20 Best Oil For Leather Boots (2022 Updated)

Based on what i understand if you don’t want to darken your boots use the neetsfoot oil. if you want better waterproofing use the mink oil. For a longer lasting condition use the natural boot oil. Both the natural boot oil an the mink oil will darken the boot color varying shades.

Note of caution. I have the Moc Toe in Oro legacy and tried applying this first with a cloth. I must have put too much on and it greatly darkened the leather. I then applied the rest using my hand and it went much better.

A little goes a long way for sure. But, it really softened the leather.

after decades of trying a lot of brands, this must be the best natural boot oil. (we do not want mineral oil on our fine leather) Very high quality oil for the best leather. Mink oil is very stable and Pine Tar is a preservative and anti fungal/bacterial.

The consistancy is perfect, no to thin. This oil will reach the whole leather thickness, thus a perfect conditioner Made in the USA. Keep the crafts and real work local!.

I haven’t been able to wear this classy number in 15 years due to severe wear and tear, I just couldn’t find it in my heart to throw it away. I couldn’t be happier I didn’t! Just dab and massage the oil in and you shall be rewarded.

Obviously the tear can’t be fixed but the appearance of it is as munimal as it gets. I wish I had taken a before photo.

I bought this Obenauf’s Leather Oil to clean and recondition an old holster. I usually use other products to do such things with but decided to try something new. The holster came out looking brand new! It does darken leather a shade or two but there is a statement to that affect on the label.

I could not be happier with the results and I plan on using it on my other leather items.

Works Great and made my work boots look fabulous! Like the label says it darkens the leather significantly so test it first. The applicator that comes with the oil is not attached very well and leaves fuzz the first use or two, but if you use a different applicator that isn’t an issue.

Be careful though as it will stain some fabrics (like table cloths. oops!).

Never tried Mink Oil before purchasing this product, and I must say that It does a great job waterproofing my leather work gloves. I have a pair of bison leather work gloves that are about a year old, and have been using Neatsfoot oil on a regular basis.

The problem is that the gloves would always get wet after a while, so I decided to try this mink oil, and was very pleasantly surprised how well it worked. A day after thoroughly applying the mink oil all over the gloves, and focusing more on the seams as I applied the oil, I literally put my gloves on and dunked them in a pale of water for about 30 seconds.

Lo and behold, my hands were dry. The stickiness of the leather after the mink oil dries does subside, and leaves the leather soft and supple. Gotta have Mink Oil if you wear leather in the woods. It really keeps the leather dry.

Bought the product, followed directions. Worked the paste into seams as directed. Rejuvenated gloves, made them waterproof. Doesn’t make them messy or greasy or icky. Only drawback: makes the gloves more sensitive to cold.

That’s acceptable to me.

I used this on my wolverine wellingtons and it made them look like glass. Totally waterproof, and oh so soft. Much better on feet now. Also rejuvinated a tired leather sofa. Great stuff, smells good too.

Preface — this review applies to Red Wing’s “Mink Oil Paste” (product ID 95160) which I assume is a very similar product, if not identical. I couldn’t find it on the website, but it’s still for sale in Red Wing stores, where I purchased it.

I was recommended this product in my local Red Wing store when purchasing my first pair of Red Wing boots years ago, the 875 moc toe, when I was looking for a care/maintenance product that would properly hydrate the leather while minimizing the darkening effect that most leather oils tend to impart.

I’ve since gone on to use & trust it on three different pairs of Red Wing boots of three very different types & colors of leather with great results (those being the ligher brown 875 moc toe, the darker brown 8111 Amber Harness Iron Ranger, and the 9011 Black Cherry Featherstone Beckman/Gentleman’s Traveler.

) The color change is minimal to non-existent in all three pairs — the darker they start, the less of a change. Even in the lightest pair (the 875 moc toe,) the darkening was only temporary as the product absorbed into the leather.

