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Product Care FAQs



WHAT CLEANING PRODUCTS CAN I USE ON A CANVAS SHOE?

Renewbuck™ cleaner, the Dry Cleaning Kit, and Balm Proofer™ All-Purpose Protector can all be safely used on canvas footwear.




CAN I USE A BLOW DRYER ON MY BOOTS/SHOES AFTER APPLYING BALM PROOFER?

Yes. A blow dryer will help the product bind to the material, creating a strong barrier to protect from oil and water stains




HOW DO I RESTORE MY BOOTS THAT HAVE FADED OVER THE YEARS?

For leather, Waximum™ Waxed Leather Protector is designed to restore oils. For other materials, fading is a normal reaction to general wear, tear, and exposure to the sun. 




CAN I POLISH MY FOOTWEAR?

Yes – most polishes will work with Timberland® leather footwear.




HOW DO I GET AN OIL STAIN OUT OF MY BOOTS?

Oil stain removal is very difficult. One thing that may help is brushing with a wire brush, particularly if it’s nubuck leather.




HOW HARD CAN I PRESS AND USE THE ERASER BAR IN THE DRY CLEANING KIT?

To get deep stains like ink off the finished suede, you may need to work the eraser bar aggressively - but this may dull or damage the finish. One way to increase the effectiveness of the eraser bar is to add water to the bar and then use on the stains. Using the brush in the end is important in bringing the nap back.




HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR LEATHER FOOTWEAR SOFT AND SUPPLE?

Waximum™ Waxed Leather Protector is the star of the show here: This product softens leathers and also maintains the breathability of the material. Note that this is not for use on suede and nubuck leathers. 




HOW DO I CLEAN AND THEN PROTECT AGAINST GETTING THE BLUE JEAN RING AROUND MY BOOTS?

In a few cases, this stubborn stain has been successfully removed using the Renewbuck™ cleaner, along with the dry cleaning kit. Using the cleaner softens the finish, and then you can use the eraser bar to work through the stain. Of course the biggest preventative is using Balm Proofer™ All-Purpose Protector as an initial protective barrier. Using the protector helps keep stains off AND helps with cleaning, if you get it before the stain’s really set in.




I SEE THE TERM “AOX” A LOT AROUND PRODUCT CARE/CLEANING PRODUCTS. WHAT IS IT, AND WHY DON’T TIMBERLAND® CLEANING PRODUCTS USE IT?

AOX (adsorbable organic halides) consist of a collection of organic compounds used in bleaching and cleaning. The reason these compounds pose a potential concern is because they resist breaking down in our environment. Some of the molecules are toxic at high concentrations, and can accumulate in the food chain through aquatic organisms. Therefore, we wanted to be sure that our product is AOX-free.




WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO STORE CLEANING PRODUCTS?

Store product care in stable conditions – a place that doesn’t have a huge variance in temperature. Inside your house somewhere should be fine.




IF YOU OVER TREAT A JACKET WITH WAX, HOW CAN YOU DRY IT OUT?

Using too much wax can leave a jacket feeling sticky. If this happens, we recommend using a soft cloth to remove the excess wax.




HOW CAN YOU REMOVE BLOOD/WATER STAINS FROM A SMOOTH LEATHER SHOE?

Removing blood stains from leather can be tricky. The first line of defense against blood stains is properly protecting the leather with Balm Proofer™ All-Purpose Protector or Waximum™ Waxed Leather Protector. Water stains can also be removed with a mixture of diluted vinegar and Renewbuck™ cleaner. After cleaning, use Balm Proofer™ All-Purpose protector.




HOW “ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS” ARE TIMBERLAND® PRODUCT CARE PRODUCTS?

Timberland® Product Care has been developed with the environment in mind:

  • Low VOCs – VOCs are chemicals that pollute the atmosphere.


  • No Phosphates – a common ingredient in cleansers that can harm rivers, streams and other bodies of fresh water.


  • Water-based – All protectors, conditioners, cleaners and creams are water based, making them more environmentally conscious and worker friendly than solvent-based products.


  • No PVC – our packaging, labels, inks and containers are made without PVC, a plastic commonly used in manufacturing that has been linked to human and environmental health concerns.


  • REACH Compliant – REACH is an EU regulatory system for chemicals. Our product care contains no SVHCs. All Timberland® product care packaging is recyclable.




DOES PROOFING THE PRODUCT REDUCE THE BREATHABILITY?

Proofing the leather should not affect the breathability of the leather.




CAN I REVERSE THE EFFECTS OF THE BALM PROOFER DARKENING MY FOOTWEAR BY USING WATER AND MILD SOAP?

Reversing these effects is difficult. One thing that may help is brushing with a wire brush, particularly if it’s nubuck leather.




WILL BALM PROOFER™ ALL-PURPOSE PROTECTOR STAIN OR DISCOLOR MY FOOTWEAR?

If used correctly, no staining or discoloration should occur. In rare cases, darkening may occur. You can decide to test on a small area first.




CAN I USE BALM PROOFER™ ALL-PURPOSE PROTECTOR ON SUEDE LEATHER?

Yes. However, allow the product time to dry. Also, note that it may darken the appearance of lighter suede leathers.




HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO APPLY PRODUCT CARE TO MY FOOTWEAR / APPAREL?

Balm Proofer™ All-Purpose Protector should be applied on the day of purchase. After that, the frequency of cleaning and protecting is entirely at the wearer’s discretion. The more you wear it, the more you need to protect and clean it. For everyday use, we recommend cleaning and protecting once a week and more often as necessary.




CAN THE BALM PROOFER™ ALL-PURPOSE PROTECTOR BE USED ON FOOTWEAR WITH A GORE-TEX® MEMBRANE?

Yes.




WHAT IS THE EXPIRATION DATE ON TIMBERLAND® PRODUCT CARE PRODUCTS?

The Timberland® product care collection is not subject to an expiration date. These products will remain in their original state for well over five years if kept in stable conditions where there aren’t extreme temperature changes.