how to get salt stains out of leather

A mentor once told me, "If you take good care of your tools, they'll take good care of you." This wisdom applies beyond tools to clothing as well. For tradespeople, quality clothing and tools are often synonymous. How do you care for your clothing? It depends on the materials. Let's focus on boot maintenance, specifically removing salt stains from leather. If you live in a snowy area, salt stains can seem unavoidable. These stubborn stains discolor the upper and make boots appear prematurely aged (not to be confused with patina). This article will explain how to remove salt stains from boots, a skill I learned while working as a camp guide. Just as a well-maintained hatchet chops logs faster, well-cared-for boots will serve you better and longer. The Best Way to Remove Salt Stains from Leather Shoes & Boots When our Editor-in-Chief, Nick English, got salt stains on his beloved Kangaroo leather boots, he took them to a shoeshine guy in the airport who said they were irreparable. No salt stain remover or leather cleaner was going to fix those up. Nick was sad. But then, David (@Shelllvedge) said he has a process that might work for boots. Now a quick disclosure: Nick agreed to do this because he figured these boots were ruined, and different leathers react differently to process, so beware! View this post on Instagram A post shared by David (ShellGuy) (@shellvedge) Steps to Remove Salt Stains from Leather Boots: Submerge and clean: Give the boots a hot bath. Clean using hydrogen peroxide and dish soap to break down salt and water stains. Ensure the leather is fully submerged and saturated. Dry the boots: Stuff the boots with tissue paper. Let them dry for 12 to 24 hours. Spot clean: Use a small brush to spot clean areas that are more heavily stained. Condition the leather: Apply a high-quality leather conditioner to replenish nutrients in the leather. This prepares the boots for the elements. Materials needed: Hydrogen peroxide Dish soap Tissue paper Small brush High-quality leather conditioner (e.g., Pure Polish Products cleaner conditioner) Remember, this method is somewhat experimental. A professional cobbler might advise against submerging certain types of leather boots. Always consider seeking professional advice for valuable or delicate leather items. Further Reading How to Clean Leather Boots: 6 Expert Tips We've spoken with experts to get the best tips for cleaning leather boots and shoes. Learn more → Don’t Remove Salt Stains With Water It is often a horrific sight and our first instinct would be to clean it with water. This seems logical because salt from our kitchen is easily dissolved by water. However, road salt is chemically different from table salt. Table salt is NaCl, a compound that can be evenly spread into a solution (water). Snow salt is that, but with calcium and magnesium carbonate added in. The calcium and magnesium carbonate are the white compounds that stain your shoes. via Mike Mozart, licensed under CC 2.0 Why Vinegar Removes Salt Stains The trick here is to break down calcium and magnesium carbonates into things that can be dissolved by water. The solvent needed for this is acetic acid. Acetic acid may sound very “sciencey” but its diluted form, vinegar, is extremely common. You may even have it in your house! Vinegar breaks down the white substances into calcium and magnesium acetate as well as carbon dioxide. The end results of this chemical reaction are all water soluble meaning, water can remove them with relative ease. Image Source: Instagram How to Remove Salt Stains With Vinegar So now that you know the science behind the process, let's talk about the appropriate steps to actually get the stains out. You do not want to use vinegar alone. Although vinegar itself is already diluted, it is still a very strong substance that can dry out any boot. For veg-tan or chrome tanned leather shoes/boots, what you need to do is: First, prep the shoe by wiping it down with a damp cloth. Then, dilute vinegar with water and mix evenly. Your mixture should contain 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water. Take a piece of fabric, dip it into the mixture and then rub the salt stain gently. Repeat step 3 until your shoe is stain free. Then give the boot one last wipe with a rag dipped with just water. Finally, wait for the boot to dry completely, overnight if need be, and then use the appropriate conditioner to condition the upper. Further Reading 5 Best Leather Conditioners for Your Beloved Boots: Tested & Reviewed After years of experimentation and testing we put our top five leather conditioners head to head. Learn more → How to Remove Salt Stains from Suede Sneakers, Shoes & Boots: Vinegar Solution For suede shoes/boots, what you need to do is: Brush the shoe/boot with a suede brush or toothbrush to get dirt out. Then, dilute the vinegar with water and mix evenly. Your mixture should contain 1 part white vinegar and 1 part water. Take a piece of fabric, dip it into the mixture and then rub the salt stain gently. Repeat step 3 until you've removed as much salt residue as possible. After the shoe is stain-free, remove excess moisture with a dry microfiber cloth or any soft cloth. Wait for the shoe to completely air dry, overnight if needed. You ca stuff with news papers to absorb excess moisture. Then, brush the shoe with a suede brush to give it texture again. If you feel that the cleaning process caused discoloration, you may also purchase a colored protective spray made for suede and give it a coat or two. This should restore it close to its original color. Further Reading How To Clean Suede Boots | The Best Products and a Step-By-Step Guide Suede is one of the most challenging materials to care for, we sat down with experts to learn the best ways.Learn more → Do You Need a Cobbler for Salt Stains? If you are not sure about something, it is best to call your local cobbler. Any cobbler should be able to get the stains out. I don’t think you should not risk damaging your boots if you're unsure of your abilities or if you think a professional would do the job better than a DIY cleaning solution. If you botched the job at home, and think throwing the shoe out is the only solution, then let me tell you that there just might be a saving grace. You can have a patina artist paint over the whole shoe! Adding a custom patina should mask any damage and instantly make the shoe look cool as hell. Patina artists, like Greg Park here in New York, these days can practically turn any leather shoe into a work of art. I highly recommend it for any neglected shoe laying around that desperately needs wearing. Featured image via back2lifeshoes on Instagra@m Yes, you can use liquid dish soap, but there are some things to keep in mind. First, it may damage some materials, especially suede. If in doubt, check with a cobbler. Try the hydrogen peroxide or vinegar methods, only if you're comfortable with possibly causing damage.