The Red Wing Care Guide | Built To Last

Whether you’re newly discovering them, currently in the market for a pair, or have been wearing your Red Wings for years, it’s essential that you know how to take care of them. As a proud Red Wing retailer, the Number Six team wanted to ensure we can provide you with We took the opportunity to delve a little deeper with team over at Red Wing, who kindly provided us with their official guidelines on how to care for your Red Wing Boots.

Rules of Thumb

• Red Wing recommends some regular conditioning of the leather to retain moisture through repeated wear. You can judge the necessity of this by eye, how often you need to condition your boots will depend on how regularly your boots are worn.

• There’s no need to go overboard with conditioner. A light, even layer all over will give you all you need. It’s important to include the seams and the welt during conditioning, this will help to promote structural integrity and flexibility in the leather over time.

• Trust in room temperature drying. Red Wing boots don’t need to be left on a heater after conditioning - this will just dry out the leather even more and undo your work.

• Replacing the outsole should ideally be done before the wear gets to the mid-sole. This is a preventative measure above all else, it’ll protect the structure, the leather, and, most importantly, you.

You Will Need

Caring for your Red Wing boots requires a 3-pronged action plan. The three recommended products are as follows:

• Leather cleaner: a water-based formula that will provide a thorough clean, without drying out the leather excessively.

• Boot cream: crafted from a precise blend of neutral and coloured waxes, and lanolin. This cream prevents drying and ensures a polished, radiant finish. Red Wing recommends this for Featherstone, Pioneer, Settler, and Chaparral leathers.

• Leather protector: this will provide your boots with next-level protection from dirt, dust, and anything in between. It’s a formula that can fully penetrate the natural fibres within the leather, but will leave the colour intact.

The Nitty Gritty Details

Clean

• Wipe off any excess dirt with a dry cloth, before switching to warm water and a soft bristle brush to remove any stuck dirt. Should you require something more heavy-duty, Red Wing recommends their Leather Cleaner to scrub the boot with, while using a cloth or brush. Once you’ve removed all the dirt, wipe the boot using a damp cloth to give a final clean sweep.

Condition

• It’s no secret amongst Red Wing enthusiasts, that conditioning is a vital step in the care process. To ensure a long life, and well-maintained finish, Red Wing boot cream can be applied using a soft cloth. Following this, why not put the shine back into your footwear by brushing with a soft horsehair brush.

Protect

• The Red Wing leather protector provides your boots with all the protection they could need. From mud and dirt, to water and oil, the protector should be the final step in caring for your Red Wing boots. Once you’ve finished cleaning and conditioning, all you need is a thin layer of the Red Wing leather protector to ensure a finish that’s worth all the effort.