Knowing how to correctly clean your hiking boots is very important for anyone who owns a pair. Looking after your boots the right way allows the technical qualities to last longer. That’s why you need to follow these steps.
10/12/2018After a few days of trekking or after a few hours of hiking, our walking shoes need to be treated in the right way to avoid ruining them. Taking care of hiking boots means, first of all, keeping the technical qualities that made us choose the boot intact, so as to prolong their durability over time.
Just think of the stress to which the trekking boots are exposed to during our excursions: for example, often we pass from damp and muddy soils to rocky surfaces and it is natural therefore that dirt and debris of various kinds can get into the sole rather than leaving obvious marks on the upper or other parts of the shoe. It’s a good idea to start by cleaning the soles before proceeding with the rest of the boots so remove stones or residue from under the shoe, possibly using a brush.
The first thing to do, before starting to clean your Zamberlan boots, is to remove the laces (fig.1). At this point we can start: the trekking boots must be washed under a jet of cold water (fig.2). If necessary, when they are very dirty, it is possible to use a gentle or neutral soap to make cleaning easier.
Fig.3 and fig.4 refer to the drying of shoes: it is essential to remove the insoles and leave the shoes to dry in a cool and ventilated area. ATTENTION: never put them in direct contact with sources of heat such as fires, radiators, electric heaters or boilers, which could lead to the breaking or shrinking of the leather, damage the adhesion of the sole to the upper or could cause detachment of the rubber protection tip. If Zamberlan hiking boots are dried by exposure to heat sources and damaged, the warranty is no longer valid. The best thing to do is to let the trekking boots air-dry, avoiding direct sunlight. To maintain the shape during drying it is advisable to insert some newspaper into the shoe. Once dry, mountain boots must be treated in the right way.
This means taking care of the upper to prevent it from getting ruined and to extend its durability over time
If it is in full grain leather (fig.5A-1 and Fig. 5A-2) then it is advisable to apply the Zamberlan® Hydrobloc® Cream directly on the surface of the shoe, which must be clean and dry, and distribute it on the surface with help from a soft brush. It is essential to use technical products for the maintenance of mountain boots because oils and natural fats nourish the leather well, but if overused they could make the upper too soft and deformable and these shoes must also remain very resistant. Finally, before using them again, it is good to let them rest for a few hours to allow for proper absorption of the products used and then they can be polished.
If the upper is in Nubuck leather, split leather, Nubuck and fabric or a mixture of suede and fabric (fig.5B), then the best product to use is the Hydrobloc® Zamberlan® Spray Balm. After shaking it well, apply two layers on the clean and dry upper, spraying from a distance of about 20 cm and waiting about 5 minutes between the first and second application. Also, in this case, before wearing them, leave the shoes to rest for a few hours.
A further possibility is that mountain boots are made with a leather lining. In this case (fig.6) it is advisable to clean the lining with a damp cloth, let it dry and then apply a light layer of Hydrobloc® Cream or Spray which nourishes the leather keeping it soft and supple. Use the boots only after letting them rest for a few hours.
