How To Clean UGG Slippers & UGG Boots – Factory Approved Way

Learning how to clean UGG slippers and UGG boots at home is a great skill to have to improve the longevity of your boots (and avoid costly cleaning fees or damages from left on grime).

In this guide I’ll be covering how to clean UGGs in easy steps (including the UGG factory approved methods), with pictures and a video of me cleaning my own UGGs to help, plus common mistakes to avoid when cleaning UGGs.

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How To Clean UGG Boots and UGG Slippers

Clean your UGG boots or UGG slippers with a suede cleaner by hand for best results, according to the official UGG care guide (source). Make sure to also clean the rubber soles and sheepskin interior with a gentle liquid soap and water solution.

Making sure you properly clean each part of your UGG boots or slippers is best for improving the appearance (and smell!) of your footwear.

If you learn best by watching something, here is a video of me cleaning my own pair of UGGs on the Wearably Weird YouTube channel:

Here is a written step by step breakdown for cleaning the exterior, soles and interior of UGGs, plus a deodorising and a stubborn stain removal guide.

How to clean the outside of UGGs

What you will need:

• Rubber gloves.
• A dye free soft cloth (dye free is a super important requirement as you don’t want dye to run and transfer onto your UGGs). Microfiber works really well in my experience, or cotton.
• Dye free paper towel.
• A dye free soft cleaning sponge.
• A soft suede brush.
• An old soft bristled toothbrush.
• A really gentle liquid soap or an UGG branded suede cleaning product (this is the factory approved product that can be found on ugg.com).
• Cold water in a bowl.
• A spacious area to clean in.
• A well ventilated area away from direct sunlight or excessive heat to dry your UGGs in.

The steps:

Cleaning the outsole:

1. First you will need to clean any built up dirt on the outer soles of your UGG boots or slippers. It’s best to use a soft bristled brush, like an old toothbrush, to get in between the tread grooves for a good clean that won’t damage the rubber outsole.

2. Put on your rubber gloves and mix a mild liquid soap and water solution in a bowl. Soak your old toothbrush in the solution and then begin to scrub away the dirt in between the tread. Don’t scrub overly hard as you don’t want to scratch the rubber outsole.

3. Once the outsole looks clean wipe away the liquid soap and water solution with fresh clean water and a soft cloth. Be careful not to saturate the cloth and get the suede around the sole too wet. Just dampen the cloth and you should be fine.

Cleaning the suede:

1. Use a suede brush to brush over your UGG boots or slippers before beginning the cleaning process, to loosen any dust or debris that might be clinging to the suede. Make sure to only ever brush in one direction, very lightly, so not to damage the suede.

2. Prepare a bowl of clean water and dampen a clean soft cloth. Use the cloth to lightly moisten the surface of the suede. Make sure you cover the whole UGG boot or slipper, to allow for an even dry after cleaning and prevent patchy water marks.

Please note: when using a cloth on the boots to moisten then don’t be alarmed if dye comes off from the suede onto your cloth – this is normal. The boots are dyed with a gentle suede dye, that will run when wet. Start by cleaning the toes, then the heels then the boot shaft, making sure the boots are evenly moistened.

3. Take a small amount of suede cleaner (or a pea sized amount of liquid soap if you do not have the cleaner) and apply it to your damp dye free sponge. Begin to apply the cleaner/soap to the suede, covering the entire surface of the boot or slipper. I like to gently buff the cleaner into the suede, in circular motions, without pushing down too hard so as to not damage the surface.

4. Next take a clean soft cloth (microfiber is my favourite choice) and wet it with fresh cold water. Begin to wipe away the cleaner or liquid soap without wetting the UGG boot or slipper too much. Continue until all of the product has been removed from the suede.

5. Take your dye free paper towel and begin to blot the excess water from your UGGs to help speed up the drying process. If you are going to clean the inside of your UGGs, move onto the next section. If not, place your UGGs to dry at this stage in a well ventilated area.

A common mistake to avoid: don’t over clean your UGG slippers or boots. Once a month or every few months is way too much if they aren’t accruing dirt or stains. Personally I like to clean mine once a year after the winter season, to freshen them up before they go back in storage.

Now I’ve covered how to clean the outside of UGG boots let’s take a more detailed look at how to clean the insides.

How to clean inside of UGGs

The best way to clean the inside of UGGs is with a mild liquid soap and water solution and a soft nylon bristle brush. You could also use a cleaner designed for sheepskin or a cleaner from the UGG care range (source).

