Do you know what’s the biggest problem with black UGGs?
These things fade like crazy when you wash them.
Related: How to Dye UGG Boots? (Fix Faded UGGs in No Time)
I’ve seen pictures of black UGGs that don’t even look black. It’s kind of seeing a sad homeless person except it’s a pair of boots.
So, the question remains, how to clean black UGGs?
After brushing off the dirt, wipe your black UGGs with a cloth soaked in warm water. Then repeat again with a 1:10 mixture of baby shampoo and water. For the outsole, use a toothbrush. And always wipe or brush in the same direction. Finally, stuff with newspaper or fabric and leave them to dry.
Well, that’s the short answer. Needless to say, I couldn’t include a few tiny details here and there.
For that, you need to go through the entire post. Let’s start, shall we?
How to Clean Black UGGs?
The cleaning process is easier than you’d expect. There’s no mess and you can be done with it in less than 10 minutes. Well, the drying’s obviously gonna take longer than that. Although if your UGGs smell, there’s a guide on how you remove any smell from UGGs.
Related: How to Remove Mold from UGG Boots? (Effective 7-Step Process)
Anyway, here’s how you can clean black UGGs-
Step 1: Brush off the Excess Dirt
First off, get all the excess dirt out of your boots. For the outer part, use a horsehair shoe brush. And never forget to brush in the same direction with sheepskin, nubuck, and suede leather.
But you can’t get that inside the boots, can you?
What you can do is slap the boots together while upside down a few times. Nevertheless, the best approach would always be to vacuum out the dirt.
Step 2: Wipe with a Water Soaked Sponge or Cloth
The next step’s easy. Soak a non-scratch scrub in regular water and wipe your black UGGs with them. Like before, don’t forget to wipe in the same direction.
Your goal here is to slightly wet the boots. Don’t make them soaking wet unless you want to have a nightmare drying them. Well, you do have to get them wet if you want to wash your UGGs in the washing machine.
Step 3: Make a 1:10 Baby Shampoo and Water Solution
Time to make the mystery potion. To do so, mix 1 part of baby shampoo and 10 parts of regular water. You might think you need more shampoo but you don’t really.
If the solution’s not soapy enough, you might add a drop or two more. But that’s it. No more than that.
On the other hand, don’t even think of using regular shampoo. The harshness would be too much for your black UGGs.
Yes, it might make it cleaner but the boots will get too faded to be even called black boots.
Step 4: Repeat Wiping with the Solution You Made
Now that the solution’s ready to go, it’s time to get into action. Wet the sponge you used before and repeat the wiping process again.
But this time, use a bit of pressure. Focus more on the dirtier areas. You’ll only do this once so try to get out as much dirt as possible.
Step 5: Use a Toothbrush for the Outsole
Chances are the outsole of black UGGs is much dirtier than the entire boots. And sorry to say a soft sponge isn’t going to do the trick.
You need to bring in a toothbrush for the job. Like before, soak it in the solution and scrub away. Sooner or later, the outsoles are going to come out squeaky clean.
Step 6: Wipe with Clean Water
Your black UGGs are now cleaner than ever. But you can’t leave them all soaked in baby shampoo, right?
So, rinse the sponge with clean water and start dabbing the boots with it. As always, scrub in the same direction.
Step 7: Use a Clean Cloth to Lightly Dry the Boots
A regular clean cloth is probably enough. But with sensitive leather, like sheepskin, I prefer using a microfiber cloth.
This isn’t going to fully dry out the boots. But like regular clothes, you can’t wring boots. So, get the job done with a regular cloth/microfiber cloth.
Step 8: Stuff Newspaper/Socks and Let Them Dry
Most of the work is done. Now, it’s time to dry your black UGGs. You can just leave them in a well-ventilated area and they’ll dry just fine.
However, they will lose their shape.
The simple solution is to stuff newspapers inside. It doesn’t even have to be a newspaper, you can even use socks if you like. Did you know that you can also stretch UGG boots with stuffing? Of course, the process is different.
After you’ve stuffed the boots, leave them in a well-ventilated area away from any direct source of heat. A direct source of heat also means you can’t put them under sunlight.
