Wondering how to keep your wellies looking great and lasting for years? The key is following simple wellie maintenance tips that protect the rubber, prevent cracking, and keep them clean and comfortable. Regular care doesn’t have to be complicated; just a few minutes after each wear can make a huge difference.
From proper cleaning techniques to safe storage and moisture protection, these tips will help you extend the lifespan of your wellies, maintain their shine, and ensure they’re always ready for muddy walks, rainy commutes, or winter adventures. Whether you’re tackling the garden, heading out in the rain, or enjoying the outdoors, knowing how to care for your boots will keep them performing at their best.
| Step | Maintenance Tip | Quick Instructions | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleaning Your Wellies | Wipe outer rubber with warm water and cloth. Use mild soap or dishwashing liquid for neoprene linings. | After each wear or weekly for light use |
| 2 | Drying Wet Boots | Stuff boots with newspaper, place upside down in a warm, ventilated area. Repeat if needed. | Every time boots get wet |
| 3 | Preventing Cracks & Blooming | Apply silicone spray to maintain moisture in the rubber. | Monthly or after heavy use |
| 4 | Proper Storage | Store indoors, away from direct sunlight, heat, or damp areas. | Always when not in use |
| 5 | Removing Boots Carefully | Use hands or a shoehorn to avoid damaging the sole and shape. | Every wear |
| 6 | Extra Grip (Optional) | Use ice grips if wearing on slippery surfaces. | As needed |
Storage
Merry People boots are made with natural rubber, a softer material that can fade and crack with excessive sun exposure. As such, we recommend you store your boots indoors so they’re not exposed to direct sunlight all of the time. Save the sunlight for your merry adventures!
Wet Boots
Water inside your boots? Stuff the boots with newspaper, then place the boots upside down in a warm place. After twenty-four hours, remove the newspaper and repeat the process if needed until dry.
Cleaning Your Boots
To keep your boots clean, wipe them down with a cloth and warm water. You can clean the neoprene lining on the Bobbi boot with a mild soap, warm water, and a cloth.
We find that dishwashing liquid works well, as do baby wipes (what don’t they do?!). For lighter neoprene, use a textured cloth and gentle soap.
Blooming
‘Blooming’ is the appearance of white chalky marks on the rubber and can occasionally happen to natural rubber. If your wellies bloom, they can be easily cleaned.
We suggest treating the boots with a silicone spray, like found in our Merry People Care Kit. This will add moisture to the rubber and should make the blooming disappear.
Alternatively, you can apply dishwashing liquid to the boots and let them sit overnight. Repeat this twice.
If the marks do not disappear, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team at support@merrypeople.com.
Cracked Wellies
As mentioned above, we recommend storing your wellies indoors if possible. Constant exposure to the weather can dry your boots out, which over time may result in cracks.
Keeping your boots clean and applying a silicone spray regularly will help add moisture to your boots and help prevent cracking (and blooming).
Removing Your Boots
We recommend that you use your hands or a shoehorn when removing your boots. This will help to avoid putting continual pressure on the sole of the shoe.
Careful Use
Our boots are designed to be a fashionable lifestyle boot; they are not designed to be a work or safety boot and do not have any safety or non-slip accreditations.
As such, the rubber tread may be slippery on particular surfaces, for example polished concrete, ice, and wet wood, so please take care. If you require extra grip on your boots, we recommend a product called ‘traction spray,’ which is available at most local hardware stores.
We get a lot of customers wearing our Bobbi boots in the snow, as our boots have been tested for sub-zero temperatures. If you are heading to the alpine regions this winter, we recommend using ice grips for extra traction.
If something does happen to your boots that you think might be our manufacturing fault, we want to hear about it. Please contact us at support@merrypeople.com.
