To make sure your favorite hiking shoes last for as long as possible, remember to take care of them after use. Start with taking off the laces and insoles and brush off any dirt of the outsoles and the surface of the shoes. Visible stains can be cleaned for example with a wet sponge. If the stain has set to the material, it may need some mild detergent or soap while cleaning, Marseille soap for example is a good option for both textiles and leather. Hiking shoes or hiking boots shouldn’t be soaked, because there are several layers in hiking shoes, and it will take a long time to dry if the shoes are completely wet. Let the shoes dry in an airy space with a steady temperature. Hot or very warm temperatures like in a sauna or near a campfire are not the best places to dry shoes, because the heat may activate the gluing, melt the rubber parts and make the leather parts harden.

After cleaning the hiking shoes or boots, leather shoes should be treated with wax and spray for leather materials. The wax will treat the surface and keep it soft and flexible, cover small scratches and provide resistance for water. Spread the wax on the leather surface of the hiking boot so that there is a light layer all over. For the best result, spread the wax using your hands, this way the wax warms up a bit from the friction and the leather absorbs it efficiently. This treatment can be repeated when the leather starts to look dry. Waxing also the ski hooks & loops for the laces will prevent the loops from rust and oxidation.

The wax may give some, mainly nubuck leather, leather shoes a darker shade and a bit of shine. If you want to avoid changes
in the appearance, use a spray-on treatment. Spray-on leather conditioners may need to be repeated more times than wax treatments, but the spray conditioners can be used also for protecting textile shoes.

Brush and polish the hiking boots regularly, so they will last in good condition for a long time.