Once all the mud and dirt has been removed from the exterior of the boots and the suede has been cleaned to your satisfaction it’s time to tackle cleaning the fuzzy sheepskin lining inside of UGGs.

The biggest issue I find with the lining of my UGGs is the smell – embarrassing as it is to admit! Natural linings can hold bad smells quite easily, so it’s important to keep them clean and deodorised.

Here’s how to first deodorise then clean the inside of UGG boots and UGG slippers, step by step:

What you will need:

• Water – go for cold or lukewarm. Hot water may damage your boots.
• A dye free cloth.
• Dye free paper towel.
• Baking soda.
• Rubber gloves.
• Mild liquid soap – avoid anything too harsh that could strip the sheepskin lining of natural oils. It would be best to use the official UGG cleaning products (found here), however I do appreciate these may be pricey for some.
• A soft brush. An old soft toothbrush would work well for this.
• A vacuum cleaner.

A common mistake to avoid: don’t use dyed cloth or paper towels on your UGG boots as the dye may transfer onto the suede causing stains – yikes!

Deodorising

First let’s deodorise the UGG boots with baking soda.

There are two ways I like to do this, depending on the severity of the smell. One is by making a baking soda paste, and the other is using baking soda dry. The paste is much better for stubborn smells, but a dry application is sufficient to remove a light odour.

Steps to follow:

Baking Soda Paste Method

1. Prepare a baking soda paste with two parts cold water and one part baking soda in a small bowl.
2. Massage the baking soda paste into the sheepskin lining on the inside of your UGGs (wear your rubber gloves for this).
3. Leave the paste on the lining for two hours.
4. Take a dye free cloth and clean cold water and gently begin removing the baking soda paste from the inside of your UGGs.
5. Once the baking soda paste is removed move on to cleaning the inside of the UGG boots (covered in the next section of this post).

Here’s a picture of the baking soda paste I made so you can see how it should look in terms of consistency:

Baking Soda Dry Method

This method is ideal for removing a light odour and requires less clean up.

1. Use a vacuum cleaner on a weak setting to remove any bits of debris from inside your UGGs.
2. Sprinkle a layer of baking soda on the inside of your UGG boots, making sure to get right down in the toes of the boot.
3. Leave your boots overnight, to allow the baking soda to work it’s magic.
4. In the morning tap out the excess baking soda (I like to do this outdoors). Then take your vacuum cleaner and gently remove any lingering product.

The inside of your UGGs should now be deodorised and ready for a clean.

Top tip: deodorise your UGG boots once a month with baking soda to keep them smelling great!

Cleaning

Once the inside of your UGGs are deodorised they can now be cleaned to remove any additional bacteria and restore the lustre of the lining.

A really easy way to clean the inside of your UGGs it to use a small amount of mild liquid soap on a dye free cloth, before rinsing with cold water.

Here are the step by steps:

1. Put on your rubber gloves then take your dye free cloth and wet it a little in cold water.
2. Then apply a pea sized amount of mild liquid soap to the cloth and begin massaging it into the lining of your UGGs. The sheepskin lining should foam up quickly in this step.
3. For ground in dirt or stubborn stains take a soft bristle brush to work the liquid soap in better.
4. Now the soap has done it’s job it’s time to remove it from the inside of the boots. Wash the excess soap from your cloth and dampen it with fresh cold water.
5. Begin wiping away the soap suds from the lining. Go slowly with this and be careful not to overly saturate the boots.
6. Once the soap is removed begin blotting the inside of your UGGs dry with dye free paper towel. This will help speed up the drying process. It’s best to use good quality paper towel so you don’t get any fine bits sticking to the lining.
7. Finally allow the UGGs to dry in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight that may discolour the boots.

A common mistake to avoid: don’t scrub the lining too hard as you may damage the sheepskin. Bristle brushes that are hard will pull and could misshape the lining. Soft bristles and a gentle hand are best!

Once your UGGs are dry on the inside you can take a sheepskin brush or a soft nylon bristled suede brush and gently brush up the lining to restore fluffiness.

Washing can made the lining feel a bit dry, so brushing it gently will soften it again.

To finish, applying a sheepskin safe shoe deodoriser after brushing will act as an odour protectant, to prevent bad smells building up quite so quickly again.

Top tip: Avoid wearing your UGG boots without socks to reduce the development of odours. Sweat can build up in the boots and bacteria can develop in the folds of the sheepskin lining – smelly!

Now you know how to give your UGG boots and slippers a basic clean, here are some more specific queries, including removing stains, cleaning black UGGs and using vinegar on your boots…

How to get stains out of UGGs

The best way to get stains out of UGGs is to clean them with a mild liquid soap and water solution, or with a suede cleaner. For stubborn oil or grease stains use a suede eraser to deep clean your UGGs and lift the stain residue from the suede.

