Have you ever wondered exactly how to clean Muck Boots or your Muck Boot knock-offs? When we asked people this, they looked puzzled for a moment. After all, to clean Muck Boots, don’t you just hose them off before going inside?
Most of us wear these durable boots to do some really nasty work outside, and knowing how to clean Muck Boots is important. Even if you’re wearing your Muck Boots for hunting and fishing and not for working in muddy pastures, your boots are going to get dirty and sweaty. Let’s dive in and do a comprehensive overview of how to clean Muck Boots so that they’re nearly as good as new.
How to Clean the Outside of Muck Boots
Depending on what you’ve been walking around in, you should be able to clean the outside of your Muck Boots easily by just hosing them off. However, to make sure you remove all of the dirt, manure, and other debris, you will need to go the extra mile. Here’s what you will need:
- Liquid soap (Dawn dish detergent works wonders)
- Small washcloth
- Soft bristle brush
- Plenty of warm water
Follow these steps.
Step 1:
Remove all of the mud, dirt, manure, and other gunk from your boots. Try to do this while the muck is still fresh. Use your soft bristle brush and washcloth to make sure all of the dirt and mud are removed. If you have a garden hose handy, put it to good use. Alternatively, if your sink has a sprayer, you can use that.
Step 2
Lather your boots up nicely with your detergent. To do this, you can apply the detergent directly to the boots or onto your washcloth. Use your brush again if you need to scrub some more.
Step 3
Rinse well with plenty of water.
Step 4
Allow your boots to dry. Important: Don’t place your boots near a heat source to help them dry more quickly. This can damage your boots.
How to Clean Muck Boots on the Inside
Mist the insides of your Muck Boots thoroughly with a mixture of one part white vinegar and one part water. Then, use a microfiber towel to hand dry your boots. Be sure to get into the toe and heel areas.
If the boots still have an odor after you go through this process, start the process over again. When you’re finished cleaning your boots, stuff them with newspaper and put them in a cool place to dry.
How to Remove Odor from Muck Boots and Rubber Boots
There are a couple of different methods for deodorizing the inside of Muck Boots. Keep in mind that odors are caused by bacteria, so what you need to do is kill the bacteria. If you clean your boots with vinegar as directed above, it will help with the odors. Here are a couple of other ideas.
Method 1: Bleach and Water (Extreme Solution)
Bleach can damage your boots. For one thing, if you use bleach too often, it can cause your boots to crack. However, if you have an emergency bacteria and odor situation, you can use a small amount of bleach (about a half teaspoon) and hot water.
Put your Muck Boots in your sink. Fill the boots with warm water and add one-half teaspoon of bleach. Allow them to sit in the sink for about an hour. Empty the boots, rinse them well to remove the bleach, and then allow them to dry.
Method 2: Proactively Use Baking Soda on High Grade Natural Rubber
One way to cut down on odors in Muck Boots is to treat odors proactively before they start. After thoroughly cleaning and drying your boots, sprinkle the insides with a little baking soda. Use a rag to rub it into the boots.
You can also sprinkle baking soda inside your boots when you get home at the end of the day.
Method 3: Specialized Products Can Help
You can buy products that are specially designed for getting rid of tough odors in things like Muck Boots. Here are a couple of products that have received good reviews.
- Zero Odor Multi-Purpose Household Odor Eliminator
- Gear Aid Revivex Odor Eliminator
- FunkAway Extreme Odor Eliminator
Can You Put Muck Boots in the Washer?
Technically, you can wash your Muck Boots in the washer, although it’s not the ideal way to clean these boots. If you use the washer, be sure to use cold or warm water only. Then, you will need to dry them as we’ve instructed in this article.
Can You Put Muck Boots in the Dryer?
It’s not advisable to put Muck Boots in the dryer. However, if you absolutely have to, we did find one hack online that suggested that you can dry them in the dryer following these instructions.
- Suspend your wet Muck Boots by the laces.
- Close the dryer door and tie a knot in the laces.
- Allow the dryer at low temperature to run with your boots secure against the inside of the door.
What you want to do is avoid having your boots bumping around inside the dryer. Also, keep in mind that if you dry your boots in the dryer regularly, they won’t last as long. The soles and fabric will shrink and can even begin to warp.
How Can I Dry My Muck Boots?
To dry your Muck Boots after you clean them, allow them to dry naturally at room temperature. Here is a hack we’ve used. After cleaning your boots, lay them down on their sides in front of a fan. Use a clothespin or something similar in shape to prop the openings all the way open.
Allow the fan to blow inside and all around the boots. When you leave them there overnight, your boots will be dry by morning. If needed, move the boots around periodically so that all sides are exposed to the fan.
Another option for drying your Muck Boots is to hang them upside down to speed up the drying process. You can also stuff them with newspaper and lay them on their sides to dry if you don’t have access to a fan.
How to Care for Muck Boots
To polish the rubber uppers on your Muck Boots, the Original Muck Boot Company recommends conditioning them with wax polish, liquid detergent, or Armor All.
Here’s something important: Avoid using conditioners on the outsoles of your Muck Boots. Putting conditioner on these can cause your boots to become slick in icy or wet conditions, which can pose a huge safety hazard.
Muck Boot Repair
You may find yourself needing to repair your boots. Muck Boots are expensive and fortunately, there are plenty of options and products for repairing them yourself if you need to. Below, we’ve listed some of the products we found on Amazon.
For a detailed guide to repairing Muck Boots, check out this article from Murdochs.
FAQ:
Below, we have listed a few of the more frequently asked questions about taking care of your Muck Boots.
How to Clean Neoprene Muck Boots
The neoprene uppers and rubber on your boots are easy to clean. All you need to do is spray them with some water or scrub gently with soap and water. This will remove most mud, animal waste, and chemicals.
How Should I Store My Muck Boots?
To store your Muck Boots, it helps to keep odors down if you store them where there is some airflow. For example, the trunk of a car gets extremely hot and this can cause your Muck Boots to stink.
The Original Muck Boot Company also recommends that you avoid storing your Muck Boots near artificial heat, in direct sunlight, or in sub-zero temperatures. All of these situations can cause your boots to deteriorate and become brittle or cracked.
How Long do Muck Boots Last?
With proper care, your boots should last for between three and five years. Like most things, if you wear your Muck Boots infrequently, they will last even longer.
With that said, the best way to prevent dry rot in your boots is to wear them. Now that you know how to clean Muck Boots, you are ready for a hard day’s work.
