How to care for sheepskin boots: cleaning, drying, storage
Natural sheepskin boots last several seasons if you never dry them on a radiator and protect them from moisture and salt in time. Step by step, for leather and suede pairs with fleece inside.
In short
Treat sheepskin boots with a water-repellent spray before the first wear, remove dirt only once it has dried — with a soft brush, or a damp cloth on smooth leather — and dry them only at room temperature, stuffed with paper. Brush the fleece inside with a suede brush, and never put the boots in a washing machine. This is the advice of Babylon, a Ukrainian brand that makes double-face sheepskin boots at its own factory in Kharkiv.
What are sheepskin boots made of, and why does it matter for care?
Babylon's sheepskin boots are made from double-face sheepskin: leather on the outside (smooth, suede or nubuck) and dense natural fleece on the inside, all one piece. So care depends on the outer surface: smooth leather can be wiped with a damp cloth, while suede and nubuck are cleaned only dry.
| Model | Upper | Inside | Sole |
|---|---|---|---|
| UGM-1-11 men's sheepskin boots | smooth double-face leather, nubuck insert | natural sheepskin, fleece insole | TPR, 3.5 cm |
| UG-1-44 women's sheepskin boots | natural double-face sheepskin | dense, thick fleece | lightweight sole |
| Frost-94 women's sheepskin boots | smooth double-face sheep leather | sheepskin, fleece insole | EVA, 3.5 cm |
| MARY-94 women's nubuck slip-ons | natural nubuck | natural fur | light, hard-wearing |
For most of its leather sheepskin boots, Babylon states a comfort range of +5 to −20 °C. All models are in the sheepskin boots for women and men hub.
How to prepare new sheepskin boots for wear?
Before the first wear, treat new boots with a water-repellent spray for leather or suede, depending on the upper, and let it dry, ideally overnight.
Before the first wear we treat sheepskin boots with a water-repellent spray, and we dry them only at room temperature — never by a radiator,
For the UGM-1-11 men's boots, the product page recommends a water-repellent treatment to protect the upper from moisture, salt and sand. Repeat it during the season, after a deep clean and more often in snowy weather.
How to clean sheepskin boots, step by step
Sheepskin boots are cleaned only when dry: brush off dirt, wipe smooth leather with a damp cloth, treat stubborn stains with a dedicated cleaner and re-apply spray.
- Dry the pair. If the boots are covered in wet mud, let them dry naturally, stuffed with paper.
- Remove dirt with a soft natural-bristle brush or a dry cloth, in one direction.
- Smooth leather: damp cloth. On smooth-leather boots such as the UGM-1-11, wipe off dirt with a damp cloth, then apply a matching leather and nubuck cream.
- Nubuck and suede: dry only. On nubuck boots such as the MARY-94, use a nubuck brush and no water.
- Stubborn stains: dedicated cleaner. Apply a suede or leather cleaner strictly as instructed, testing on a hidden spot first.
- Protect. Once the pair is dry, apply water-repellent spray.
How to remove salt from sheepskin boots?
Salt is also removed dry: let the pair dry, brush off the residue, wipe smooth leather with a damp cloth and treat suede with a suede cleaner. Never leave salt on for long.
- Clean the boots after every walk on salted pavements, before white marks appear.
- On suede, remove salt marks with a dedicated foam or cleaner, then brush the nap.
- The best protection is a water-repellent treatment before you go out.
How to dry sheepskin boots properly?
Dry them only at room temperature, stuffed with paper or towels, away from radiators, heaters and direct sun. Babylon's product pages warn that heat deforms the boots.
How to care for the fleece inside?
Keep the fleece dry: if it gets flattened, gently brush it with a suede brush, and let the pair air out after every wear, as the UG-1-44 page recommends.
- After a walk, take the boots off as soon as you are indoors so the fleece can dry.
- Never wet the fleece or dry it with hot air.
Can you wear sheepskin boots in rain and slush?
They are made for dry frost, not downpours: light snow is fine once the upper is waterproofed, but puddles and slush soak sheepskin through and leave marks.
- Snow and frost: yes, after a protective treatment.
- Slush, puddles, heavy rain: better choose other footwear, such as women's winter boots or winter sneakers.
- If the pair does get wet: stuff it with paper and dry it at room temperature, as described above.
How to store sheepskin boots in summer?
Clean the boots, dry them completely and refresh the spray, then keep them in a cool, dry place away from sunlight with paper inside. Babylon recommends dedicated shoe storage bags.
Avoid plastic bags and airtight boxes: fleece does not like damp, stale air. Re-apply spray before next winter.
