If you want to remove mold from your beloved ugg boots, then you came to the right place.
After long hours of solid research backed up by careful testing, I’ve compiled this ultimate guide to help your cause.
Read each line carefully so that you can remove those nasty molds once and for all.
Can Uggs get moldy?
Yes, uggs can get moldy if not taken care of properly. Ugg boots are made using sheepskin which has a good reputation for trapping heat and moisture. Compared to sneakers, they’re less breathable. As a result, you need to be extra sharp in your maintenance.
Ugg boots were made to keep your feet warm and toasty in cold temperatures. Sheepskin is the material that’s used to make these popular boots.
The underside of the hide attached with fleece is used to complete this footwear. In general terms, the material is suede which comes from sheep. And suede is relatively fragile compared to other forms of leather.
So, ugg boots are more prone to mold attacks because the sheepskin traps sweat and other forms of moisture quite easily.
Therefore, you need to maintain your precious ugg boots to the best extent possible to ensure proper foot health and better durability. The process of doing so is nothing impossible; you’ll just need a little bit of patience and precision.
You may also like to read: How To Dye Ugg Boots
How To Remove Mold From Ugg Boots?
Now that you know your ugg boots can get moldy, it’s your utmost duty to prevent them from accumulating in your boots in the first place. So, how do you do it? Don’t worry; I’ve listed the most effective steps to remove them. No need to thank me, it’s my duty as a fellow boot lover.
Here are the steps to remove mold from ugg boots:
Step-1: Brush away the molds first
The first step to removing mold from your ugg boots is by brushing them with a soft-bristled brush. You also use a suede brush, but you’ll need to keep it aside after removing the mold.
In short, don’t use it for other purposes. Keep an extra suede bush for regular use. And, you must brush off the mold in an open space.
Step-2: Create This Mixture
Once you’re done with the brushing part, mix water with vinegar/rubbing alcohol. The ratio should be 1:1.
You can use isopropyl alcohol instead of vinegar/rubbing alcohol in extreme cases.
Step-3: Apply The Mixture
Now, take a clean rag/cloth and soak it in the mixture. Once done, wring out any excess liquid and clean the outside of your uggs. Suede tends to absorb any kind of liquid quickly; you’ve to dampen the rag/cloth from time to time.
Step-4: Clean The Linings With Extra Care
Once you’re done with the upper, it’s time to clean the linings. Be patient, and clean the linings with extra precision as these are the trickiest parts of the shoes. Use cotton buds to do so.
Step-5: Allow Them To Dry
Now that you’ve cleaned the upper and linings allow your uggs to dry for an hour or until they’ve dried completely.
The alcohol should evaporate very quickly; the water can be a cause of waiting.
Step-6: Brush Away Excess Mold
Once your boots have dried, brush them to clean off any remaining mold. Repeat the previous steps if you think brushing them off won’t be enough.
Read more on how to Make the Inside of Uggs Fluffy Again.
Step-7: Clen Them With Damp Cloth
Now, take a clean, dry cloth and dampen it in lukewarm water. Once done, wring out excess liquid and wipe the upper clean with the cloth and allow them to dry. The upper of your uggs are now mold-free.
Step-8: Clean The Insides
Now that you’re done with the upper, it’s time to eliminate mold from the inside. To do so, you’ll need to repeat the seven previous steps.
Step-9: Use Baking Soda To Eliminate Odor
So, you’ve removed mold from the upper and the inside of your ugg boots successfully. But, there will remain some damp smell along the insides. How do you eliminate that? Baking soda has got your back!
Sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda inside your uggs and let them absorb all the foul smells. Leave the soda to do its job overnight.
If you have any confusion regarding the quantity, just sprinkle half-cup off the baking soda.
Step-10: Remove The Baking Soda
The baking soda has absorbed all the bad odor overnight; now it’s time to remove it from your uggs. Use a vacuum cleaner to do this part. You don’t want baking soda on your feet, trust me.