Even on the smooth, shiny leather of the 9011 Beckman, it works wonderfully without causing any ill effects to the look & feel; they only come out looking richer in depth, and perhaps even a touch more shiny.

Application is very simple, as this is a thicker paste. I prefer doing so by hand. Quickly rub the pad of your thumb in circles along the product surface to emulsify it a bit, and work it into the leather.

A little bit goes a long way, so one tub should last you a long time (don’t over-apply!) Wait a little while for absorption, then wipe off the excess that isn’t absorbed with a clean cloth. Brush for a bit of a shine if desired.

It’s not a polish, but you can pull a bit of a sheen out of it with enough brushing. Without that extra elbow grease, you’re simply left with the same shine (or lack thereof) before you started, except now your leather is well-quenched and waterproofed.

While this isn’t my go-to routine maintenance product, I do opt to use it on a brand new pair of boots to help with the break-in period. One thing I’ve noticed is that it softens leather more so than any of the other various oils and conditioners I own.

For more regular maintenance, I stick to a lighter conditioner every 3 months or so (or as needed. ) Otherwise, I tend to reach for this mink oil paste about once a year. Your mileage may vary, mostly based on how often your boots are exposed to the elements.

Once I start noticing any harsh cracking or dryness, I reach for this paste, and it does the trick. The jury is still out about the silicone content — I’m admittedly not studied enough in the preservation of leather to say whether or not it’s advisable to use a silicone product — but I’m putting my faith in Red Wing here that they wouldn’t put their name on a product that would harm their leather.

All I can say is that my four-year-old 875 moc toe boots are still in wonderful condition after multiple applications of this paste, without a single sign of degradation. Perhaps moderation and very light coatings are key, but it hasn’t caused me any worry yet.

I’ll gladly continue to use this mink oil paste.

I have used this product on both my 8119 Iron Rangers and my 1907 Mocs. I have seen several youtube videos applying larger amounts with cloth, and I think this may be the source of some frustration with this product darkening your boots.

You do not need a lot of this product per condition. I did use less for the smoother leather 8119s (Oxblood) than the 1907s (R&T) as it was easier to apply evenly. I believe that applying by hand is the best way to ensure you apply the correct amount and to your tastes.

It will darken your boots slightly, as will all conditioners. It worked wonders on the 8119s. On the 1907s it takes several hours for the oil to dry/soak in, during which the boots noticeably lighten.

The 1907s still are slightly darker than their original copper state but I actually like it.

I’m relatively new to leather care and heritage boots but was warned early on that oil’s that contain silicone can shorten the life of your leather when compared to oil’s that do not contain silicone.

I received this oil complimentary when I purchased my Iron Ranger 8111, but did not use it on said product due to this concern. However recently I learned the mink oil I had been using as an alternative also contained silicone, which was a bit frustrating.

I’ll attest that, for what it is, this is a very good product as I have used it on things like belts, bags, and sheaths. Just wish there was a non-silicone alternative, and I can’t tell from Red Wing’s website alone, if the All Natural Leather Conditioner is the better alternative I’m searching for since it contains bees wax instead of silicone.

As these reviews have a reply function, please let me know your thoughts if you have used both.

Got otter wax because it was non toxic. Oiled a leather couch and chair that had never been treated. Oiled two pairs of shoes, a belt and a purse with the saturated rag when I was done. The furniture was very dry.

Did two coats a day apart. Might need a third coat but am waiting. It was harder than I expected, but easier than waxing. Haven’t had anything spill on the furniture yet, but I’m hoping the oil has given them some protection.

Planning to oil monthly until they are well hydrated. Has already made sitting on the furniture less anxiety inducing, and didn’t have to wear latex gloves or worry about absorbing or breathing chemicals during application or using the furniture.

Used about a 3rd of the biggest bottle if anyone is wondering how much to buy.

Im a small time hobbiest leather crafter so I made several different times relatively frequently. I use this on every item I make and my own personal leather items such as jackets and boots. This stuff is amazing and I cannot recommend it enough.

It protects my leather goods and gives them a nice mellow sheen and makes them smell even better than they do naturally. I even use it in my jeep for my seats. If you have any thoughts about getting some, I highly suggest it for basically all of your items.

I also use their fabric deodorizer and suede cleaner, they both simply perform flawlessly. Being natural and effective, I simply cannot ask for any thing more. Thank you for wonderful products and I look forward to many years of use.

I got an Article leather couch off Craigslist that was looking pretty dry and thirsty. Per Article’s recommendation, I got Otterwax Oil to rehydrate it. The couch looks a million times better and the oil was easy to apply and has a nice smell to it.

This couch was clearly neglected so I’ll be getting the salve as well, given how well the oil worked. Very happy with this product.

Great Mink oil paste. Good consistency in the can. Easy to apply with the included brush. The cloth is just a cloth. Time will tell how well it holds up, but it has decent penetration on my leather and expect it to do fine for a lifetime of occasional use with yearly oiling.

I used this on expensive leather cowgirl boots and it is fantastic! It is not greasy, it is waterproof, it adds sheen without detracting from boot color. I was so happy with this product that I recommended it to family.

I found 6 baseball and softball gloves in the attic that haven’t been used for 25 years and some for as many as 50 years. And based on an internet article that a friend showed me, Neatsfoot Oil was the best choice to soften them up.

I treated them one time with baseball glove oil (found at Walmart) and Neatsfoot oil two times (from Walmart. com). I’m not totally pleased. Perhaps 25-50 years of storage is too long to expect they can be soft again.

However, I suspect that putting them to use regularly again ALONG WITH the oil treatments, might do the job. For example, the past two days I’ve used the baseball glove playing catch with the grand kids.

And this baseball glove (unused for maybe 50 years) appears to be more flexible than the softball gloves that have gone unused for 25 years. So, maybe actual use plus the oil does the trick.

Been using Neatsfoot oilover 50 years, I soaked my baseball gloves in it then tied it up with a ball in it, who didnt do that as a kid. Lol I just made a holster from 80 or 90 year old, farm implement LEATHER FLAT BELT, THE OIL SOFTENED IT UP.

WORKED GREAT. Thanks, Buckleguy, Great service GREAT COMPANY , Great product.

I use this oil on my leather boots , leather knife sheaths, leather gun slings , leather gloves , leather cartridge carriers and many other things. It will make your leather soft so it stays in good condition for a long time.

Been using this for years primarily on footwear. Sneakers, boots, dress shoes too. Deposits an ultra thin, non-marking, odor-free waterproofing layer that, to a limited extent, also repels dirt and stains.

It lasts 2-3 months, then needs re-application. Pretty reasonable considering how thin the layer is, and that it doesn’t stink or stain. Some people use this to keep sneakers clean, not just a waterproofer.

It does that too, and I like it for laces, liners, etc on light colored running shoes. But keep expectations in line with reality. It’s a waterproofer first, it’s very thin, and it’s not going to protect against hard scuffing or ground in dirt.

Note: Apply outdoors or in the garage. Fumes can irritate throat and eyes. Odor 99% gone within 20 minutes at 70f. Apply two light coats for best results, 10-40 minutes apart, depending on temp. If you want to speed up dry time in cold weather, spray outside, then bring inside after a few minutes.

The fumes are 80% gone within the first 3-4 minutes, so it seems ok to bring in. Seems to work with Permethrin insect repellent treatment OK.

I was really not impressed with this brand after using Crept! Yes it works but not for long! They also have a orange cleaning product that not only removed the paint off my shoe but also removed dye ! So I do not recommend this brand ! Very upset by how it was sold where I bought my shoes then ruined them!!.

Worked a treat for not only my shoes but my son’s, my husband’s and the couch! Hardly used any of the can so far, a little goes a long way. Extremely good value! I had an awesome sales assistant that was very helpful on reccommending the product.

I’ve always used Mink Oil on my boots and since it lasts forever I hadn’t bought any in over a decade. This is great stuff – perfect protection for my leather boots. I use it on old work boots to freshen them up and on new boots to keep they supple and waterproof and looking good.

When I was a kid, growing up in the country, we all kept our hunting and winter boots well saturated with mink oil. This particular product works just like what I had in the 1970’s. Two thumbs up!

For me it is important as to how it will penetrate the leather. There is an orange color y a white color. I don’t like the orange at all. The white is much better. This product is the white & I am very pleased with it.

Good price for an effective product. Moisturized my shoes and definitely helped with water proofing. Go for huberds shoe grease if using for work boots or otherwise more heavy duty boots. I live in Seattle so I’m just using this for my boots I wear around the city and occasionally use for a light hike.

I have used this product before and this is very good for Leather. It does soak in to the Leather preserving it,and the threads or stiches. It is not greasy after it is applied you can see for yourself after a couple of coats the leather looks and feels better, It gives the Leather protection against water, and stains.

Excellent product, I have used other products and found this product to be the very best and at a reasonable price!.

This is a wonderful product. cant believe I finally found something for all my leather goods that actually WORKS! I used it on a very thick new belt and its only a week later and its supple. No cracks.

Works great on shoes, boots, etc And I even like the smell:).

Bought an Article full aniline couch and was looking for a product for weeks. Found this on Article’s website and bought it as my sofa was showing “ashy” leather. With one application it made my sofa look and feel amazing.

The leather wasn’t darkened or oily and didn’t make my leather shiny. It looks hydrated and supple just as the product described. My chair was 1200$ and this was the only product i trust.

This is a very good product to help waterproof your leather boots and also helps to soften your new boots when you are breaking them in.

hard to find locally no one has it on the shelves

Fantastic product. Would recommend this to anyone who needs to treat any leather product.

Great for oil-tanned leather. Keeps it soft supple and weather protected. This brand seems to be lighter in color, so causes a little less darkening. A major work boot company has been selleing a comparable product for years, at 3 times the price.

WOW THE OIL WORKS SO MUCH BETTER THEN THAT PASTE YOU USUEALLY SEE IN STORES, GREAT PRODUCT, WORKS GREAT BOOTS ARE NICE AND DRY.

Very good product, use this all year round, on boots, shoes and leather gloves keeps leather soft/water resistant will darken lighter shades of leather double the life of cheap Harbor freight roper gloves see pictures.

I had been using a three step process to care for my 1000 Mile boots using saddle soap, polish, and leather cream. This oil does a better job of conditioning the leather than the more complex process ever could.

The leather is supple, marks less easily, and has an attractive semi-gloss finish that is easier to maintain than a high gloss buff. It also lacks the offensive odor of my shoe cream. Plus it’s easier to get off my hands when I’m finished with my boots.

Get a tin of the Leather Dressing for more stubborn marks, but this oil is my primary care.

Applies easily, and nourishes the leather on contact. Although it darkens the boots slightly, it provides the protection needed to give the boots long term care .

I haven’t had the opportunity to uses the oil yet since my boots are so new ~ but watching the YouTube videos on caring for your 1000 Mile Boots you cannot go wrong with this product since it is made for your boots.

Is it a little pricey? YES! But so were those 1000 Mile Boots you bought so protect them and make them last! I will update when I get mine broken in and dirty! Cheers!.

I need to test this out in the real world a while. If it proves to be as good or better than Sno Seal on hard, shiny leather, it will be my go to. It polished up nicely on a pair of chrome tanned coach leather boots after waiting the recommended 4 hours.

Sno Seal is hard to beat on leathers you don’t mind getting a little gunked up or attracting dirt. I also use Sno Seal on canvas/cloth hats. It does well.

I’ve used this product for a few years now, I really enjoy it, and highly recommend giving it a try. It can be a bit messy, but the more used to working with it you get, the easier and less messy it gets to use over time.

Just work a small amount (a little goes a long way) into clean dry leather, work more liberal amounts into stitching to aid with water resistance, and buff out excess. This stuff is basically a grease that helps keep leather healthy.

