How To Clean Merrell Hiking Boots – Easy Working Method

If you love taking long hikes, hiking boots are a must-have companion for outdoor adventures. While hiking boots are highly durable and meant to last, they’re still prone to wear and tear, and without proper care, they can definitely look worse for the wear. Which is why you want to ensure proper maintenance for them. After all, the last thing you want to happen to your pair of expensive hiking boots is to see them ruined due to a lack of proper care. 

So how to clean Merrell hiking boots? There are a lot of excellent brands that make quality hiking boots, but in recent years Merrell has definitely established itself as one of the best hiking boot brands. If you’re a proud owner of a pair of Merrell hiking boots, then you undoubtedly want to know the best way to take care of them. Here’s everything you need to know about how to clean Merrell hiking boots and make them last.

Key Takeaways

• Always use cleaning materials that are suitable for the materials of your Merrell hiking boots.
• Never use a washing machine to clean your hiking boots.
• Washing machines are your hiking boots’ worst enemy. Never use them unless you want to ruin them completely.

Components of Merrell Hiking Boots

Cleaning your Merrell hiking boots might seem simple at first glance, but there’s a lot more involved. These boots incorporate multiple materials such as the pig suede leather upper, fabric inner layer, breathable upper mesh layer, abrasion-resistant rubber sole, and a waterproof membrane layer.

Aside from their leather hiking boots, Merrell also has quite a few synthetic hiking boots as well. Cleaning synthetic hiking boots is actually a bit simpler than leather ones since you don’t have to wax them for the final touch.

All of these materials require different cleaning materials and methods, which are easy to master with practice. But the good news is, cleaning both types of Merrell hiking boots requires 3 simple steps- cleaning, waterproofing, and drying. With practice and the right cleaning materials, you can get your Merrell hiking boots look shiny and almost new in no time.

How to Clean Merrell Hiking Boots- The Outside

The first step to cleaning your Merrell hiking boots is the outside of the boots.

For this stage of the cleaning you’ll need the following materials:

Once you have the materials at hand, it’s time to get cleaning those dirty boots and make them sparkle like new! Here are the step-by-step instructions on cleaning the outside of your hiking boots:

1) Untie the shoe laces first
A beginner mistake that many people make when they first learn to clean shoes or boots is not removing the lace. Unless you open the laces first you won’t be able to comfortably slip your hands inside the shoes and wipe/brush them properly. Also, if you don’t untie the laces they can’t be washed properly, leaving residual dirt on them

2) Brush the boots gently
Once you’ve untied the boot laces, slip your non-dominant hand inside the shoe and then use the other hand to gently brush all the visible dirt stuck on the shoe using the soft brush or piece of cloth. Don’t fret too much if some dirt is still stuck on the body, you’ll be taking care of them in the next step.

3) Washing the outside of the boots
After cleaning the loose dirt off the boots, the next step you need to take is to wash the boots with lukewarm water. Hold the boots under running water first and brush them again to loosen up the stubborn dirt still clinging to the boots. Once washed, apply the cleaning liquid or detergent on a piece of cloth or paper towel and gently scrub the boot’s surface.

4) Cleaning the treads
Once you’re done with the boot’s body, it’s time to clean the treads. This part can be particularly tricky since a lot of dirt and soil gets accumulated between the treads when hiking. Flip the boots and hold the treads under running water for a couple of minutes until most of the dirt washes away.

How to Clean Merrell Hiking Boots- The Inside

Cleaning the inside of your hiking boots is just as important as cleaning the outside of your boots. Though the inside of your boots might not have to tough out the natural elements during a hike, they do have to endure your sweaty feet. Even if you wear socks, wearing boots for hours on an end definitely takes its toll on them.

The cleaning materials for cleaning the inside of your boots are the same as the ones for the outside, so there’s no need to get anything extra except a shoe deodorant spray and some backing soda. Here’s how to properly clean the insides of your Merrell hiking boots:

1) Remove the insoles first
Shoes, boots, and sneakers all have one thing in common- they all have removable insoles. To clean the insides of your boots properly, you need to remove the insoles first. Once you’ve removed them, wash them under running water first and then apply the detergent or cleaning liquid.

Once washed, hang them on a clothesline or flat surface to dry.

2) Shake the footbed properly
Once you’ve washed the insoles, take each boot in your hands, turn them over, and give them a couple of hard shakes. This will cause the dirt, soil, and grime stuck in the footbed of your boots to come off easily. After shaking off the loose dirt in your boot’s insole, clean the footbed using your hand to scrape off the dirt in hard-to-reach corners if the footbed is made of fabric

If the footbed is made of leather, use a sponge to clean it instead. Sprinkle some baking soda inside the boots to give it a nice fragrance. If the smell is too pungent, consider using a shoe deodorizer.

3)   Cleaning the inside lining
 Merrell hiking boots can have two types of lining- fabric or leather. The good news is that both can be cleaned with some lukewarm water and a sponge. You might consider using a brush considering the thin linings, but doing so might damage the lining.
4) Cleaning the tongues
The last part of your boot’s inside that you have to clean is the tongue. Though it’s visible from the outside, it protrudes from the inside and lies under the shoe laces. The tongues should’ve already gotten wet when you were cleaning the outside of your boots, all you have to do at this point is gently give it a scrub using detergent/cleaning liquid and a piece of sponge.

5)  Cleaning Molds
If your hiking boot has been lying around for a while, there’s a good chance of mold forming on the inside of your boots. To clean the mold formation, use a mixture of water and vinegar at a ratio of 80:20 and wipe the mold slowly and gently with a piece of cloth dipped in the mixture.        

