You may walk out of the house to find warm, friendly weather, only to be caught up later in an unpredictable downpour. One quick splash of muddy water, and you might think your suede boots are ruined.
With proper cleaning to prevent staining and then allowing them to air-dry with the help of paper towels or a boot dryer, they’ll be soft again in no time.
In this article, I show you some quick steps on how to dry wet Uggs to get your favorite boots back to their best condition.
Cleaning and Drying Wet Uggs
Ugg boots mainly consist of suede, wool, fur and sheepskin materials. You need to take care of these fabrics properly to avoid damaging the shoes.
Before drying your wet Uggs, you’ll need to rinse them.
How To Clean Your Uggs
Gather the following supplies:
- Cold water.
- Sponge.
- Suede cleaner such as Pink Miracle Shoe Cleaner Kit.
1. Rinse Your Uggs With Clean Water
First, soak your Uggs in cold water and shake out the boots before going to the next step. This gives you a clean slate to work with and protects your Uggs from stains caused by whatever you encountered outside.
2. Apply Suede Cleaner
Dip your sponge in the cold water, then apply the suede cleaner to the boots as per the instructions on the product. Gently cover the outside of your Uggs, starting at the top and working your way down. Avoid scrubbing at all costs: it can quickly damage the fibers, hence leaving parts of the boots with a different texture or color than the original.
Once you’ve covered the outside of your Uggs, rinse them thoroughly in cold water.
3. Remove Excess Water From the Boots
This step is crucial. If you ignore it, you might not get rid of all the dirty water from your boots and cause permanent stains or de-coloration of your Uggs. Gently squeeze the shoes until they’re damp, but don’t have water pouring out when you press them.
How To Dry Your Uggs
Once you’ve finished cleaning away all the dirt from your boots, it’s time to dry them. You’ll need the following materials:
- Paper towels, a rolled-up bath towel, or unprinted paper.
- Optional: A boot dryer such as DryGuy DX Forced Air Boot Dryer.
Follow the steps below to dry your Uggs properly, so you can keep enjoying the warmth and comfort long-term.
1. Remove Any Remaining Water
Use paper towels or a clean cloth to remove excess water from inside and outside the boot. Keep going and stuff more paper inside the boot and take it out when wet, until the paper is no longer completely soaked.
2. Stuff Your Uggs With Towels or Paper
This way, you manage to get the boots back to their ideal shape as they dry out.
3. Dry Your Ugg Boots
Avoid placing the shoes directly near heat sources like a wall heating unit or a sunny window. This might damage your boots and discolor them, as well as change the suede texture. Instead, you can dry your Ugg boots in a well-ventilated area and at room temperature. If you hang them upside down they’ll dry faster.
4. Optional: Use a Boot Dryer
Wet Ugg boots can take several days up to a week to dry out, especially if they were completely wet. You can also use a boot dryer to speed things up. Set your dryer to a setting that circulates air without heat.
How To Waterproof Your Uggs
After cleaning and drying your Uggs, you should consider waterproofing them to avoid having to go through the long drying process in the future. The boots are waterproof when you buy them, but the coating wears off after approximately six months. To learn more, read our article on How to Waterproof Ugg Boots and Keep Dry.
How To Get Rid of Stains on Your Ugg Boots
If your boots aren’t wet but dirty, or if they’ve become stained after you tried drying them improperly, follow these steps to make your Uggs look smooth and clean again.
Dirt and Mud Stains
When the stains dry out, use a clean towel or an old toothbrush to brush away the mud. Wet the boots in cold water and shampoo them using a detergent made specially for suede. Afterward, shake off any excess water, and then dry the boots by following the steps recommended above.
Scuff Marks
Use a clean towel or an old toothbrush to rub the scuffed area and eliminate any loose dirt. You can then brush the entire boot using a suede brush. This enables you to obtain a neat, even finish.
Oil Stains
With oil stains on your Ugg boots, you need some patience before getting the shoes back to their initial form. You can sprinkle a layer of baby powder over the oil stain and allow it to rest for a few days. Carry out the process again until you realize that the stain is invisible. Then, proceed to brush out the powder with a toothbrush.
Something like grease is harder to get rid of if you find this substance on your Uggs.
You need some strength and a spot eraser to absorb most of these pesky stains. Afterward, employ the baby powder procedure to eliminate the rest of the grease spot that remains.
Salt Stains
These are the most difficult stains to conquer, but it’s not entirely impossible. Home remedies, including a 50:50 mix of water and vinegar, can eliminate the blemishes. Simply dab the solution onto your boots with a dry cloth. Then rinse with a clean cloth and some water and use another towel to pat them dry. Finally, wait for them to dry completely.
FAQs on Drying Your Wet Uggs
Do you still have some questions regarding Uggs maintenance? Here are some additional tips and methods to take care of your footwear.
How Do You Make Your Uggs Soft Again?
To soften your stiffened Ugg boots, apply some conditioner on them, such as Care & Cool Suede and Nubuck Conditioner.
Ensure you spray the conditioner until the shoes appear damp, but not dripping wet. This is to soften the material and allow for better absorption. Dry them in a humid area for around 24 hours. Remember to keep them away from direct sunlight.
Don’t forget to brush the suede smoothly using a soft brush once the boots have dried. Sway the brush in one direction to raise the suede and make it somewhat fluffy. Once they dry, your shoes should become soft again.
Can You Dry the Boots in a Washing Machine?
We don’t recommend drying your boots in the washing machine. This can hurt the suede and leather on your shoes, damaging them for life. However, several Ugg boot owners who have experimented on the machine-drying procedure give a green light on trying it. It’s risky, though.
How Do You Eliminate Boot Odor?
Sweaty feet are usually what cause smelly boots. This problem can also lead to fungal infections such as athlete’s foot. Consider treating this by buying breathable socks such as Hanes Women’s 6-Pack Ventilation Ankle Socks.
You can eliminate the odor from your boots by using baking soda, too. Sprinkle the inner lining of your Uggs with the powder, then apply it all over the inner boot. This will lower the pH-levels of acidic sweat stains inside the footwear and lessen the smell.
After the baking soda procedure, you can also spray the inside of your Uggs with a pleasant-smelling fabric spray and leave the boots to dry.
How Do You Clean the Inner Part of Your Uggs?
Mix equal parts of cold water with distilled white vinegar. Then, use a damp, soft clean cloth, together with the solution, to clean the sheepskin. Leave your Uggs to dry in a well-ventilated area.
How Should Uggs Fit?
Uggs tend to run about one size larger than standard. In the UK, these boots might be even larger. To find out more, read our guide on Ugg Boots Sizing: How Do They Fit?.
How To Dry Wet Uggs in Conclusion
Now you know the best way to clean and dry off your Uggs. Remember that patience is a virtue, and it can take several days for them to air-dry properly. Even so, you shouldn’t use any other source of direct heat to dry your Ugg boots. Such methods can quickly damage the suede and wool.
Except for time, all you need to fix wet Uggs is some cold water, a sponge, paper towels and a suede cleaner. If you’re looking for more information on all-things Uggs, check out our article on Bearpaw Boots vs Uggs: Differences and Comparisons.