Step 9: Apply Water Protection Spray(optional)
Do not start this step unless the boots are completely dried. Get a quality protector spray and start spraying while keeping a 6-inch/30-cm distance.
How to Remove Stains from Black UGGs?
You never know when you’re gonna get stains on your UGGs. Black UGGs are even more likely to get stains. But the good news is you can remove most stains pretty easily-
Oil Stains
- Cover the entire with layers of cornstarch or baby powder
- Keep your UGGs like for a minimum of 24 hours
- After the wait is over, brush off all the powder from the boots
- If all the stains aren’t gone yet, repeat the previous steps.
- Clean the boots properly after all the stains are gone
Scuff Marks
- Grab an artist’s gum eraser and start buffing gently
- Remember not to get too rough with it.
- While buffing make sure to follow in the same direction
- Brush away the eraser remains with a suede brush
Salt Stains
- Put 1 cup of water and 1 tbsp of distilled white vinegar in a small container.
- Grab a microfiber cloth or soft cloth and dip it in the solution
- Start wiping the area with the soaked cloth
- Cover the entire boot so that there aren’t any noticeable watermarks
- After the boots are dried, use a suede brush to wrap things up
How to Look After Black UGGs?
You can’t just buy and forget about UGG boots. The maintenance isn’t much but you still need to do them from time to time. Negligence is NOT an option unless you want to throw them away.
Nevertheless, this is how you can look after your black UGG boots to maintain their pristine condition for a long time-
Don’t Forget to Apply a Protector Every 6 Months
A suede protector saves your black UGGs from a lot of unwanted stains. And it’s not even necessary to apply every 6 months. It only depends on how much you wear them.
Depending on that, the frequency can even go as high as every 3 months.
Try Not to Cook While You’re Wearing Them
Whether you want it or not, spills and drops are a common scenario in the kitchen. This is a place you’d never want to wear black UGGs. Oil, food, any number of things can ruin the boots.
Stay Away from Puddles or Snow
I know this one’s hard. But you should try to avoid it as much as possible. And in case you do step on them, make sure your UGGs have layers of suede protector on them.
Don’t Let Your Dogs Near Your UGGs
Dogs love chewing everything. And for some reason, UGGs become their favorite chewing toys(I mean, these do give fluffy heavenly feelings).
Nevertheless, keep your boots stored inside your shoe cabinet. Although do you have a pair of UGGs that you want to shrink that’s just sitting in the closet? I have a complete guide on that.
Related: Do UGG Boots Run Big or Small? UGG Boot Sizing Explained
Btw this isn’t a piece of maintenance advice, just sharing a tip you know.
Never Pull on the Threads
In case you didn’t know, a lot of UGGs are made from a single thread. So, you can pretty much guess what happens when you pull out the thread.
The entire boot comes off. What you can do is, cut the loose thread like a responsible person and be done with it.
Stuff Socks or Fabric When Storing Them Away After Winter
This simple trick is helpful in so many ways. Whether it’s for drying or simply storing, you can use it to hold the shape of your boots.
Even though you can use newspapers. It’s better if you use something softer as the insides are made out of comfy material.
FAQs
How often should you clean black UGGs?
You should always give your boots a brushing after every wear and little cleaning if there is too much dirt on them. After a few wears, your UGGs are going to have odors that you can eliminate by cleaning. Do this more frequently if you wear them regularly in wet seasons.
Can I clean black UGGs with Dawn?
You can use Dawn to clean your black UGGs. But make sure you use as little as possible and mix it with plenty of water. Moreover, you shouldn’t scrub hard as that will fade away the colors of the boots.
Can you wash black UGGs in the washer?
You shouldn’t wash black UGGs in the washer as they are more prone to fading. Simply wiping them with baby shampoo fades some of the colors. So, you can guess what’d happen if you put these inside a washing machine.
How to keep UGGs from smelling bad?
The simple solution to keep your uggs from smelling bad is to sprinkle baking soda inside and leave it like that for 24 hours. The next vacuum out the soda and start wearing your smell-free UGGs.
Final Words
Well, that sums up my take on how to clean black UGGs. I know there are plenty of other methods using vinegar and alcohol. But to me, this method seems to be the most efficient.
If you’ve got any tips, don’t forget to leave them behind in the comment section.
