Should I buy Chamberlain's Boot & Shoe Cream No.6 for my leather? How should I use it? What results should I expect? All this and more will be revealed in this handy guide!

It's hard work, keeping leather shoes pristine. That's why Boot & Shoe Cream No.6 wears some of the strongest emulsions of oils and nutrients around, specially designed for your leather footwear. Whether you be treating leather shoes, sandals, moccasins, hiking boots, or any number of leather varieties, Boot & Shoe Cream offers a luxurious treatment designed to restore and perfect. With a rich, creamy texture designed for safe penetration, an exquisite aroma suggestive of new leather, and a plethora of rich, all-natural ingredients, Boot & Shoe Cream is your go-to recipe to clean, condition, and protect your leather footwear. Environmentally friendly, pH balanced, and made with FDA approved, cosmetic grade ingredients safe for human skin, we've even watched some people drink Leather Milk straight out of the bottle! We wouldn't personally advise doing this, of course!

Like all of Chamberlain’s leather conditioners, Recipe No.6 should enrich your leather’s color and give it the soft, supple texture that it deserves. As this recipe absorbs and conditions, it will strengthen the fibers of your leather, making it grow stronger, and live longer. A light cleaning element permits Boot & Shoe Cream to give your leather a gentle surface cleansing, and its protective properties allow it to moderately repel routine contaminants, such as spills and dirt.

Boot & Shoe Cream is designed to neither effect a shiny or matte finish either way, instead amplifying color that is already present. If you have already used Boot & Shoe Cream on your leather, you will not need to apply any other leather conditioners, at least until it is ready to be conditioned again. All Leather Milk products are made in USA.

Boot & Shoe Cream should not be used as a deep cleaner. This means that any stain below the leather’s surface (or any stain that has had time to set) will probably not come out with Boot & Shoe Cream. This recipe will remove light surface contaminants, such as dust, but is not intended for any cleaning task beyond routine, spot dusting. For stains below the leather’s surface, use Straight Cleaner No.2. If your leather has had a spill, treat it as soon as possible to prevent absorption. You can read about spillage here.

If your leather is excessively dry and cracking, fading in color, or frequently encounters heavy exposure to rain and snow, you may be better off using Water Protectant No.3, which contains more deeply penetrating oils and waxes for intensive conditioning and protection. If you are trying to give your shoes a shiny finish, or a matte finish, Boot & Shoe Cream is not designed to do this; however, depending on the type of leather you are treating, aesthetics like this may result after conditioning. If you are treating leather that requires a shiny finish, such as office shoes, a leather polish may be necessary.

Boot & Shoe Cream is not designed for nubuck, suede, "genuine leather," napped leather, or other extremely soft leathers. You can read more about the marketing (misnomer) term "genuine leather" and what that means here.

1. If available, consult any leather care recommendations included with your item by the leather’s manufacturer.

2. Shake well. Test recipe first in a discreet area and allow to dry naturally in a cool, clean location away from sunlight and heat. If you do not find excess color rub off, discoloration in leather, or any other negative effect, it is safe to use on your leather.

3. Clean over the surface of your leather with a damp cloth or Straight Cleaner No.2 first if it is dirty. When the leather is dry, shake your Leather Milk recipe bottle well and gently massage the conditioner evenly across the leather’s surface. An uneven spread may lead to a splotchy dry. Use thin layers, giving your leather as many coats as it needs, but only as much conditioner as it can absorb. If piled on too thickly, the leather conditioner may leave a sticky residue. You can read about over-conditioned leather here.

4. After it has been conditioned, allow your leather to dry naturally. When the leather has absorbed all the conditioner it can, buff off any remaining residue, and let it set. For best results, allow the leather to sit overnight.

5. Use Boot & Shoe Cream as often as you feel your leather needs it. It is usually best to condition 2-4 times a year, depending on the climate and amount of use the leather will receive, as well as its type (how it was made). If your leather is feeling rough and dry, starts squeaking, or develops other textural changes, it may be time to re-condition.

Boot & Shoe Cream's luxurious qualities breathe an air of health and good taste into fine leather footwear. However, it is important to test this recipe first before you use it to ensure it is the best fit for your own, unique leather valuables. If your leather is unfinished, it may be wise to test your leather in multiple discreet places. Some lighter colored leather may darken with use of leather conditioners, though will usually lighten back up within a week with use. As most shoe leather is made with finish to ensure protection against the many elements it will likely encounter, Boot & Shoe Cream can be relied on as the perfect compliment to keep it healthy, tough, and long-lasting.

Recipe No.6 is best used to maintain and beautify your leather shoes. While it will not shine or dull, it will enrich color already present. Designed to work optimally on leather exposed to moderate climate and infrequent contact with weather, it will nonetheless provide some protection against spills and water. If you are treating leather that's coming into regularly contact with mud and water, Water Protectant No.3 is probably a better fit for your leather.

Finally, if you have any allergy concerns, be sure to Contact Us to ensure none of the ingredients will be harmful to anyone coming into contact with the treated leather. Individuals with nut allergies are not advised to use Leather Milk. For more health recommendations, please visit our Boot & Shoe Cream SDS (Safety Data Sheet).

Long and short, if you’ve got leather boots, or shoes, or moccasins, or what-have-you, you need Boot & Shoe Cream. Test it first and use it well – and it will save your hide!

Hope this helps! Daniel S

Product photography by ImageAlive Studios