There are a bunch of different types of stains your UGG boots could accumulate outdoors (or indoors if you are wearing UGG slippers). Each type of stain needs a different approach to remove effectively.

I’m going to break down how to remove water stains, salt stains, dirt stains, paint stains and oil/grease stains from your UGG boots and your UGG slippers.

Water stains

Water stains are the most common stains on UGG boots and UGG slippers, as suede material stains easily if not dried properly. Walking in wet conditions can lead to staining, so making sure you dry off your boots properly is key.

Here’s how to remove a water stain from a pair of UGGs:

What you will need:

• A super soft nylon brush (or a proper suede brush which is best and won’t damage the nap).
• Suede cleaner (the UGG branded cleaner is best to prevent damage).
• Rubber gloves.
• Dye free paper towel.
• Cold water.
• A dye free cloth (I like to use super soft microfiber cloths).

1. Make sure your UGGs are free from dirt and debris. If there are stubborn bits stuck to the boots then brush them away with a soft brush or a suede brush.
2. Take your dye free cloth and wet it with cold water. Wring out the cloth so it’s damp, not soaked, and begin lightly pressing over the entirety of the boot (you might think you can just spot clean the stain, but this will create more water marks. You need to lightly dampen the whole boot for an even clean).
3. Apply the suede cleaner to the damp cloth and begin to worth it into the boot all over.
4. Once the cleaner is applied go ahead and rinse the cloth with cold water until it is free of the cleaner. Then use the cloth against to lightly moisten the surface of the boot and remove the cleaner. Be careful not to saturate the boot.
5. Next take your dye free paper towel and begin to blot dry the suede, to absorb excess moisture and help speed up the drying process.
6. Place the boots in a well ventilated area to dry away from direct sunlight. You can stuff them with old t-shirts to ensure they maintain their shape as they dry.

Top tip: after your boots are dry you can use a gentle suede brush to restore the nap of the boots. Brush the boots softly in one direction until you are satisfied.

Next let’s move on to removing salt stains from UGG boots, which are a little trickier.

Salt stains

If you forget to treat your UGG boots before walking in the snow it’s likely the suede will accrue some salt stains and dirt stains. Having salt stains on your pricey UGGs can be distressing, as we all want to keep your expensive purchases looking as nice as possible.

If you’re in this position, don’t worry, here is how to remove salt stains from UGGs:

What you will need:

• Gentle liquid soap
• A dye free cloth
• A soft nylon bristle brush or an old soft toothbrush.
• Cold water in a bowl.
• Dye free paper towel.

Steps:

1. Wet your dye free cloth in cold water and wring it out so it is slightly damp. Apply a pea sized amount of gentle liquid soap to the cloth and begin massaging it into the suede of your UGG boots.
2. Cover the whole exterior, not just the salt patch, so the boots will dry evenly and not leave water marks. Don’t work the soap in too hard as you may damage the suede.
3. Wash out your cloth with fresh water and dampen it again. Use the cloth to remove the soap from the suede.
4. Once the suede is free from soap blot the UGGs dry with dye free paper towel to remove excess moisture and speed up the drying process.
5. The soap will be enough to remove salt and dirt stains, so your boots should now be sufficiently clean. Place them in a well ventilated area and allow them to dry at room temperature away from direct sunlight.
6. Stuff the boots with old t-shirts to help them maintain their shape as they dry. Don’t use newspaper for this step as the dye from the print may transfer onto your sheepskin lining and leave marks.

Top tip: if you are worried your liquid soap is too harsh for your boots test a small amount on a hidden area of the suede to see if it strips the dye. Mild liquid soap should be fine, but I always recommend a discreet patch test.

Now let’s move onto the hardest type of stain to remove rom UGG boot suede…

Oil/Grease stains

Oil and grease stains are the most stubborn stains to remove from suede. Cooking in UGG slippers can result in grease stains from spilled foods, or oil stains can gather on UGG boots from grimy sidewalks.

It’s worth noting oil based makeup stains also fall into this category. I’ve smeared makeup on my UGGs once or twice whilst in a rush to get ready in the morning (foundation on my fingers, whilst pulling the UGGs on – ew!).

