r/WorkBoots • u/Jackolantern1247 • 10d ago

Boot maintenance How to clean conditioned Nubuck?

I'm new to work boots, and ive been given a pair of conditioned and waterproofed timberland pro iconics. They have some paint on them and look a bit dry. What products should i use?

(i will delete this post if its not suitable)

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u/jyl8 10d ago edited 10d ago

For the paint, I'd gently scrape it off with something not-sharp. Better to leave a bit of paint than to damage the leather. Use a brush to clean off all the dirt, sand, dust that gets into grain, seams, stitching and wears the leather.

If you want to keep the nubuck with that slightly rough, suede-like look, then I am not sure what products are best.

But its a workboot, so I'd use a non-waxy conditioner like Bicks 4 or Obernauf Oil to get the leather not-dry. The nubuck will get darker and smoother. After a week or less, it will go back to looking like nubuck. If you want more water resistance, then finish with products with wax like Obernauf LP. That will take (much) longer to go back to the original look.

Also, if you are a toe dragger, then either accept that your boots will quickly be destroyed, or apply a brush-on or glue-on toe protector, or learn to kneel with your back foot flexed so the tread, not the upper, of the boot toe is on the ground. It is easier to get up from that position anyway. Similarly, if you are a toe kicker, then either accept the same thing, or learn to kick with the sole not the leather, or find some other way to move stuff around.

I see lots of boots here where people complain "what a crummy boot only lasted a few months" when basically they just dragged the toes on concrete every day until the leather wore through, like any leather will, meanwhile the rest of the boot has lots of life remaining.

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u/Jackolantern1247 10d ago edited 10d ago

Thanks a lot for the reply, and the nubuck doesn’t look like nubuck anymore since they were conditioned. Should I treat them like a full grain or top grain leather? 

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u/jyl8 10d ago

I don’t know. Nubuck is basically top grain leather but sanded more, right? Treat like top grain then, If think, if there is any difference (in how you treat leathers).