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3 alternatives to washing your ugg boots in the washing machine
You’ve probably had your ugg boots for a few months (or years) now.
You’ve been wearing them non-stop - to the shops, to your friend’s place on a rainy day, even for a sneaky Maccas run in the middle of the night.
Your ugg boots have seen right by your stride at every comfortable moment of your life. But while you love them desperately, your uggs are definitely starting to look a little worse for wear with water stains, specks of dirt and scuffs along the rim of the sole.
What’s the solution to cleaning your ugg boots?
Here’s how the thought process of most ugg boot owners runs...
- New uggs? - Nah, overkill. You can just clean ‘em, right?
- Scrubbing endlessly with soap and water? - Mmm, sounds like a chore.
- Throwing them in the washing machine? - Now that seems easy enough…
NO!
Never, ever machine wash your uggs.
We know washing your uggs in the machine seems like a simple time-saver. Just pop ‘em in the washing machine, forget about them for half an hour, and then hang them out to dry on the washing line…
But washing machines can be absolutely brutal on your boots, causing all sorts of potential damage and harsh chemical stains.
Uggs are fluffy, comforting and cosy - but your ugg boots aren’t waterproof.
We want to help keep your uggs looking fresh and wearable for years to come, so we’ve thrown together three reasons why washing ugg boots in the machine is a terrible idea.
Lesson #1 - Traditional washing detergent is damaging to sheepskin and suede
Ugg Express boots are manufactured using the best sheepskin and suede on the market. The material is soft and delicate, which means there are specific soaps and detergents to clean them with
The chemicals in laundry detergent are designed to remove harsh stains and dirt from stronger, regular clothing materials like cotton.
Sheepskin isn’t suited to these harsh chemicals. The material is soft and fragile and can be temperamental when it comes to cleaning.
Your uggs won’t get cleaner with detergent - they’ll often end up with more damage
The Best Alternative to detergent
Instead, it’s safer to use sheepskin-specific products to clean ugg boots.
Our ugg boot cleaning products are made from natural ingredients including tea-tree oil which is antibacterial and biodegradable, removing signs of mould and mildew from the fragile material.
Check out our natural ugg boot cleaning products Ugg Clean and Care Kit - they could rescue your ugg boots from a washing machine fate worse than death! (Honestly, you’ll be well over mourning your uggs when you have to clean up a washing machine full of fluff).
Lesson #2. Exposure to water can cause more ugg boot stains than you had to start with
Sheepskin acts like a sponge when it comes to water. The fabric absorbs liquid deep into the boots and causes stains which can be nearly impossible to remove.
Soaking ugg boots in the washing machine can ruin your trusty foot soldiers, loosening the stitching and tightening the fabric, and risking discolouration or patchiness.
A washing machine clean seems like a simple solution but there are just too many risks involved. There’s a red hot chance you’ll leave your boots looking older and dirtier than ever before.
The best alternative to machine washing to clean wet or damp Ugg boots
- Use a cold, damp, clean cloth to gently rub the outside of the boots
- Add a teaspoon of Shampoo to a clean, damp sponge and again, rub the sponge over the outside of the boots
- Clean off the shampoo with another damp cloth (make sure all water is wrung out - too much water will cause stains!)
- Let them dry naturally out of the sun
Want more details on how to clean your boots?
We dedicated an entire article to the four simplest tips for cleaning ugg boots.
Lesson #3. Washing machines can destroy the fabric of your uggs
The fabric used to make ugg boots is delicate.
Suede can be rippable, sensitive to rough treatment and unable to be saved when damaged.
Sheepskin is stronger - but when you throw your uggs into a rough, tumbling washing machine, both sheepskin and suede are going to have a bad time.
A machine wash could rip the fabric, damage the inner lining or even cause further staining from water and chemical detergents.
The rough motion of a washing machine puts your boots at serious risk of damage.
The best alternative to machine washing to remove marks and dirt from your ugg boots
We recommend hand washing with a damp (not drenched!) cloth and natural, sheepskin or suede specific products.
This gentle process is safer for ugg boots and is a perfect alternative to machine washing.
Spare your ugg boots from a torturous tumble through the washing machine
There are much safer methods of cleaning your ugg boots than taking the easy way out and throwing them in the washing machine.
It pays to take ten minutes to rub down your uggs with a damp cloth and a teaspoon of natural, ugg specific shampoo to avoid the calamity of a machine chewing your boots to bits.
With a little manual care, your uggs will look brand new and smell minty fresh without ever running the risk of adding stains, tears or irreparable damage.
From stylish platform Ugg boots to comfy platform Ugg slippers, we got variant products to choose from:
Vigour Platform Sheepskin Boots
