How to Clean UGGs: 5 Easy Methods to Keep Your Boots Looking as Good as New

If you got caught in the rain or were walking in mounds of snow and your suede UGGs got wet, it's easy to think you can just soak them in water in order to clean them. But this is a huge no-no. Here’s an easy method for getting rid of water stains, courtesy of Clean My Space.

What you’ll need:

• Suede brush with nylon bristles
• Suede cleaner
• Paper towel
• Soft sponge
• Cotton cloth
• Water

Steps:

1. Prep your boot. Use the suede brush to gently give your boot a good once over. This loosens the nap and gets rid of any surface dirt.
2. Use sponge to wet the boot. Dip the sponge in clean, cool water and moisten the entire boot. Make sure you’re not drenching the shoe with too much water, just use enough to make it damp.
3. Clean with suede cleaner. Using the sponge, clean your boots with suede cleaner. (A one-to-one mixture of water and white vinegar will also do the trick).
4. Rinse with cotton cloth. Dip your cotton cloth in some clean water and run through your boot, removing the suede cleaner.
5. Stuff the inside with paper towel. To ensure that your boots maintain their shape as they dry, stuff them with paper towel so they stand straight.
6. Let them air dry. Do not, under any circumstances, put your suede in the dryer or use a hairdryer as this may ruin the shoes for good. Instead, find a spot away from the sun or any other form of direct heat to let your shoes dry at room temperature.

If you’ve been walking around in the snow, you don’t only have to worry about the water stains, but there’s also the issue of salt stains at hand. According to the pros at How to Clean Stuff, you want to ensure that the method you use to remove salt stains doesn’t simultaneously wash out the color off your boots. In addition, the experts recommend testing this method on a smaller portion of your suede boot to see how it reacts.

What you’ll need:

• Mild dishwashing soap, like Dawn
• Cold water
• Soft cloth
• Soft toothbrush or Nubuck brush

Steps:

1. Add a small amount of soap to the cold water. Make sure you add just enough soap to get the job done—too much and you’ll have a soap stain to battle.
2. Dip the soft cloth. Again, you want to make sure you’re not transferring excess water onto the boot and creating another stain.
3. Pat or blot stains. It’s important to go about this step gently because harsh scrubbing may remove color off your boots.
4. Allow to air-dry. Place your UGGs in a cozy spot away from direct sunlight or any heat source. Again, stuff your shoes with paper towels to ensure that they maintain their shape as they dry.
5. Brush as needed. After the boots are dry, restore the nap of your boots to its original appearance using the toothbrush or Nubuck brush.

So that puddle you accidentally stepped in turned out to be muddier than expected. Don’t worry—removing mud off your boots is quite simple.

What you’ll need:

• Suede brush
• Soft sponge
• Pencil eraser
• Water
• Suede cleaner

Steps:

1. Let the mud dry. Simplify the cleaning process by allowing any wet mud to completely dry out.
2. Brush out as much as possible. Use the suede brush to gently remove any surface dirt left behind. Make sure you brush in one direction, so you don’t ruin the nap.
3. Rub out stubborn stains with the pencil eraser. Use the eraser to spot rub any matted or shiny stains.
4. Wet stained area. Gently dab or blot all stained areas with water to loosen the nap.
5. Apply suede cleaner. Dab a bit of cleaner on your sponge, dip it in water and apply to the stain in a circular motion.
6. Allow to air-dry. No matter how big or small the dirty area is, it’s better to let your shoes air-dry so they maintain their appearance.

So you were cooking in your beloved UGGs and accidentally spilled some olive oil on them. Here’s a clever solution to help nix those grease stains.

What you’ll need:

• White chalk or corn starch
• Paintbrush
• Suede cleaner
• Cotton cloth
• Water

Steps:

1. Use chalk to color over stain. White chalk (not color chalk) is known to absorb grease, so apply as needed and let sit overnight. Note: If you don’t have any chalk handy, sprinkling a bit of corn starch over the stain gets the job done too.
2. Wipe off powders. Using your paintbrush, gently wipe off the chalk as much as you can.
3. Clean your boots as usual. To remove any chalk debris, put some suede cleaner on a cotton cloth, dip it in water and apply to the stain in a circular motion.
4. Allow to air-dry. As always, you want to make sure your boots retain their shape, so allow them to dry at room temperature.

Now that we’ve taken care of the exterior, it’s time to take care of the inside of your fuzzy boots. Whether you wear your pair with or without socks, the inside of your shoes can get sticky with sweat and quickly become a hub for bacteria. Avoid any smelly feet or trips to the podiatrist by making sure you’re as attentive to the inside of your sheepskin shoes as you are to the outside. Here’s a quick and easy method from A Clean Bee for keeping the inside of your boots fresh and clean.

What you’ll need:

• Baking soda
• Cold water
• Wash cloth
• Gentle liquid soap
• Soft toothbrush

Steps:

1. Deodorize your shoes. If your boots already have an odor, sprinkle some baking soda. Let sit overnight, then pour out before you begin cleaning.
2. Dampen wash cloth in water, then add soap. Instead of creating a soap and water solution, dampen the cloth first, then put soap on top. This way, you’re applying the soap directly onto the stain.
3. Gently scrub the fleece. Apply pressure as needed. For moderate stains, a gentle scrub will do the trick. However, if you have a tough stain on your hands, you might need to go a bit harder.
4. Use a toothbrush if needed. If you’re battling a particularly stubborn stain, enlisting the help of a soft toothbrush might be a good idea.
5. Wipe clean. Rinse and wring out your washcloth thoroughly first. Dampen as needed before removing soap from inside the boot.
6. Let air-dry. As always, the best way to retain the coziness of your suede boots is to let them air-dry.

• Maintain the nap by gently brushing daily.
• Stuff them with tissue paper or paper towels to keep their shape. (It will also absorb any excess moisture during the cleaning process.)
• Do a deep clean once or twice a year.
• Be proactive about addressing stains.
• Invest in a comprehensive care kit.