Work Boot Care Tips
Steel toe boots are a must in some industries, including construction and warehouse work. Keeping your feet not just safe but also comfortable means you need good quality shoes. Knowing how to take care of your steel toed boots can help you extend their working life while ensuring that you can continue to wear them in comfort. The following tips will help.
Tip #1: Clean daily
Mud, grime, and chemicals all wear away at the leather. This causes cracking as well as the eventual separation of the upper from the sole. Even if you avoid this, the leather can stiffen or warp, which leads to discomfort and blisters. Rinse them off to remove surface dirt. If you are dealing with dried mud, then use a shoe brush to get the worst of it off. Then, once a month give your boots a full cleaning with a scrub brush and a leather cleaner.
Tip #2: Condition your boots
Cleaning makes sense and most people do this at least occasionally, but the conditioning step is sometimes overlooked. Most steel toed boots are made from leather. It will dry and crack if it is allowed to dry out. A leather conditioner protects from this. After washing and drying the boots, you should apply a leather conditioner. This is worked into the leather to keep it supple. Finish off by coating with a leather waterproofing agent, since the process of cleaning and conditioning removes this.
Tip #3: Store properly
Don't just leave your boots on the porch or piled into a corner. Stand boots upright. If you don't wear them daily, invest in a boot insert to prevent them from losing their shape or creasing. Finally, bring them indoors. Boots shouldn't be stored in extremely hot or cold conditions. You can purchase boot trays to keep indoors near the door so you have a place to put your boots without tracking in muck.
Tip #4: Perform repairs
Damage doesn't mean that your boots are done for. A common form of damage is discomfort in your arches as the insoles give out. Fortunately, quality work boots have removable insoles. For just a few dollars, you can replace these and be comfortable again. Another form of damage is loose stitching. This should be fixed by a cobbler as soon as possible. A couple of blown stitches are an easy repair when caught early, but if ignored the shoe can fall apart, the leather can tear, or the steel toe plate can work loose.
For more help, talk to a work boot company, such as Industrial Shoe Company, in your area.