How to Prevent Leather Boots from Creasing

Co-authored by Moe Draper and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: May 24, 2021 References

Leather boots are an investment. If you take care of them, they'll last forever! To keep your boots in great shape, don't bend them unnecessarily and store them properly. Keeping the boots conditioned can prevent creases, but if you do see lines, don't worry. You can steam the creases out or moisturize the leather so the lines aren't as visible.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Protecting Your Boots from Creasing

1
Insert cedar boot trees when you take off your boots. You've probably seen short shoe trees that you slide into your shoes, but you'll need boot trees. They look like the shoe trees with a vertical piece near the ankles.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.} Using boot trees when you're not wearing the boots prevents them from creasing near the heel and vamp.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Mallika Sharma
Certified Leather Care Technician
Expert Interview. 14 May 2021.}
- The vamp is the front part of your boot near the base of your toes.
- Cedar absorbs odors and moisture to keep your boots from smelling.
Did You Know? When you buy leather boots, pick a pair that fits you well. If they're too large, the extra space is more likely to bend and crease. You should also choose boots that are made from more than 1 piece of leather so they're less likely to pull and crease when you wear them.
2
Use boot shapers to hang or store the boots upright. You don't want to stack or store things on the boots, so storing them upright is a good option. Buy vertical boot shapers and insert them into the boots. These are tall plastic or wood inserts that support the sides of the boots so they don't fall over and crease.^{[4]
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- If you don't want to hang or store the boots upright, lay them flat but don't stack things on top of the boots. Pressure on the boots causes them to crease over time.
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3
Wear your boots every other day. Unfortunately, creases are inevitable if you wear your boots every day. This is because you're wearing out the leather every time you flex your foot. To prevent the creases from forming, wear the boots every other day.^{[5]
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- You might want to buy a pair of boots for everyday use and keep a pair for special occasions.
4
Condition the boots about every 10 wears. Start with clean boots and condition them to add moisture to the leather. When leather gets dry, it begins to crease and crack. Squeeze leather conditioner onto a soft cloth and rub it into the leather. Evenly massage enough conditioner to cover the entire surface without leaving residue. Then, let the boots dry for at least 24 hours.^{[6]
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- You can use saddle soap or a non-acidic/non-detergent cleaner. Remember to completely rinse off the product before you condition the boots.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Fixing Creased Boots

1
Rub a leather oil onto tiny creases to moisturize the leather. Squeeze a few drops of leather oil onto a small crease and rub it with a soft cloth. While you work, stretch the leather gently so the oil penetrates the crease and smooths it out.^{[7]
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- This works best with new creases that aren't very deep.
2
Hold a clothes steamer over creases on suede shoes. If your leather is fuzzy suede, put boot trees into them and turn on a clothes steamer. Then, lay a dry cloth over the upper part of the boots and wave the steam wand over the towel. Keep doing this for a few minutes before you check whether or not the crease is gone.^{[8]
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- If your boots have laces, take them out before steaming the boots.
- Keep the steam wand continuously moving so you don't apply too much heat to 1 spot, which could damage the leather.
3
Remove deep creases with a hot hairdryer. If you heat the leather, you'll be able to stretch the creases and get rid of them. Before you begin, put shoe or boot trees into your boot and turn your hairdryer to the hottest setting. Hold the dryer 3 to 6 inches (7.6 to 15.2 cm) away from the crease and massage the leather while you're heating it. Smooth the leather to remove the crease.^{[9]
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- If you don't have shoe trees, stuff the boots with newspapers until they hold their shape.
- Follow up with a leather conditioner to moisturize the dry boots.
Tip: Applying heat can make the leather turn dark, so this method works best for dark leather boots.
4
Press a hot iron over the leather to get rid of deeper creases. For stubborn creases on the upper parts of the boots, use an iron. Put boot trees into the boots and lay a wet towel over the upper parts of the boots. Then, press a hot iron onto the wet towel. Keep ironing the towel over the creases until the leather is smooth.^{[10]
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- If your leather boots have laces, pull them out before you iron the boots.
5
Leave the boot trees in the boots until they cool. Since you're most likely applying heat to remove the creases from the leather, your boots will need to cool down. To help the leather stay smooth, don't remove the boot trees until the leather is back to room temperature.^{[11]
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- If you take the boot trees out while the leather is still warm, you risk creasing the leather again.

Community Q&A

Question

How should I store my boots if I don't have cedar boot trees?

Mallika Sharma
Certified Leather Care Technician
Mallika Sharma is a Certified Leather Care Technician and the Founder of The Leather Laundry, a niche spa service for luxury leather gear in India. Mallika specializes in leather cleaning, coloring, repairing, and restoring for shoes, handbags, jackets, wallets, belts, and sofas. She holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh Business School. Mallika is a certified Professional Leather Care Technician and trained with the globally reputed leather care company, LTT in the United Kingdom.

Mallika Sharma

Certified Leather Care Technician

Expert Answer

If shoe trees are not available, you can stuff your boots with a lot of acid-free tissue paper to help avoid creases!
Question

Do boots always crease?

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Moe Draper is a Shoe Care and Repair Specialist and the Owner of Detroit Shoe Shine and Shoe Repair. With over 20 years of personal experience, Moe specializes in shoe shining, cosmetic restorations for quality leather goods, and minor/major shoe repair services. Moe and his staff at Detroit Shoe Shine and Repair have over 30 years of combined experience and knowledge.

Moe Draper

Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

You may be able to prevent boot creases by putting cedar shoe trees inside your boots when you aren't wearing them.