Ugg slippers are fashion forward, extremely comfortable, great looking slippers that are far from inexpensive. That’s why when people do make an investment in them they want them to last, and apart of that longevity will come from keeping them clean.
How do you clean ugg slippers?
- For the best results, clean your UGG slippers with UGG Cleaner & Conditioner.
- Stuff slippers with paper to help preserve their shape.
- Let slippers dry naturally for 24 hours in a ventilated, cool area.
- Care for your slippers by spraying them with the UGG Sheepskin Protector.
Do you have to treat Uggs before wearing them for the first time?
As anyone who has ever shopped for a pair can attest it is very hard to find a pair of new ugg slippers for less than $75, even when they are ‘on sale’ so it is only responsible and sensible to wonder if there are things you should be doing from the start to help them stay clean and good looking for longer. While you do not have to treat uggs before you wear them – you can slip them on right out of the box if you like – because they can be treated it’s certainly something you should consider doing.
How do you treat Uggs for the first time?
Ugg slippers are, for the most part crafted from all-natural sheepskin and leather. While these are rather durable materials, they do deserve a little extra TLC from day one, and treating them to protect them from dirt, stains and water splashed really is a must if you want them to last – and look good – for as long as they should.
If you don’t opt to buy the branded uggs treatment – which is available in shoes stores and on Amazon for around $10 – you must ensure that any treatment you do buy is designed to treat natural sheepskin only. Some people mistakenly think that suede treatments will work as well but they really won’t, as suede and sheepskin are not the same things. And do a very small test on an inconspicuous area first, as some sprays can change the color of the slippers slightly.
When treating your new ugg slippers with a spray do so outside and try to spray as evenly as possible. Let them dry thoroughly before wearing them and keep that spray handy, as it will be helpful to you later when you need to clean your ugg slippers for the first time.
How Do You Get Stains Out of Ugg Slippers?
How you should go about removing accidental stains from your ugg slippers will depend very much upon what kind of stain it is you are trying to tackle. Here though is a look at some of the most common types of staining and how you should go about trying to get rid of them.
Water stains
If your slippers get wet – for any reason – simply putting them aside until they dry off is NOT a good idea. Doing so will cause odd streaking or water stains and they may be quite hard to remove.
The right way to treat wet ugg slippers is to take a clean sponge or white cloth, dip it in clean, cold water and wet the upper of your slippers evenly. Do not soak them, a very small amount of water is all you need, and by taking a few minutes to do this before setting them in a cool (never too warm and never in direct heat or full sun) place to dry you will be helping to prevent them drying with those telltale watermarks.
Salt stains
We get it. You have seen pictures of celebrities wearing their uggs outside in the snow before. And you were only running to the mailbox. Now however not only are your ugg slippers wet they are also a little salty, thanks to the ice melt you forgot was on your drive. You don’t have to panic though, just act as fast as possible.
You can, for the most part, use the same procedure as we outlined above but go a bit further when you reach the salt stained parts. For those, mix a cup of cool, clean water with a tablespoon of distilled white vinegar and use that solution there instead of plain water. The acid in the vinegar will gently dissolve the salt and then you should go over those spots with plain water again to help ensure that when your slippers are dry no staining remains.
Scuff marks
Sometimes scuffs are just unavoidable. To remove them from your uggs slippers they need to be gently brushed out. Ideally you should purchase the specialist cleaning kit from Uggs that contains just the right brush, but if you can’t do that a soft, unused toothbrush can be used instead. Take the clean, dry brush and very gently ‘buff’ the scuff out, working in the direction of the nap of the sheepskin.
Oil stains
Oil stains can be very stubborn, but with patience, care and a little cornstarch they can often be removed from uggs slippers. Cover the fresh stain with a thin layer of cornstarch and leave it in place for 24-48 hours. The cornstarch should absorb the oil and when enough time has passed you can gently brush it off and the stain will hopefully have disappeared or at least be far less noticeable.
How do you use Ugg sheepskin cleaner and conditioner?
As we mentioned, you can buy a specialist cleaning and conditioning kit that is branded with the UGG name that is specially formulated to help keep your Ugg slippers as clean as possible.
- Stuff slippers with paper to help preserve their shape and accelerate the drying process.
- Make the slippers slightly wet with a sponge and clean water. Apply a little Cleaner & Conditioner to the dampened sponge. Gently rub the surface of your slippers. When completed, use a clean, wet sponge to remove excess residue.
- Let slippers dry naturally for 24 hours in a ventilated, cool area. Keep away from direct heat or sunlight.
- Care for your slippers by spraying them with the UGG Sheepskin Protector in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. This will prevent staining.
- Keep slippers fresh by sprinkling the inside of each slipper with the UGG Sheepskin Freshener.
