A good pair of boots will take you anywhere — from a garden to a shindig to a city street. Blundstones, in particular, are known for being just as functional as they are stylish, which means you can wear them to shear sheep, run errands, trip the light fantastic, or walk all over the town in search of the best croissants.

Boots have a reputation for being hard-wearing, earthy types, but if you want them to last forever, they need proper looking-after (more than the occasional spit-clean, at least). Of course, how you care for your beloved Blunnies or similar footwear depends on what they’re made of. To help you out, we’ve gathered a few handy tips for giving your boots the TLC they need to stay looking their best.GET RID OF DIRT, GRIME AND OTHER SURFACE NASTIES If you wear your boots every day, or take them on messy adventures, give them a regular wipe-down using material-appropriate methods, as in: don’t wipe your suede boots with everyday hand soap! (You’ll send the gods and goddesses of boot-cleaning into hysterics!)

On leather boots, like Blundstone’s Original #500s, use a soft-bristled brush or damp cloth to remove bits of caked dirt. You have to be a little more gentle with waxed suede boots (made from the soft underside of an animal hide), and use a suede brush. For boots made of nubuck (leather that's buffed to look like suede), pick up a dry nubuck cloth, then brush lightly in a circular motion with a nubuck brush.

Vegan boots, like Blundstone’s vegan Chelseas, require less special attention. Wipe them with any ol’ damp cloth, and they’re good to go!SCRUB ‘EM UP WITH A DEEP CLEAN Staining your suede or nubuck boots is best avoided, but not the end of the world (who hasn’t experienced the singular agony of knocking a drink onto their favourite shoes?) To tend to your suede kicks, wet a suede brush with a little water, pour a tiny bit of suede cleaner on it, then rub the stain clean. For nubuck, try spray-on nubuck cleaning solution, then wiping clean with your nubuck cloth. When you’re done, dab the shoe with a clean towel and leave your boots to air dry.

To deep-clean lace-up boots, like Blundstone’s #1931 lace-ups, scrub the eyelets and lace holes with a nail brush.

Don’t forget about the insoles – they get pretty sweaty and stinky rubbing up against your socks all day. If they’re fully removable (like Blundstone’s are), you can take them out for a gentle hand wash, then leave to try flat in natural light.DE-SCUFF AND POLISH YOUR KICKS Unless you’re going for that super-scuffed look — one that says ‘these kicks have been to hell and back’ — a regular polish will spruce them up and keep them looking good as new.

Apply leather polish or cream, like Blundstone’s renovating cream, to maintain the shiny look and colour of your leather boots. Rub a small amount of the product onto a polishing cloth or brush, then rub in circles.

Remove scuffs from suede and nubuck boots using a gum eraser, those old-school erasers you used to use in school or art class (seriously, they work!).PROTECT YOUR STYLISH STOMPERS Protect your leather boots from hot, dry weather the way you’d protect your mug. Moisturising leather with renovating cream will make the leather last longer and keep it from cracking.

Wet weather is the arch nemesis of suede and nubuck boots. Water tends to stain them, so it’s a good idea to waterproof them regularly with Blundstone’s waterproofing spray.STORE THEM WITH CARE You probably know by now that direct sunlight and heaters have an unpleasantly drying effect on your skin. It’s the same with leather, which tends to try out when left outside in the hot sun or tossed next to a radiator. There’s no such thing as a hat or SPF for your boots, so keep them away from direct sunlight (when they’re not on your feet, of course).

This handy-dandy guide to boot-tending was brought to you by the boot boffins at Blundstone. Check out their website for all-things boot care, or to pick up a few lovely stompers of your own.