s Boot Protector is a silicone-based spray that will keep your heavy boots dry all season long. It forms a barrier on the outside of your shoe and is specially designed to waterproof thick materials without changing the color of your leather.

Kiwi boot protector. - Credit: Amazon
Kiwi boot protector. - Credit: Amazon

Amazon

Melt Beeswax to Keep Feet Dry

Applying beeswax is another great way to waterproof your shoes. We recommend this all-natural version, which customers love for its subtle yet pleasant smell. Simply melt the pellets down to a liquid consistency on the stove, lather the beeswax on with a clean paintbrush, and lock it in place using the heat from a blow dryer.

Beesworks beeswax. - Credit: Amazon
Beesworks beeswax. - Credit: Amazon

Amazon

Want more?

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