Hiking boots are built to take muddy, gritty trails in stride. But that doesn’t mean it’s a great idea to toss your mucky companions in the closet and forget about them. Clean them faithfully and you’ll enjoy many years on the trail together and reduce the need to replace them prematurely. If you're too tired immediately after a hike, then clean 'em the following day.

Ignoring cleaning breaks down your boots in a couple of ways:

Every time your boots flex, particles of dirt, grit or sand creep deeper into their leather and fabric, grinding away like sandpaper.

Mud sucks moisture from leather as it dries, leaving your boots’ leather less pliable and speeding up its aging process.

What you’ll need for cleaning your hiking boots: