Whether you’re rocking Scandinavian-style clogs with funky, bright patterns, spending most of your working days in comfy work clogs, or striding down the street in boots with sturdy wooden soles, you’ll want to make sure your footwear is properly cared for. Wooden soles absorb moisture, which makes for happy, dry and comfortable feet. But the wooden soles definitely require special care.

The Soles

Wooden soles, whether on clogs or boots, do well once treated. Do that as soon as you get your footwear home from the store if possible. Grab some olive oil from your kitchen. Rub a small amount into the wood and let it sit for a bit, then rub away any extra liquid with a dry cotton cloth. Let the soles dry and voila! The wood will take on a richer color, and also be more protected from the elements. You can also try linseed oil in case you’re saving the EVOO for your salads.

After you’ve been out and about, make sure the soles are clean before you put your footwear away for the day. If the soles are extra soiled, use a damp cloth to get the dirt off. Once they’re clean, let the soles dry in a clean, dry area – do not place them too near heat sources like a radiator, as the heat may cause damage to the wood; you don’t want that wood cracking or splintering. Same goes if the soles get soaked in the rain or snow: Let the footwear dry slowly in room temperature.

To get rid of scratches or dents on the wooden soles, use a fine grained sandpaper to gently buff the wood.

The Upper

Clogs and boots with wooden soles and natural leathers are marvelous for colder weather, and they’ll be more resistant to water if you treat the leather. You can buy a product specially formulated for this purpose like a leather cream, or even the earlier-mentioned dollop of olive oil. Rub a small amount of product onto the leather (first make sure the leather’s clean!) and let it set for a bit. Then softly buff away any excess liquid with a dry cotton cloth.

If your clogs have suede uppers, those will need a bit different treatment. An important step is to seal the suede with a product expressly designed to do so. Give your clogs a nice brushing with a suede brush before you apply the product, and again after you’ve followed the directions and the product has set. Water’s a no-no for cleaning suede, but a properly applied product will help seal out moisture and help block out dirt. If your suede is getting a bit tired looking, you can brush it back to life with the aforementioned suede brush, or even an old toothbrush or towel.

Storage

If you’ve got multiple pairs of clogs, store them heel-toe, toe-heel to save some space. Boots with wooden soles will do best on a well-made boot organizer that’ll get them off your shelves and/or floor. It’s especially important that your boot organizer be sturdy enough to support the wooden soles, since these can be a bit heavier than rubber soles. You’ll also want to avoid anything that will clamp onto the leather, as that’ll leave marks and creases, and deteriorate the material in the long run.