Drying Your Hiking Boots Properly

Washing and brushing the inside and outside of your boots is only half the job done; you also need to dry them properly as well. Unless you dry your boots properly, they will feel damp and give off a pungent smell that’ll stick to your feet even after you’re done washing them. Take the following steps to ensure the final steps of cleaning your Merrell hiking boots go smoothly:

• Hang the boots laces on a clothesline or chair top as soon as you’re done washing them.
• Once you’re done washing your boots inside out, make sure to leave them to dry at room temperature. Make sure the wet boots are placed in an open and dry place that’s shaded. Drying them in direct sunlight is an absolute no-no as the extra heat makes the leather brittle.
• Drying hiking boots can take a while, so make sure you don’t plan any hiking trips anytime soon after cleaning them. Usually, it takes at least 2 days for boots to dry properly, though you can speed up the process by stuffing kitchen rolls inside the boots to soak in the moisture faster. Just make sure to swap out the kitchen rolls every couple of hours.

And with that, your Merrell hiking boots should be completely dry! If it is not dry even after that, then you can dry them again for one more day to have them completely dry.

Waterproofing Your Hiking Boots

Depending on the age of your hiking boots and how frequently they’re used, the waterproof coating may have worn off. This is a very important feature of hiking boots, so if the coating on your pair has degraded you definitely want to waterproof it again. Ignoring this critical aspect of restoring your hiking boots will result in a film of water layering the boots in wet weather which degrades their durability.

Waterproofing your hiking boots is done by giving your boots a DWR (Durable Water Repellant) finish. There are different waterproofing sprays in the market for this purpose, choose one that has good reviews and fits your budget. To waterproof your Merrell hiking boots, just follow these 3 simple steps:

1. Make sure to do it outside and while the boots are still wet after cleaning. Waterproofing sprays have a distinct smell that can stick around in rooms and enclosed spaces for a while. Many people find the smell overwhelming, hence the advice to do it outside.
2. Ensure there’s some space between the boots and the spray canister, 30 cm as a rule of thumb. You don’t want to be spraying too close to the boots as it will result in excess residue in the sprayed area.
3. After applying the spray, spread the coating evenly all over the surface of the boots with a dry piece of cloth. Take extra care to wipe those hard-to-reach corners as well as the inner linings if they’re made of leather or acrylic materials.

Once the waterproofing treatment for your boots is done, give it 24 hours for the coating to dry up. If not dried properly, the coating won’t last long and you’ll have to repeat the whole process again after your next hiking trip. This decreases the amount of water getting into your hiking boots and keeps them well-protected on your hikes without you having to worry about them getting too wet!

Waxing Leather Made Hiking Boots

Now that your hiking boots are cleaned and dried properly, it’s time to give them a makeover to give them a smart shiny look. As a rule of thumb, waxing hiking boots is a bit different from waxing regular leather shoes. This is because standard leather shoes aren’t waterproof, but hiking boots are.

To wax hiking boots made with full-grain leather, you need special waterproof wax to go along with the waterproof coating. If you try using grease or oil to wax hiking boots, they will actually clog the pores of the leather which will result in your feet getting sweaty more often. A few things to keep in mind when waxing leather hiking boots:

• Don’t heat the wax when applying on leather hiking boots. The excess temperature results in the wax seeping deeper, clogging the leather pores.
• Use a soft brush when waxing hiking boots. If you don’t have a brush lying around you can use a piece of dry lint-free cloth instead.
• Don’t go overboard when waxing your hiking boots just because they’re larger than your regular boots or shoes. Just apply a thin film on the exterior just like when you wax your regular shoes.
• If your boot’s laces are a bit old and frayed out, a fresh coat of wax might do them some good. Replace them if you don’t see any noticeable difference even after applying the wax.
• Give it a final finish by rubbing the boots with a lint-free dry piece of cloth after applying the wax.

Things to Avoid When Cleaning Your Merrell Hiking Boots

Hiking boots are highly durable and can last for years if taken care of properly. But there are also certain things that can prove detrimental to the longevity of your boots if you make certain common mistakes when cleaning your hiking boots. When cleaning your hiking boots, try to not make the following mistakes:

• Not giving the boots enough time to dry during the washing, drying, and waterproofing process.
• Always check the ingredients or components of any cleaning product you intend to use to clean your boots. Certain chemicals are bad for leather products while others are bad for synthetic ones.
• Never ever use soap to clean hiking boots. It’s one of the easiest ways to ruin hiking boots and a common mistake many new boot owners make.
• Hiking boots with synthetic uppers don’t require waxing but do require waterproof coating. Make sure to not ignore waterproof coating if your hiking boots have synthetic uppers.

5 Tips on Improving the Longevity of Your Merrell Hiking Boots

Last but not least, here are a couple of tips you should keep in mind if you want your Merrell hiking boots to last for years to come:

1. Always store your shoes in a dry place free from moisture to prevent mold.
2. To add some extra durability, spray your hiking boots with shoe protectant sprays to prevent dirt and debris formation during your hike.
3. Always wear good quality socks that absorb moisture and sweat well.
4. Make sure to change your insoles every couple of years to make sure the inside of the boots stays odor free.
5. No matter how durable hiking boots are, the soles are bound to fray over time. Change the soles of your boots as soon as you start seeing wear and tear.

FAQs

Final Thoughts

For any hiker, their hiking boots are their most trusted companion, especially if they’re into advanced-level hiking. Provided you take care of them properly, a pair of Merrell hiking boots can last for years to come. Cleaning hiking boots might seem daunting at the outset, but once you practice it a couple of times, you’ll find it’s very easy. Hopefully, now you know everything you need to know on how to clean Merrell hiking boots, or any other boots for that matter!