just got my custom boots and i will admit - i’ve always cleaned my boots with the same product that i cleaned my saddle
curious to know what everyone uses to clean their boots
my rep said wipe down with damp cloth and then polish with whatever you normally use but clean them with anything oily. she said she likes urad polish.
interested to know what everyone else uses for their boots?
Damp sponge a few times a week (I ride 2-4 a day) and kiwi polish. I don’t use anything else on them. The polish makes the water bead off and protects the leather so I don’t feel the need to oil them.
Unless the manufacturer has provided specific cleaning instructions, the old fashioned “spit and polish”. Wipe the boots down with a damp cloth to remove dust and grease. If really muddy, I will even run a cold water over my boots. Use shoe polish. I hesitate to say Kiwi polish because my cobbler told me the product has recently changed and it is not so good and he recommended I use another brand in future. A dab of polish on a soft cloth. Spit on the boot - yup, genuine spit - and use a finger in the cloth to work the polish onto the surface using the spit to help. Work on small areas, bit by bit. I like to leave the boots for a few minutes with the polish on before using a soft bristle brush to buff up the shine. Then a soft cloth to add to the final gleam. The more regularly you clean the boots the deeper the polish becomes until the boots are remarkably water and crud resistant. This is the military method. The Troopers in the Household Cavalry, when standing guard duty at Horseguards in London get through multiple tins of shoe polish in a week.
For a real cleaning I use saddle soap on a sponge for actual dirt, a very quick rinse and then immediately towel dry. Leave in boot trees to dry fully, then apply Kiwi Parade Gloss, and buff off with a brush. Leaves them very shiny and stops dirt sticking to them. If your Parade Gloss has hardened you can melt it with a lighter, or by putting the can on the stovetop over low heat for a minute: some like to apply it melted to really build up a coating.
As a fox hunter, I put them in a deep sink and use the spray attachment to rinse away all the external mud. Then while they are still damp I apply a thin coat of boot cream with a horse hair applicator. I started with Propert’s boot cream forty years ago but it is no longer available. Now I use Meltonian. Before it completely dries I start buffing with a horse hair polishing brush. Then pop in the cedar boot trees. After every ride, year after year after year. My oldest custom boots are 40 and are still serviceable and presentable. And BTW use London Tan cream on the boot tops, brown is way too dark.
And after the boots are done, it’s time to work on the saddle and bridle so your turnout looks spiffy for the first 15 minutes of the next hunt. After that a new coating of mud becomes a badge of honor.
All of the above. I was told the products you use on your tack are not meant for the type of leather on your boots. A clean cloth for removing dust and grime and the occasional polish are really all you need.
For longevity of the leather, don’t wear the boots when you’re bathing your horse and avoid wearing them in muddy conditions. To have a shine that’s for real rather than just cosmetic, never ever apply polish of any sort on your boots when they’re dirty or dusty. I see this at horse shows all the time and I just cringe. But I wipe them down every time I get off my horse and, as much as possible, I wear boot protectors if I have to walk around in them and especially if I have to walk a course with my boots on. It also helps to understand that the part of the boot that makes contact with the horse will pick up oils from the horse not matter how clean the horse is. This will then attract more dust and grime. So you have to use some elbow grease to remove it. With properly clean and polished boots, all the other dirt and dust will wipe off easily.
I save my good boots for shows and they usually get only one polish per show. I thoroughly clean the boots with a barely damp cloth and apply polish (Kiwi) really rubbing it into the leather. I wear old thick socks so that I can use my fingers but not end up with horrible stains. I let the boots sit overnight and in the morning I use a soft shoe brush to brush them and bring out the shine. Seriously, I do this once for a five-day show. And I’ve had judges comment on how shiny my boots are.
I used to work at a tack shop that sold boots (tall, paddock and half chaps).
Our advice was always to wipe down with a damp towel after a ride, never use saddle soap and condition as needed with a boot/shoe product. We always had this on hand:
Also Meltonian and Urad products.
Personally, I prefer the Cadillac cream/lotion. It conditions and then buffs to a soft sheen. I’m not one for high gloss boot polish and that is a personal preference only.
Water and polish. No other product should go on your boots. Buff with horsehair brush, finish shine with pantyhose.
No one has good leather shoes anymore so this is a lost art
Clean off the actual mud or sweat using as little saddle soap and water as needed.
Then just like good men’s shoes in the 1950s 
use a paste wax like Kiwi or another brand in the matching color. Apply, let dry, and buff to a shine. One tip is to not buff the inside of the boot as it will make the boot slippery.
The wax protects the leather, and also covers up any scuff marks.
You do not want to use saddle balms or oils on leather shoes or boots because that softens and degrades the leather and doesn’t shine up
One tip I didn’t see here among all the great info is never polish the inner calf of your boots.
A sweaty horse can transfer the polish to itheir hide.
Especially important if you’re riding a gray.
Or a strawberry roan like DH’s
(Pic added because I miss them both 
)
@Willesdon Your Military Method was a specialty of my husband’s (Infantry, Korea) .
I’m ashamed I left that chore to him, never learned it myself.
Our boots - even paddocks - shone “like the sun” 
Oh man I am so bad!
Wipe down, then condition with Ledersbalsam. Makes them sticky, fake that lower leg stability haha.
My Ariats have survived on this for almost 10 years haha.
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