Care and Cleaning of Your Beloved Uggs.
Ok, so you've saved up and bought your Uggs, and they're the most comfortable things that you've ever worn. Before you dreamily decide that they're never coming off, you should know that they will last longer if they have regular breaks from your sweaty feet. Here are a few tips and tricks for helping your Uggs to stay looking and feeling like new.
1. Before wearing your Uggs for the first time, give them a light even spray with a good quality stain & water repellant made especially for sheepskin. Allow them to dry naturally for 24 hours away from heat, then go over them with a soft suede brush to bring up the nap, brushing in one direction only.
2. NEVER get your Uggs soaking wet. Avoid wearing them in the snow, or in extremely wet weather, as Ugg footwear is simply not designed to withstand such soaking. If they unavoidably become wet, gently blot them with towels to absorb as much water as possible, stuff them carefully with newspaper to help hold their shape, and set them to dry away from sun or direct heat.
3. Get a pair of good quality soft boot-jacks, and insert them in your Uggs when you're not wearing them to help keep their shape.
4. After every few wearings, sprinkle a little deodorant powder inside your Uggs to prevent them developing an unpleasant smell. You can make your own powder by mixing equal parts baking soda and corn starch. Shake out any excess powder before wearing them again.
It's inevitable that with normal wear your Uggs will become grubby over time, and may even pick up a stain or two. Here are the instructions normally provided by the Ugg manufacturer for cleaning your Uggs.
* Mix a sheepskin cleaner/conditioner with cold water 1/2 and 1/2. Never use it full strength on Ugg sheepskin boots, and NEVER pour the cleaner/water solution directly on your Uggs.
* Wring out a clean sponge in cold water, and use it to dampen the whole surface of the boot evenly. Then dip the sponge in the cleaner/water solution, and use it to gently scrub the whole boot, one section at a time. Wring the sponge out in cold water now and then to keep it clean as you go. Be very gentle when scrubbing the sheepskin surface, as too vigorous scrubbing can damage it.
* Use the sponge, wrung out frequently in fresh cold water, to rinse off the residue of cleaner/conditioner. Try and work quickly, keeping the boot evenly dampened so it will dry evenly and avoid water lines.
* Use clean towels to press out as much moisture as possible. Lightly stuff the boots with paper towels or newspapers to hold their shape, and allow them to dry slowly and naturally away from heat and sunlight.
* When the Uggs are thoroughly dry, brush them gently in one direction only with a soft suede brush.
* If you wish, you can re-treat your Uggs with a sheepskin stain & water repellant, as in Tip #1 above.
Remember that sheepskin is delicate, and it's impossible to completely avoid signs of wear, or stains, from occurring. However, with proper care and regular gentle cleaning, you can expect your Uggs to look good and last longer.
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