Choosing motorcycle boots isn’t as easy as you think. It needs to pay attention to many important features. Quality of materials is fundamental together with comfort and safeness. However, in order to maintain long this features, you need to do regularly maintenance of your boots. Here is a list of simple steps in order to clean your motorcycle boots in the right way.
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Brushing
If you want to clean well your motorcycle boots, the first step is to brush them with a soft bristle brush in order to remove superficial dirt and dried mud.
It’s crucial, in order to avoid streaks on the surface of the leather, to use the brush only where solid dirt is deposited.
You have to pay great attention brushing because the wetted material can deposit on the bristles and can ruin the boots. Especially when you want to clean a boot made of full-grain leather, high quality but very delicate materials, you need to be very attentive in doing this first step.
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Sponging
Now you need a medium-sized sponge in order to clean the major spots on the boots. You can use also some neutral soap but pay attention to use only a little amount of it because excess foam can create marks on the leather.
Move the sponge in a circular motion from the outside to the inside of the boots and be sure to use warm water.
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Inside
It’s crucial to remove the sole and all the detachable elements from the boots and it’s fundamental to wash them very well every time you clean your boots; in fact sweat, in the long run, can ruin the internal elements of the boots.
Hand washing is enough to clean them well but always with warm water and a little amount of neutral soap. Pay a great attention to rinse and let them dry well.
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Outside
Leather and other delicate materials need to be cleaned by using specific products to spray on the boots, then you have just to polish them with a soft bristle brush or with a cloth made of natural fabrics (cotton or flannel; sponge is not recommended because sheds lints all over).
If your boots have a waterproof membrane you need specific products which comply with the characteristics of the material.
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Water-repellency
This step is very important when you’re doing maintenance of motorcycle boots. When you ride a motorbike your boots, probably, have to resist mud and rain. If you don’t want to ruin your boots water repellency is fundamental.
Boots with water repellent upper and polyurethane inserts should be treated with specific water-repellent products patented for outdoor sports. For example, Stylmartin offers his
water resistant protector spray for a perfect result.
Talking about boots made of not treated leather you should put all over some grease, which creates a water-resistant and water-repellent film. If you don’t want to ruin your shoes with the wrong product, you can use Stylmartin waterproof
grease protector or
delicate cream.
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Stain: some tricks!
However, sometimes is very hard to clean some stains with traditional methods. But some tricks can help you. For example, you can use some olive oil or cleansing milk makeup remover in a cotton pad. You only need to apply on the stain and wait a few minutes in order to let it work. During this period stain would seem worsening but it’s ok: the products need to deeply penetrate in order to loosen up the dirt.
After that you have to go on with the traditional sponging with warm water and neutral soap.
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Drying
At the end of the all steps boots have to dry well, and you have to pay great attention.
Boots have to be placed in a dry and ventilated spot, away from heat and direct sunlight. This is crucial to prevent halos and streaks on the leather.
Garage, store-rooms, rooms with no windows are not recommended, instead outdoor areas are ideals.
If you have a garden, a balcony or a terrace can put your boots in a ventilated and shaded spot in order to dry well.