How To Clean Ugg Winter Boots

A pair of clean, white Ugg boots

I'm sitting here wondering how I got so lucky this week! You see, I needed to clean my UGG boots so I decided to do a post about it! But then Kaitlyn just happened to get a pair of UGGs for Christmas and wanted to find out how she could keep them looking new. So she decided to take the initiative using MY boots as a "test subject." Of course I couldn't say "No!" Result….two-year-old boots that look almost like new! :-)

Kaitlyn writes…

Can we just talk about UGG boots for a second? When I was in high school in Southern California the trend was to wear UGGswith mini skirts…in the summer…in California. I never understood this trend. It made absolutely no sense and I figured I would probably never need a pair of UGGs. Fast forward a couple of years and I'm in college in Utah. The winters were (and still are) brutal for me. So I caved one year and bought my first pair of UGGs. It was the most money I had ever spent on anything and boy was it worth it. When you put them on it feels like stepping into a pillow. They are probably the most comfortable thing I've ever put on my feet. They saved my life walking to school in the snow and always kept my feet toasty warm. I wore those boots into the ground. In fact I still have them! I got them 8 years ago and this is what they look like now…

A pair of extremely dirty, worn, brown Ugg boots

…not so cute. Haha. You can tell they were well loved but I really didn't take care of them very well.

A pair of very dirty, worn, brown Ugg boots next to a pair of new-looking brown Ugg boots

For Christmas I asked for a new pair of UGGs. Can you believe that the boots on the left used to look like the boots on the right? This time I have vowed to take better care of them so that they'll last me even longer this time!

A pair of clean, white Ugg boots
I decided to start by finding out how best to clean my UGGs. Since my old boots were a lost cost and my new ones weren't dirty yet, I tried my hand at cleaning Jillee's pair of UGGs that are only a couple of years old.

A collage showing the toe area, side, and heel of a white Ugg boot

They really weren't in too bad of shape but definitely had some scuff marks and dirty spots. I read about 12 different articles about cleaning UGGs to make sure I wouldn't ruin Jillee's boots and I'm happy to say I found a method that works. This method is really similar to one I posted last April on how to clean suede shoes.

How to Clean Your UGG Boots

To clean UGGs you'll need a suede brush and eraser. I bought this kit at Walmart for under $4. It came with a brush designed for use on suede and a rubber eraser. If you have a nail brush or even just a standard scrub brush for cleaning you can use that as well. You can also use a regular eraser – but I would make sure to use a white one. You don't want to stain your item further with a colored eraser.

A suede and nubuck cleaning kit in a package

Use the brush to gently wipe loose dirt and debris from your shoes.

A suede eraser alongside a white Ugg boot

Use the eraser to remove any large scuff marks. You can also use it to remove stuck on dirt.

A hand, cleaning a white Ugg boot using a white cleaning rag

Next, use a clean, damp cloth to wet the entire outside of your boots. You do not want them to be soaking wet! Too much water will damage the sheepskin.

A jar off white vinegar beside a red bowl and a metal measuring cup on a cleaning cloth

In a small bowl combine 1/2 cup of cold water and 1/2 a cup of distilled white vinegar. Dip a clean, damp cloth into the mixture and use it to gently scrub away any stains on your boots. "Gently" is the key word here. If you rub too vigorously you can remove the color from your boots.

A hand cleaning a white Ugg boot using a wet white cleaning cloth

Finally, use another damp close to wipe the vinegar mixture off the boots.

A pair of white Ugg boots stuffed with dry cleaning cloths to help them retain their shape

Stuff your boots with some towels or scrap paper to help them keep their shape. Put them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight to dry. Do not put them in front of a fan or heater. If they dry too quickly they may shrink or become too stiff.

A front view of a pair of clean, white Uggs

I left Jillee's boots to dry overnight and by the morning they looked great!

A view of the toe area of a pair of very clean white Ugg boots

A view of the heel of a pair of clean-looking white Ugg boots

They definitely didn't look brand new, and there were a few stains I couldn't get all the way out, but there was a big improvement.

A small bottle of Ugg brand stain and water repellent

I tried to find a DIY recipe for protecting Uggs from stains in the first place but couldn't find anything. So I picked up an UGG brand Water & Stain Repellant that I'm going to put on my boots.

Two pairs of clean Ugg boots, one white and one brown

A couple more tips…

If the inside of your boots get stinky, pour two teaspoons of baking soda and two teaspoons of corn starch in each boot. Shake them around a bit and leave them for a few hours. Dump out the baking soda and corn starch.
If you get a greasy stain on your boots, apply a little bit of chalk or talcum powder to the stain. Let them sit overnight, then brush off the powder. The powder should soak up the grease stain.
If you have a water stain on one of your boots, rub the other boot against the stain. Apparently, rubbing sheepskin on sheepskin gets the stain out.