Regular cleaning of neoprene or rubber wellingtons will make them look great. Not only this, but it’ll increase their durability and help stop them from cracking. The entire point behind wellies is that they get muddy so you don’t. But, you don’t want them to wear away quickly. No matter what boots you own and what you use them for, they’re all worth cleaning inside and out regularly. It can make them smell better too.

A good approach would be to rinse the wellies down if there is any farm chemicals, horse muck, or wet mud. Do this on a daily basis. The dirt may have turned into a more permanent feature though. In that scenario, you should use a more meticulous approach.

A good clean

To begin with, you need to clean the outside of the boot. It’s here where the majority of the mud and muck gathers. Either indoors over an old piece of paper or outdoors, brush all the excess off. This includes everything trapped in the tread. You can use any medium-bristle brush or a dandy one.

Grab a cloth and dampen it in warm water. Wipe in a downwards motion over each of your wellingtons. You’re better off beginning at the top where the dirt will be minimal. It will prevent you from spreading the muck from dirtier patches into cleaner ones.

Get another bowl of soapy water and repeat the process. Do so by using a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid in a litre of water. Leave the soles for later. It’s not advised that you use detergents and solvents. You might require some elbow grease and circular motions to move the mud. This depends on how filthy your boots are.

An old toothbrush is an excellent utensil for cleaning the tread in your soles. Dip your brush in the soapy liquid. Give your treads a decent scrubbing afterwards.

To finish, wipe everything down with a clean cloth and plain water to dispose of soap residue. You don’t want to leave any film because it could potentially compromise the exterior or leave spots.

Blooming

At times, rubber footwear like wellingtons develops a white marble powder or film. We call this “blooming”. It’s not exactly attractive, but it doesn’t influence the boot’s durability. In fact, it means your wellies are made up of a high quality natural rubber. If you don’t like the look, it isn’t difficult to dispose of it. Cleaning using the methods above should be sufficient.

Sprays

If you need another method, you can use commercial sprays like a silicone variant. This will restore your wellies to their original look. Additionally, it will keep the rubber supple and in excellent condition.

A few wellington connoisseurs swear by wiping some olive oil drops on a cloth and applying to the dirty boot. They like working in small areas from the top to bottom. A word of caution here though; never apply the oil or spray to the soles as it could get messy.

Cleaning the inside

Now we can move onto cleaning the inside of your wellingtons. Having clean wellies is no good if they stink on the inside. Always have socks on to absorb excessive moisture. Mix a small amount of non-biological detergent liquid into some warm water. Grab a cloth and dampen it. Wipe the entire interior afterwards. Repeat the process to wipe the soapy residue off using plain water.

Your boots could still smell following the clean. If so, mix equal parts of hot water with white vinegar. This functions as a deodoriser. Wipe the interior again. The acids in the vinegar aid in stopping bacteria growth.

Something else you can do is shake three tablespoons of baking soda in your boots. Leave it to do its thing overnight. Before using your boots again, empty them out.

Storing your wellingtons correctly can also be a big help too. If you put them in a cupboard, you can place a sweet-scented sachet inside to keep things fresh.

Drying off

To finish, we want to discuss drying the boots because doing it properly is critical to their durability. Don’t put them by the radiator. Avoid leaving them outside in the freezing cold as well. The rubber may crack and split.

The best thing to do is leave them to dry naturally in a warm room with good ventilation. You could roll up newspaper and stuff balls of it inside or pack the boots with a small towel. This will speed things up and also helps keep everything in shape.

Shop with us for fantastic wellingtons

At JS Hubbuck Ltd, we have multiple boots available for purchase. Options include Vierzonord, Purofort plus, and Leon explorer ranges. Each one will keep your feet protected whilst working in muddy conditions and more.

So, if you’d like to know more about our merchandise, feel free to contact us.