There’s snow on the ground in Charlottesville again! Now that we’ve had our first big snowfall, taking care of your feet and proper boot care is increasingly important! After all, we’re coming up on the time of year when hard-working men and women throughout Central Virginia and the Shenandoah are subjecting their boots to the harshest that Virginia has to offer.

Every year, folks ask us for any “tricks of the trade” regarding special boot care practices in the colder seasons. Lucky for you (thanks to the internet!), we can now share these with the world! With that in mind, we’re pleased to share some good “winter boot care” tips and suggestions that will keep your Red Wing boots clean and looking good all winter long.

The truth is… one of the strongest selling points of Red Wing boots is their longevity, and we want them to last even longer than you do. Our reputation for delivering outstanding quality work boots, dress boots, hunting boots, and more depends on how long our boots last and how comfortable they are to wear.

Our Red Wing boots are hand-crafted and built to last, especially when the going gets tough. However, you’ll need to protect them and properly maintain your Red Wings in order to maximize their lifespan. Think about your car… you wouldn’t go all year without proper care, would you? Fortunately, it’s not hard to care for your boots over the winter. A little elbow grease and preparation makes winter boot care a cinch. Let’s get started!

Winter Boot Care Tips!

Brand New Boots Need Immediate Protection.

There’s no sense in letting the cold touch of winter mess up the aesthetic of your brand new boots. If you’re buying new footwear in the winter, we recommend you (or have us) perform some immediate boot care before the first time you wear them out. Protecting your new boots with a high quality leather sealer and taking advantage of our complimentary 30 Day Service Program will allow you to emerge from winter with boots that look brand new.

More of a DIY-person? We advise you purchase a soft bristle brush to brush off your boots when coming in from the cold. Just run some warm water on the brush, give your new boots light brushing, and allow them to dry. A little preventative boot care goes a long way!

Hold The Salt, Please! 

After a couple big snow storms, the roads around Charlottesville can get dusted with that corrosive industrial salt, which mixes with the melting snow to create a bad formula for quicker wear and tear on your Red Wings. The simple solution is to take 2 minutes and clean your boots when you get home from work! We recommend wiping the salt off with a mild vinegar and water solution. Don’t go overboard, though! Mix just a little vinegar into a lot of water, and it will do the trick. Again, we are happy to provide you with completely FREE boot cleaning and conditioning! Never hesitate to bring your boots back for a little “TLC” on the house!

Store Your Boots In a Warm, Dry Place. 

This one’s pretty easy! Make sure you put your boots in a dry place that is preferably at least room temperature. Do not place your boots near heaters or furnaces, as they don’t need help drying out. In fact, the extra heat from a heater of furnace can actually dry out your boots too fast. The type of quality leather that we use on our Red Wing products requires a little bit of natural moisture to remain supple, thereby cooking them with a heat source can cause the leather to become brittle and hard.

Different Strokes for Different Leathers. 

We recommend the basic boot care tips we outlined above for taking care of your Red Wings this winter. However, each pair, style, and design of Red Wing boots is different, and your Red Wings may need different or specialized boot care cleaning methods, depending on the type of leather.

No worries, friends! See below for a great outline of how to clean different types of leather:

Simply follow the boot care method for your type of leather above, and you’ll be set.

Have we mentioned that you can always bring your Red Wings (or WORX, Irish Setters, or Vasques) to Red Wing Charlottesville every 30 days for a free cleaning? Just like anything, repetitions build reputations…and our reputation for service before, during and after the sale is here to stay.

Contact Red Wing Charlottesville

From what we’ve come to know from our decades in Richmond and from the amazing feedback we’ve heard so far from new customers in Charlottesville, we can feel 100% confident in saying that Red Wing Boots are more durable and hardy than any other boot available! However, even our boots require a bit of boot care after tackling the rigors of winter day-in and day-out. If you take care of your boots, they will take care of you!

We hope the above tips help in your quest to maximize the longevity and durability of your Red Wing boots! Remember: when you buy Red Wing, you’re investing in your feet. Invest well, and make sure you maintain that investment!

If you have any questions for Red Wing Charlottesville, give us a call at 434-529-6761, contact us online, or send in a message on Facebook.

We look forward to the opportunity to serve your needs, both now and for years to come!