How to clean riding boots to look smart and make them last

Very clean riding boots — (Image credit: Trevor Meeks)

They are one of the biggest investments in a rider’s wardrobe, so it’s vital that you know how to clean riding boots to ensure they not only look smart, but last well too. Whether you have short riding boots or long ones, keeping them clean and supple is as important as proper care of your horse’s tack.

The gleaming riding boots the cavalry wear on parade are so shiny they look patent, but it takes the soldiers four hours. Thankfully, to keep your everyday riding boots in good condition should only take 15 minutes.

Before getting going, gather together everything you need to clean your riding boots: a damp cloth and a couple of dry ones, and a soft-bristled brush (as you would use to polish shoes). To keep the leather in optimal condition, only use products designed for leather. Put together a boot-cleaning kit consisting of a leather cleaner, a leather conditioner and a leather polish. A useful extra is a waterproofing spray for additional protection against the elements. Resist the temptation to use household cleaners even when the boots are caked in mud and grease.

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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.

How to clean riding boots for a brilliant shine and to help them last

How to clean riding boots: step-by-step

First, remove all the mud, dirt, grease and dust with the damp cloth. Use the brush to clean the zips on long riding boots or elastic parts of the short boots, and remove caked-on dirt from any stitching. For stronger action on more stubborn dirt, apply the leather cleaner.

Don’t forget the soles – you can usually remove the mud with a stiffer brush, then wipe with the damp cloth.

It’s important to clean dirt regularly from the boots because it can dry out the boot making them increasingly prone to the leather cracking or for the stitching to rot.

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