UGH! My UGG Boots Got Ugly!

More than five years ago, someone gave me a pair of sheepskin UGG Boots for my birthday.  I live in a warm climate, so I don't abuse them too badly with snow or water, but they were starting to show some wear and I made a specific trip to Macy's with every intention of purchasing a new pair.  Every pair of new UGGs that I admired was over $200.00.  I was okay with the price until I saw a display of the UGG Sheepskin Care Kits.  I read the back of the box, seemed easy enough, especially for a DIY fiend like myself.  $20.00 was not a big deal when I had nearly forked out $250.00 for the pair I liked, which in all reality, was almost exactly what I had back at home.  Care Kit in hand, I headed home to try out my unexpected do-it-yourself project.

As you can see, my boots were pretty trashed.  I rifled around under the sink and found a bottle of the boot conditioner, which I had never bothered to use.  Note to self, always use the UGG Water and Stain Repellent when boots are new.....if I ever pony up for another style.  I suspect my boots would have been in better condition had I been more proactive about protecting them when they were new.

This project didn't require much:  Paper towels, new sponge, damp towel, and I chose to use some old cardboard so that the dirty bottom of the boot didn't make contact with my work surface. Is that psycho? Oh well, I'd rather be psycho than put my boot on the counter after I walked all over the mall and in and out of public restrooms, GAG. Anyway......

First, dampen the entire outside of the boot damp.  I used a slightly wet, clean hand towel, which seemed to work fine.  It's important to get the entire boot wet as evenly as possible to avoid water marks.  I didn't know how difficult the entire process would be, so I opted to clean one boot at a time.

Next, I diluted the UGG Sheepskin Conditioner and Cleaner, using 1/2 water and 1/2 cleaning solution.  Never apply the cleaner directly to the boot.  I used a new clean sponge, and gently scrubbed the entire surface of the boot.  It got pretty sudsy, but don't be alarmed at that.

I rinsed the boot with cold water in my garage sink. Shoes kind of gross me out, I think I mentioned that. I didn't want rinse my UGGs in the same place I was dishes or my face, so the garage was the best option.  I'm sure a garden hose would work fine too.  Once the soap was rinsed off, I gently 'wrung' the excess water out of the boot.  Keep in mind, the boot shouldn't be drenched, just lightly rinsed.  I immediately stuffed the boots with paper towels and placed in a shady spot on my patio.

Allow the boots to dry for twenty-four hours, preferably away from direct sunlight.  I was in a hurry to pack them for a trip, so I left mine outside and they did just fine.  Once they were completely dry, I used the soft suede/nubuck brush and brushed the suede in one direction only.  The toes still looked a little gnarly so I used the VERY COOL 'eraser' on the opposite side of the suede brush.  The eraser worked AMAZING!

They aren't perfect, but definitely an improvement.  Had I cared for them properly in the beginning, the result may have been even better!  UGG also makes cleaning products for cleaning the inside of the boot and deodorizing purposes.  To make them REALLY perfect, use Armor All or fingernail polish remover to clean up the rubber on the soles.  Good luck!