Making your leather boots soften can be tricky, but I’ve figured out a few ways that won’t harm the leather.
It took me a while to find the best method, and I want to show you how I make my boots soft. Different types of leather need different approaches, so I’ll share more than one way to do it.
What You Should Have
From conditioning oils (you’ve never seen a cow with bad skin) to clever tricks like freezing your boots, there are lots of ways to make boot leather softer.
But the 3 best methods I’ve found to soften your leather are:
- Applying mink oil (my top suggestion)
- Using of boot stretcher (if mink oil alone doesn’t work)
- Freezing your boots (only if nothing else works)
After you have all the things you need, I’ll explain each method one by one, so you can be sure you’re doing it the right way.
Required Tools and Supplies:
1. Mink oil
2. Boot stretcher
3. Neat and clean cloth
4. Ziplock bag
5. Heat gun or hair dryer (optional)
6. Old towels or newspapers
7. Plastic bags To wrap your boots
3 Tested Ways to Soften Your Leather Boots (From Best to Last Option)
Source / bootspy
Method 1: Make Leather Boots Soft with Mink Oil
Using mink oil on your new boots is a fantastic way to make the leather soft fast. It’s also something you should do about every six months if you want to keep your leather as fresh as possible.
The more you protect and take care of your new boots, the longer they’ll stay in good condition. To use mink oil, just follow the steps below.
This is the way I like to make my new leather boots better. It makes the leather soft fast and helps them resist water more. They also feel really comfy. I hardly feel any pain when I get my boots ready before putting them on.
Step 1: Clean Your Boots
Make sure your shoes are nice and tidy. If your shoes are new, you can skip this part.
Step 2: Apply Mink Oil
Take a little bit on a neat cloth. Softly rub it onto the leather by moving the cloth in circles. If you take off the laces, it’s easier to reach all areas. It’s a good idea to try it on a hidden part first to check if the color changes. Put it on evenly, not too much. You can choose to warm up the oil a bit before using it.
Step 3: Wait 24 Hours
Let the boots soak up the oil for around 24 hours. Don’t wear them while they’re soaking. You can also bend the boots now and then to help the oil get in.
Step 4: Remove Excess Oil
After the boots soak up the oil, take a dry, clean cloth and softly wipe off extra oil. Move the cloth in circles to spread it evenly. Walk around your home in the boots, and do it again if you want them to be as soft as you like.
Method 2: Use Conditioning Oil and Boot Stretcher
Use this method to soften Leather if only mink oil doesn’t give you the result you want. When you use both conditioner and the boot stretcher, it not only makes the leather softer but also keeps the shape of the boot. This makes shaping your boots quick and effective.
If you want to keep things easy, just pay attention to steps three and four (Conditioning and wearing). This works well if your boots are already feeling comfy. Another good idea is to use mink oil every six months to keep the leather nice, soft, and resistant to water. This helps your boots last longer and stay comfortable.
Follow These Steps:
1. Make sure your shoes are tidy if you wore them outdoors.
2. Use Mink Oil or Saddle Soap on your shoes. Put it on with a clean cloth, making sure to cover the tongue. You can use something like Fiebing’s Mink Oil Paste to make your shoes softer and more resistant to water.
3. To make your boots wider, use a tool called a boot stretcher, like the FootFitter Heavy Duty Premium Professional Boot Width Stretcher. Keep it in your boots for at least eight hours, or even longer if your boots need it. You can use a Unisex Pair of Professional Boot Stretchers to stretch both boots at the same time for faster results.
4. Keep your boots on the stretcher for at least 24 hours, no matter if they’ve been treated, to make them work better.
5. If you use mink oil, take off extra oil after taking out the boot stretcher. Doing both things helps stretch the boot more and makes the leather bendier and softer.
Source / birdbrainvintage
Method 3: Put Your Boots in the Freezer to Make the Leather Softer.
I didn’t try this method for a long time because it seemed like a tricky thing I couldn’t understand. I’ve read online that some folks suggest peeing in their boots to make the leather stretch, but it’s better not to talk much about that.
I decided to freeze my new boots because I couldn’t find my boot stretcher. So I got a new one. When it showed up, I mistakenly bought a shoe stretcher. After crying a lot, I gave the freezing trick a shot, and I was amazed at how great it worked.
Follow These Steps
1. Put water in two plastic bags and close them tightly. Use this to make your boots bigger.
2. Put a bag into each boot. You can change the amount of water if you want. To make it easier to take out later, you can put an empty plastic bag first and then the one with water.
3. Fill each boot with crumpled newspaper to keep the water bags where you want them. Focus on certain parts to help the boots stretch.
4. If you want, you can put each shoe into a plastic bag to keep smells inside.
5. Put your boots in the freezer overnight. In the morning, take a look and leave them there until the evening. Empty everything out of the boots.
Conclusion
The only problem is taking care of the leather to make it the best it can be. Making your boot’s leather soft, especially by using Fiebing’s Mink Oil Paste or Kiwi Saddle Soap, is a good habit to develop.
Just try any of the method mentioned above, and you’ll make that hard leather into something as comfy as a cozy bed.
FAQs
Q1. How do I make my boots soft using natural methods?
The easiest way to make leather boots softer is to wear them a lot. The heat from your feet and the constant moving of the leather will eventually make the boots soft. But, before they get soft, you might feel a bit uncomfortable.
Q2. Can I use Vaseline on my leather boots?
No, using Vaseline on your boots is not a good idea. It will make the leather darker forever, and the leather won’t be able to get air, which could make it get moldy and rot. It will also catch dirt, making your boots smell bad and look unpleasant.
Q3: Does olive oil work well for leather boots?
Using any kind of oily Substance, whether it’s natural or not, is bad for your leather boots. Never use olive oil to make your boots soft or clean them. At first, olive oil might make your boots look shiny, but later on, it will turn smelly and sticky. It will also catch dust, and it’s really hard to clean off.