- Let the slippers dry naturally for 24 hours in a ventilated, cool area. Keep away from direct heat or sunlight.
- When slippers are dry, softly brush the nap in one direction to make sure your Ugg slippers look their best.
Can I put my Ugg slippers in the washing machine?
The one thing you should never do is put your ugg slippers in a washing machine. Doing so will not only ruin the outersoles but waterlog the insoles to the point they would be ruined as well. The other thing you should never do? Take them to a standard dry cleaner. There are professional cleaners who do specialize in sheepskin and suede cleaning but you have to look for them specifically and may pay something of a premium for their services. However, in the case of badly stained uggs slippers they may be your last, best hope.
How do I dry Uggs slippers?
If your Uggs get wet, and you do have to clean them with water or with the specialist ugg cleaner they should be left to air dry naturally in a cool place. They should never be left in front of a fire or any other direct heat source and they should certainly never be put into a tumble dryer, even on a very low heat. You should also never dry them in direct sunlight.
To help ensure that your uggs slippers maintain their shape as they dry stuff them with white paper. Never use newspaper or colored paper as the inks are likely to run and stain your expensive footwear!
How do I clean smelly Uggs slippers?
There is one big general problem with the sheepskin lining of uggs slippers; odor and bacteria. Cleaning smelly uggs slippers can, however, be achieved, but carefully and patiently. Here are a few tips and ‘tricks’ for doing just that.
Deodorize your Uggs slippers with baking soda
Baking soda is pretty amazing stuff and outside of its original use as a cooking ingredient it has dozens of other household uses as well. Thanks to its powerful odor absorption properties it can be very good at helping to freshen up stinky uggs slippers. Sprinkle your slipper’s fur lining with a thin layer of baking soda and leave them overnight. In the morning carefully shake the powder out and you should find that they smell a lot fresher than they did before!
Getting rid of grime
To clean the fur lining of your slippers you can either make use of the specialist uggs cleaning kit or make use of water, simple detergent, a clean white washcloth and a soft bristled clean toothbrush.
If you choose the latter mix together a solution of a very small amount (pea size is best) of unscented liquid soap (Castile soap or Dr Bronner’s are great choices) and clean cold water. You can also make use of a small amount of lingerie wash of even liquid Baby Dreft.
Dampen (don’t soak) your washcloth with the soap mixture and carefully and gently wipe the insoles and lining of your uggs slippers. If there are spots that are particularly dirty brush them clean gently with a soap solution dampened toothbrush. Before setting your slippers to dry ensure that all the soap is gone by going back over everything you just washed with a new cloth dampened only with clean water.
Leave the slippers to dry naturally. Do not leave them on a heater to help them ‘dry faster’ and remember to stuff them with plain paper to help retain their shape as they dry.
Restoring the fluff
Although your cleaning session should leave you ugg slippers cleaner and smelling nicer it may no do to much to restore the lovely ‘fluffiness’ they had when you first bought them. But there is a way to to do that too. But once again, you have to be very careful. After cleaning your uggs slippers if you have a hairdryer that has a ‘cool shot’ setting – many do these days – you can make use of that, from a distance to restore some of the ‘spring’ to the fluff. Just make sure you do not accidentally make use of a hot or warm setting as that will quickly ruin your sheepskin slippers for good.
Other tips and tricks to keep your Ugg slippers in great shape
There are other things you can do between cleanings that will help keep your ugg slippers in great shape:
Practice good foot hygiene
It is not dirt that can make ugg slippers smell not so good, it’s bacteria. And while you may shower very regularly, how much notice do you really take of really washing your feet? Make sure you scrub them (with soap) and use a pumice stone to get rid of any dead skin. Not only will they then be in much better shape for slipping into your uggs slippers but you’ll look a lot better barefoot as well!
Try not to wear them outside too often
Uggs in general, including uggs slippers, can be worn outside. But in the case of slippers, they are really designed for indoor wear and can quickly collect dirt and grime even on a dry sunny day. Not only will that damage the way they look but the tracked in dirt and grime can soil and damage your flooring as well if you then go on to wear them inside after having done so outdoors.
Consider socks with your slippers
The one good thing about the natural sheepskin that ugg slippers are made from is that it contains lanolin, a natural substance that can actually repel and neutralise foot odor rather well. However, it is not so good at repelling dirt and grime, so wearing a light no show sock or even stocking style foot cover with your uggs can help keep them cleaner – and fluffier – longer.
When in doubt, go pro
Sometimes you have to know when you should forgo the ‘home remedies’ and DIY techniques and get some help from the pros. If a stain or two seems to just not be shifting – especially if it is an oily stain, don’t keep trying and trying again, as that is likely to only make things worse. Instead seek out the services of a specialist professional leather cleaner instead.