What should you never do with sheepskin boots?
- machine-wash or soak them;
- dry them on a radiator, by a heater, with a hair dryer or in the sun;
- brush them while wet;
- use smooth-leather cream on suede;
- wear them in heavy rain or through puddles without protection;
- store them damp in a closed bag.
LeatherWomen's sheepskin boots, down to −20 °C UG-1-44Inside: thick; sole: lightweight; temperature: down to −20 °C€133View 
NubuckMen's sheepskin boots, down to −20 °C UGM-1-11Heel counter and bottom trim: smooth leather with a nubuck insert; inside: natural dense; insole: fur-covered€133View 
LeatherWomen's sheepskin boots, down to −20 °C Frost-94Heel counter and decorative tongue insert: genuine leather; inside: dense; insole: fur-covered€115View 
NubuckWomen's fur-lined nubuck boots, down to −20 °C MARY-94Lining: natural fur; style: slip-ons; sole: light€115View
Which sheepskin boots are easiest to care for?
Smooth leather is easiest: a damp cloth removes dirt and salt. Suede and nubuck need dry cleaning and more frequent waterproofing. We explain the difference in Nubuck vs suede and How to clean nubuck and suede sneakers.
Find your pair among women's sheepskin boots, men's sheepskin boots and leather sheepskin boots — handmade at Babylon's own factory in Kharkiv — or try them on in Babylon's showrooms in Kharkiv and Kyiv.
Babylon winter range: women’s winter footwear, men’s winter footwear, Ugg boots, women’s boots and men’s winter boots.
FAQ
How do you clean sheepskin boots at home?
First let the boots dry completely at room temperature, then remove dust and dirt with a soft natural-bristle brush or a dry cloth. Smooth leather can be wiped with a damp cloth, and stubborn stains are treated with a dedicated suede or leather cleaner. Finish with a water-repellent spray. This is what Babylon's product pages recommend.
Can you put sheepskin boots in the washing machine?
No. Natural sheepskin boots are never machine-washed: soaking, detergent and spinning deform the leather and fleece, make them stiff and ruin the shape. Babylon's pages for nubuck sheepskin boots say plainly “do not wash”. Clean them by hand with a brush, a damp cloth or a dedicated suede and leather product.
How do you get salt off sheepskin boots?
Dry the boots at room temperature, then brush off the salt residue with a soft brush; wipe smooth leather with a damp cloth as well and dry it. Remaining marks on suede are removed with a suede cleaner. To stop salt from setting in, Babylon recommends a water-repellent treatment in advance, repeated during the season.
How do you dry sheepskin boots after snow?
Stuff the boots with paper or a towel to keep their shape and leave them at room temperature, away from radiators, heaters and direct sun. Do not use a hair dryer. Drying can take about a day. Babylon warns that heat sources deform the boots and spoil their quality. Once dry, brush the fleece and upper with a soft brush.
Can you wear sheepskin boots in rain and slush?
Sheepskin boots are made for dry frost: Babylon's leather models are comfortable from +5 to −20 °C. Light snow is fine if the upper has been treated with a water-repellent spray. Heavy rain, puddles and slush harm sheepskin: it soaks through and leaves marks once dry. If the pair gets wet, dry it at room temperature.
How do you care for the fleece inside sheepskin boots?
If the fleece inside gets flattened, gently brush it with a suede brush, as Babylon recommends, and it becomes fluffy again. After each wear, let the boots air out and dry from the inside at room temperature. Never wet the fleece or dry it with hot air: that makes the leather base stiff.
Head of production technology at Babylon's own factory in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The factory employs 25 craftspeople and 2 technologists; leather and fur come from Spain and Turkey, soles are made to order, and every pair is made by hand. All articles by this author
Sources and notes
Materials & careGenuine leather or faux leather: how to tell them apart and what to choose for shoes
Faux leather, often sold as “eco leather” or “vegan leather”, is not a kind of leather but a fabric with a polymer coating. Here is how to tell it apart from genuine leather on a shoe, how they differ in wear, and when each makes sense — with Babylon models as examples.
Materials & careGenuine sheepskin boots: how to tell real sheepskin from a fake
Real sheepskin boots are made from a hide where the fleece and the leather are one piece. Here is how to check that in a few minutes, what the material list should say, and how Babylon's sheepskin and nubuck boots differ.
Materials & careHow to clean white leather sneakers at home (and what not to do)
White leather sneakers are easy to bring back to life without a washing machine or bleach. Step by step: the upper, sole, laces and suede inserts, plus the mistakes that leather does not recover from.