I work in an environment where my shoes or boots routinely get wet, I think this helps in keeping my feet dry, and leather footware looking good.

My experience was, this dried my old shoes out even more than they already were. I wonder about quality control – they could not have designed the product to do this – I think putting on anything greasy – like petroleum jelly or mineral oil – would have been much better- Walmart does not sell the really good leather treatments any longer, but this is terrible and as I say, actively damaging.

Not only do not BUY it, do not use it if they give it to you – heck, do not use if if they PAY you to use it.

This waxed leather oil is nice and soft and goes onto shoes very easily with a soft cloth. It soaks in well and gives a lovely deep colour to the shoes. The instructions recommend that the oil is wiped off after a few minutes.

I actually wipe it off and then leave it overnight to really soak in. A little seems to go a long way and I think over time repeated treatment will build up excellent protection for the shoes.

Cherry Blossom Premium works well. I use it on a pair of dealer boots I have. Start with dust brushed off, then Cherry Blossom Premium applied sparingly on a cloth, allow to penetrate for a while, then I brush the boots with a real bristle brush; the resultant finish is what I wanted with no mess & non sticky surface unlike my football boots using dubbin in the 1950’s;.

To be honest it is quite expensive I think. But then again quality costs and this product could add years to a expensive pair of boots. Good quality polish and preservative would really recommend many thanks John.

I have used a lot of different products over the years and I must say this has been the best by far. Goes on easy penetrating leather items for ultimate protection. So if you are looking for a excellent leather waterproofing and conditioner this is it.

I have found no down sides for this product.

I have used this on my work shoes for years. If applied properly (2 coats and I warm the shoes so this product soaks in) I can stand in water up to where the tongue of the shoe is sewn in and they don’t leak.

They are good for several weeks. I wash my shoes off with a hot water hose at the end of the day also. Great product and price.

Easy to apply, and works great. What else can you ask for? My boots, my barbour and filson bags handles and leather, everything I have that can get this stuff gets it.

I just bought this product today for my leather work boots. I applied it to them generously with a rag. I’m going to let them sit for a day and see what happens. I’ll update and let you all know. They are black Harley Davidson steel toe work boots.

After applying the mink oil to them, they are pretty shiney. I was having problems with my toes getting squished in the boot, and someone said to try mink oil to soften them up, so that’s why I bought it.

Like I said, I’ll let you all know how it turns out. I got it from tractor supply, the young lady said it was exactly what I needed after explaining my situation to her. So I’m hoping for the best. And a little dab does a lot and I liked that.

I kinda used a bit of it.

First it arrived super fast. I then used it on my leather coach and Ikea arm chair with leather cushion. They are both cowhide but gone through difference treatments. After applying the paste to my beige leather coach the color got a little darker but also softer.

For my Ikea off-white leather cushion the paste didn’t seem to do much. maybe it needs more time!.

These folks have good pricing and outstanding service. I use the mink oil specifically for the 2 old Jag’s leather seats, as well as other vehicles and furniture. It’s the best stuff out there.

Very useful to keep leather elastic and protected from weather. As Lundhags points out: it makes the leather a bit softer. For me it helped a lot to ”wear in” my new Pecan boots – after applying the grease leather got a tad softer and embraced feet better.

Grease makes the leather turn little darker which I like. It also smells very good – especially for traditional wooden boat enthusiasts! (Pine tar smell!). Very easy to apply by hand.

A good and durable waterproofer! Heat the tin in a bowl of boiling water. Apply by hand, then heat boots with a hair dryer to melt the wax into the leather. While still warm, rub it into the boots by hand for excellent results!.

Still have not received the package. It was shipped on the 8th of March and held in Memphis Fedex center. After filling out paperwork as to the contents and package being released for delivery 10 days later it still hasn’t arrived.

Contacted Fedex and was told the package was undeliverable due to empty box and I should contact the shipper. Not sure who to blame.