Ugg boots or UGG are stylish, fashionable, modern, and at the same time very comfortable shoes that came to us from Australia. However, with all this, there are also opponents of Ugg boots who claim that it is “ugly” and “how can you wear something like that,” but this does not in any way affect the popularity of these shoes.
The Australian aborigines were clearly not aware of modern fashion trends and are not fans of style, but they made good-quality shoes.
UGG boots were created for everyday wear in harsh conditions, but like any shoes they require careful treatment and care. The lucky owners of these boots should know how to care for them, including at home.
User manual
The pages of fashion magazines are replete with a variety of models and shapes of these boots; the planet's leading fashion designers present them on fashion catwalks. UGG boots are decorated with rhinestones, embroidery, applique and other bells and whistles, and are made from exotic materials.
To choose the right strategy for caring for your boots, you need to understand what they are actually made of. The main materials from which ugg boots can be made are:
- sheepskin serves as a classic material for making ugg boots;
- artificial suede and leather;
- textile materials such as lace, fabric, denim;
- yarn - yes, yes, Uggs can be knitted.
Regardless of the material, when caring for UGG boots at home, you should follow simple rules and clean them correctly, in several stages.
REMEMBER! Ugg boots are very afraid of water, so rain, slush and sleet are strictly contraindicated for them. Not only can getting your feet wet cause you to catch a cold, but it also threatens you with the loss of your faithful and warm “companions” for long and pleasant winter walks.
Dry cleaning
Before you begin basic care for your miracle boots, they must be cleaned of dust and dirt. This can be done using
- a piece of soft fabric or a piece of suede;
- brushes with soft, preferably natural bristles;
- a special rubber brush for cleaning suede.
With quick, but without strong pressure, movements with a brush or cloth, you should clean the surface of the ugg boots from any remaining dirt, dust and stains. Greasy or worn-out areas can be cleaned the old “grandmother’s way”, armed with a crust of black bread. Old and greasy stains can be removed with a mixture of purified gasoline and starch, mixing them to the consistency of sour cream and applying to the stain. When the mixture dries, remove the residue with a soft brush and wipe with a damp sponge.
TIP: To maintain the original appearance of shoes, it is necessary to carry out regular maintenance. If you treat the surface of your ugg boots with a special water-repellent spray or solution before wearing them, as well as after each cleaning, then dirt and dust, as well as excess moisture, will not spoil their appearance, and you will have to clean them much less often.
"Water procedures"
After the ugg boots are cleaned of dust and dirt, you can begin wet cleaning. It should be remembered that you cannot completely immerse your boots in a basin of water or hold them under running water. Too much water will deteriorate them, they may fall apart and lose shape and color.You can simply wash them with a sponge soaked in water at room temperature, but the water should be changed several times to avoid streaks. For more effective cleaning, you can make an aqueous solution of vinegar, prepared at the rate of 4 tablespoons of vinegar to 5 tablespoons of water. But after this, the ugg boots still need to be wiped several times with a damp, clean cloth.
Then you should put old crumpled newspapers inside the shoes and leave them to dry in room conditions, away from the sun and heating devices, until completely dry. If you need to put on your boots urgently and they are still damp, you can gently dry them with a hairdryer for 15 minutes. In this case, the air stream should be cold and the hairdryer should be kept at a distance of at least 30 centimeters from the surface.
IMPORTANT: You should not use washing powders and detergents to wash your ugg boots; they may contain bleaching agents, which will lead to their discoloration, loss of brightness and the appearance of streaks. An exception to this rule may be special shampoos for sheepskin products, which are sold in branded stores.
Be careful with salt!
Uggs are shoes for cold weather conditions and are mainly worn in winter. It is no secret that the sidewalks of Russian, and not only cities, are treated in winter to prevent the formation of ice with special reagents that contain salt. This, of course, will save pedestrians from unwanted falls, but the shoes suffer greatly. After exposure to reagents, whitish salt stains appear on shoes, which are not so easy to get rid of.
UGG boots are no exception - unpleasant white stains may appear on the suede surface after a walk.In order to remove them, the UGG boots should first be dried. You should not do this near heat sources - a radiator, a heater or a stove, as the ugg boots may lose their shape or become rough. We dry them exclusively at room temperature until completely dry. After the boots have dried, wipe the stained areas with a damp sponge soaked in a solution of vinegar and ammonia mixed in equal proportions. Then use a clean damp cloth or sponge to remove the remaining vinegar solution.
INTERESTING: On the Internet, as well as in specialized stores, you can find thin boots that look like shoe covers, made of thin rubber or silicone. They look quite nice and come in a variety of colors. Such “shoe covers” do not take up much space; they can be put in a bag and carried with you. But the main thing is that they protect shoes from moisture and dirt. If the snow suddenly melted by lunchtime or it started to rain unexpectedly, then putting them on over your UGG boots will protect them from excess moisture and dirt.
What's that smell?
When worn for a long time, shoes may develop an unpleasant odor. It does not always depend on the individual characteristics of the human body and the cleanliness of the feet of the owner of the shoes. An unpleasant odor can appear from improper storage of shoes, exposure to high temperatures or various substances. Sheepskin, for example, is a natural material and quickly absorbs odors. You can get rid of the unpleasant odor using a spray by treating the inside of your UGG boots. Your favorite perfume and body deodorant without talc are suitable for this.
If you don’t have shoe deodorant on hand, you can get rid of the smell with improvised means.Mix equal parts of cornstarch and soda, treat the inside of the boots with this mixture and leave for several hours. Then shake the ugg boots and remove the rest of the mixture. You can also use a narrow nozzle on a vacuum cleaner for this.
You can put a bag filled with a mixture of salt and soda, or a sachet of lavender inside the boots and leave overnight. Salt absorbs unpleasant odors and refreshes the shoes.
TIP: Any shoes, and especially ugg boots, should be aired in the fresh air as often as possible. To do this, you need to put the boots on a frosty balcony or outside. In the summer, the shoes can be dried and checked in the shade, avoiding direct sunlight, otherwise the shoes may fade or become streaked.
The impossible is possible: ugg boots and a washing machine
As already noted, ugg boots are currently made from a variety of materials, and not just sheepskin. This in turn allows you to use various methods of cleaning and washing them, including using a washing machine. However, it is worth noting right away that if the question concerns the classic model of sheepskin boots, then the option with a washing machine is not suitable. You also cannot wash cheap ugg models, since during the washing process they can tear, come apart and become completely unusable.
In order to determine whether it is possible to wash your boots in a washing machine, you need to study the care instructions for them, which can be applied to the box or a label sewn into the shoes. If there is none, and your boots are made of textiles or yarn, then they can be washed in the machine. You should choose a gentle washing mode for wool or delicate linen, observing the temperature regime of 30-40 degrees.It is better not to add detergent.
You should not wash boots in the washing machine if they have any decor, as the embroidery may fade, and rhinestones and appliques will fall off, which will spoil not only the appearance of the shoes, but can lead to a breakdown of the washing machine.
As an afterword
