Work Boot Care Guide - How To Care for Safety Footwear

Extend the longevity of your work boots with these pro-care tips.

The Right Care For My Safety Boot 

We are usually on our feet for more than 8 hours a day at work. Depending on the activity, our shoes are subjected to different levels of stress, wear and tear. Keeping care of them in the right way will help extend the lifespan of your boots while preventing any impairment of safety functions. 

Distinction Between The Materials

The first thing you will need to do is make a distinction between the different materials. For example, leather requires different treatment compared to other textiles. If not treated correctly or at all it can damage the upper of your safety shoe, and dramatically shorten it’s lifespan. Such as becoming more brittle, leaking, or loss of breathability and waterproofness.

Washing Machines Aren’t The Solution

The basic rule is that work shoes do not belong in the washing machine. Otherwise the safety shoes could lose their function, that applies in particular to work boots with Gore-Tex climate membrane!
A pro tip is to use a shoehorn, as it helps to ensure that the shoe is not deformed in the heel area.

Care For Leather Shoes

After cleaning with a brush, leather shoes should always be treated with wax or a special leather polish so that the leather does not become brittle and hard. These type of leather care products keep the leather supple and resistant. Another advantage is that dirt rolls off better with regular care and there is less soiling. It is important to ensure that the care products do not contain fat, otherwise, the breathable pores of the leather are closed and the safety shoe loses its breathability.

Care For Textiles And Mixed Fabrics In Safety Footwear

Safety shoes made of textile and/or mixed fabrics should not be cleaned with a brush but with a damp cloth, otherwise, the dirt will be rubbed into the fabric. This can be done with lukewarm water and a bar of pH-neutral soap. It is important to dab off the dirt carefully and to avoid strong rubbing. A textile protection spray can be used to enhance waterproofness and breathability of the synthetic upper. 

Alternate Between Two Sets Of Work Boots

12hrs is too short to get all moisture out of your work boots!
Bamboo socks, anti-sweat socks, barefoot - there is no remedy.

Every shoe wearer transpires a large amount of fluid in the form of sweat during the course of his working day, which is also transported away through the feet and socks into the boot.
For this reason, every safety shoe wearer should have two pairs of work shoes. This enables you to wear them alternately so that the shoe can dry on the inside. In order to enable better drying, the inner soles should be removed from the shoes and dried separately.