Care of Boots : Hints for Winter   by Andriaryan_24

in Shopping / Fashion Style    (submitted 2011-10-05)

In wet weather the soles of new working boots should be warmed and rubbed with tallow or other animal grease until the leather will absorb no more. In this way the pores are clogged with the grease and the leather becomes waterproof. Goose grease is excellent for softening the uppers. Dry wet boots gradually and thoroughly, and grease to soften.

A method used by a farmer was to pour into his boots when they were taken off sufficient, dry, warm, coarse sand to fill them almost to the top.The sand dried the boots without allowing them to alter their shape. In the morning the sand was poured back into a bag for warming.

In cleaning boots avoid the use of a knife; a hard brush will remove dirt equally well. Polishes should be of the greasy kind; the old -water polishes are quite out of date. If polish, either black or tan, piles up on the leather and' makes it look uneven or patchy, wash the polish off with warm water, dry thoroughly, and re polish. Boots not in use should be polished occasionally.Soft cloths are better than brushes for giving a final polish. For hard walking select boots with thick soles and allowing sufficient room for a sock.

Thick boots require 'breaking in' before they are used on long walks. Greasing and merely wearing them will assist them to get down close to the feet. Rubber heels and soles last much longer than leather. If one foot be larger than the other, use it when, trying on new boots. As boots stretch with use, new boots should fit very closely, without pinching, and the eyelet flaps not quite meet. Some of the stretch may be taken out of the leather with a boot stretcher to make them comfortable to wear.

Shellac varnish, run round the joints between sole and uppers after the shoe has been well warmed, will assist greatly in keeping out water. Squeaking in shoes is due to the sole leather rubbing against the layers above it. The best cure is to remove a few rivets along the side of the sole and insert powdered chalk or graphite, or slips of thin felt rubbed with these substances, and rivet up again. Putting rivets through the centre of the sole also has effect, but reduces the pliancy of the shoe.So please follow the steps and increase the life of your boots.

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