Step-11: Apply Disinfectant Spray
Your ugg boots are now mold-free. But, there might be some survivors. To eliminate them for good, use a disinfectant spray. Now, your boots are completely free of molds and smell perfect and are ready to go.
Key Points To Remember When Removing Mold From Uggs
Before you start the process of eliminating mold from your ugg boots, there’re some points you need to remember to ensure smooth and complication-free execution.
Here are the points to remember when removing mold from ugg boots:
- The first thing you need to keep in mind is never to brush or clean off mold inside your room. Do it in an open space; otherwise, you’ll only help the mold to spread across your room.
- Never store your uggs inside a cardboard box. If it catches mold, then there’s no going back. Always use fabric shoe containers or plastic containers. You can easily relieve them of mold and can use them for a long time to come.
- Vinegar tends to and will leave a funny smell. So, when you’re using vinegar, make sure to eliminate that smell. Apart from baking soda, you can also use tea bags to remove the smell.
- Never dry your ugg boots in direct sunlight; it will do more damage than good. Always dry them in a well-ventilated area with proper airflow.
- Nerve drench your ugg boots; you’ll need to dampen them with cloths/rags from time to time to clean them. If you must submerge them in water, make sure you know what you’re doing.
Related guide: 6 Simple Ways To Waterproof Ugg Boots.
Can You Protect Your Uggs From Molds In The First Place?
You can protect your uggs from catching in the first place. But, how? I’ll tell you how! You’ll just need to follow some simple yet effective steps, and the chances of mold catching your uggs will decrease to a great extent.
Here are the precautions you can take to protect your uggs from molds:
- Try your level best to keep your uggs dry as much as possible. By this point, you should know ugg boots won’t hold off too many moistures. Therefore, it’s your duty to keep them dry to ensure a longer lifespan.
- If possible, try to store your ugg boots inside a wired closet. While wooden closets look great, they limit the amount of airflow, resulting in a higher chance of getting a bacterial outburst.
- Before you store your uggs inside a closet, make sure they’re home and dry. Trust me; you don’t want to store dampened ugg boots!
- Apart from damp ugg boots, you also shouldn’t store dirty ugg boots. Try your level best to store them as clean as possible.
- As soon as you get home, brush your uggs with a suede brush. Brushing them not only gives better durability but also decreases the chances of catching mold.
Do You Need To Protect Your Ugg Boots?
Yes, you’ll need to protect your ugg boots. Protecting them will prevent not only bacterial outbursts but also prevent other dangerous factors such as stain marks, watermarks, accumulation of dust, etc. So yeah, if you want to get the best out of your uggs, you’ll need to protect them.
As I said earlier, ugg boots are relatively fragile compared to other forms of boots. All thanks to the material they consist of, and the way they’re built.
But can you blame the construction? I mean, they’re constructed keeping certain things in mind. So, if you want to make the most out of your uggs, there’s no better option than to protect them from the very beginning.
There are different forms of protection when it comes to ugg boots. You need to protect them from water damage, stain marks, bacterial outbreak, salts, acids, etc.
You’ll be happy to know you can prevent many of the problems mentioned above just by brushing your uggs with a suede brush once you get home from outside. If you don’t trust me, you can try it yourself and let me know. I’ll be happy to be proven wrong.
You may also like to read: Do Koolaburra Uggs Run Big.
Parting Thoughts
Ugg boots will catch mold if not taken care of properly, and you’ve to live with this fact if you’re an ugg owner. But, it’s not the end of the world! There’re many proven methods out there to remove mold, and I’ve mentioned one of the most effective ways to do so.
Also, you can prevent mold from the very beginning if you take some preventive measurements, and I’ve also mentioned them for your convenience.
Do let me know if you’ve benefited from this post. And, feel free to let me know if I got something wrong; I’d love to hear from you too. It’s a wrap then, take care.