Here you can see what this stubborn stain looks like on my UGG boots:

Here’s what you will need to remove oil and grease stains from UGG boots:

• A suede eraser. This is a crumbly product similar to chalk but designed for safe use on suede. It draws out greasy stains for a deep clean. Corn starch also works well if you don’t have a suede eraser.
• A dye free soft cloth. Microfiber or cotton works best.
• Cold water.
• If you are using corn starch you’ll need to apply it with a soft suede or nylon bristled brush.
• Suede cleaner or UGG branded cleaner.

Steps:

1 . Apply the suede eraser to the stain and allow it to sit for 12 hours. If you are using corn starch either sprinkle it on the stain or use a brush to pick up the powder and gently apply it to the affected area.

2. After 12 hours take your suede brush and make sure it’s clean. Use it to brush away the suede eraser or corn starch until the suede is free of powered. You could also use a vacuum cleaner to remove the powder if you wish.

3. Next take your soft cloth and dampen it with cold water. Apply suede cleaner to the cloth and clean the entire UGG boot in circular motions.

4. Remove the suede cleaner with a clean cloth and cold water.

5. Allow to air dry at room temperature in a well ventilated space. Don’t forget to stuff your UGGs to help them maintain their shape whilst drying.

Common mistake to avoid: don’t use hot water when removing stains from UGGs as the heat may shrink your boots or remove dye from the suede.

Paint stains

Paint stains are another common stain that can accrue on UGG boots. It’s well known that paint is tricky to remove from suede, without damaging the material, so it’s best to be super careful.

To remove acrylic paint stains mild liquid soap and cold water should be sufficient.

For oil paint, follow the above method for removing oil stains.

It is worth noting that highly pigmented paint may leave a permanent stain on your UGGs, however you can reduce the impact as much as possible by cleaning the paint off quickly. Making sure to spray your UGGs with a stain protectant product will help guard them from future damage.

How to Clean UGGs With Vinegar

Cleaning UGGs with vinegar is a great way of removing odour and dirt from your boots. Vinegar is commonly used for cleaning thanks to it’s low cost and effective antibacterial properties.

If you are unable to purchase a suede cleaner and want a quick fix for cleaning your UGGs at home, then this common household item should do the trick.

Here is how to clean UGGs with vinegar:

1. Mix 2 parts vinegar and 8 parts cold water in a bowl.
2. Dampen a dye free soft cloth with the vinegar solution and gently apply it to your UGG boots. Make sure you cover the boots with the solution and don’t just spot clean, as this can create water marks when the boots dry.
3. Next take a soft bristled nylon brush and gently brush the solution over your UGGs in one direction.
4. When you have removed any excess dirt take your soft cloth and wash it out with fresh cold water. Then use it to blot any excess vinegar solution from your UGG boots.
5. Stuff your UGGs with old t-shirts to help them maintain their shape as they dry. Allow your boots to dry in a well ventilated space for 24hrs.

Common mistake to avoid: don’t make a 50/50 water and vinegar solution as this is too harsh and could strip the dye. Make a weaker 20/80 vinegar to water solution instead.

Here is a recap of the post in a handy info graphic for you to save to Pinterest should you wish to return to the info:

FAQs

Can I put UGGs in the washing machine?

UGGs should not be put in the washing machine as the sheepskin lining may become damaged as a result. Discolouration of the lining may occur and the soles may come away from the base of the shoes as glue dissolves at high washing temperatures (source: the official UGG care guide).

Sheepskin when exposed to very hot water can become patchy or bunchy and may matt as a result. The dye from the outer UGG boot material may also travel in hot water and end up discolouring the lining – which isn’t ideal if you want to keep your UGGs looking fresh and new.

The washing machine temperature may also damage and dissolve the glue that binds UGG soles to the base of the boots (source).

Personally I never put my UGG boots in the washing machine to clean them, as I don’t want to risk any damage to them at all. Even on a cool wash, the risk just isn’t worth it in my opinion.

Can I put UGGS in the dryer?

UGGs should not be put in a dryer as exposure to high heats may damage the materials the boots are made with, or misshape the soles of the boots (source: the official UGG care guide).

Instead after washing UGG boots should be allowed to dry in a well ventilated place away from direct sunlight.

You can blot excess water from your UGGs using clean, dye-free paper towel, but never use excessive heat on them. Hairdryers and machine dryers are a no no.

UGGs do absorb water easily and will take a long time to dry if fully saturated when cleaning, but don’t be tempted to put them in the dryer to speed up the process.

Can you dry clean UGG slippers?

Taking your UGG slippers to the dry cleaners may seem like a good idea, however UGG themselves have officially advised against this. Instead try cleaning them at home with products from the UGG care cleaning range that are designed for the job. In short, you cannot dry clean UGG slippers (source).

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