Caring for your Safety Footwear To Make Them Last Longer

A Good Work Partner

Safety footwear are one of the most important pieces of clothing you need in the workplace. They provide optimal protection for the user’s feet against hazardous chemicals or oil and in the factory as well as heavy objects or pointed objects in the worksite. As they are frequently used in the workplace, they are subjected to wear and tear. 

Although they are sturdy, they require regular cleaning and constant care, in order to last long and keep the feet safe and healthy.

How long safety shoes usually last for

A vast majority of manufacturers of safety shoes state that the average lifespan of their products is between 6 and 12 months. However, the actual lifespan is also dependent on the frequency of wearing as well as the work environment.

A bad maintenance of your safety footwear can compromise the performances and the level of protection, exposing you to risks. Let’s see how to make a proper cleaning of work shoes.

Cleaning of Work Shoes: Breathable Flyknit Sneakers

• Taking a shoe brush or an old toothbrush and brushing dust and dirt away before washing.
• Taking the laces off the shoes for cleaning.
• Stirring some drops of dish soap in a bucket or a sink full of cold water.
• Dipping an old toothbrush in the water and soap and brusingh the cloth gently with circular movements, until all stains are gone.
• Using a clean and damp cloth to rinse the soap off the shoe and repeating until the cloth is clean and all the shoe has been removed.
• Crumpling up some paper towel or shreds of newspaper and putting them into the shoes. That will help maintain their original shape while they dry.
• Placing the shoe in some well-ventilated place, so that they can dry naturally.

Cleaning of Work Boots: Leather or Nubuck Boots

• Taking the removable insole off before starting if applicable.
• Rinsing the shoes thoroughly with plain water, to quickly remove the bulk of dust and dirt.
• Using a soft cloth to remove any remaining dirt from the boots surface.
• Rinsing the shoes thoroughly again and letting them dry completely.
• Avoid leaving the boots near heat sources or exposing to the sun, because they may shrink or undergo deformation.
• Putting some shreds of paper in them, so that they will maintain their shape.
• Your nubuck or leather work boots will look almost like new once they dried and you gave them a quick brush.

Avoid doing:

• Avoid trying to speed up the drying process by using a hair dryer or sunlight. however, this damages the footwear even more. 
• Avoid using nail polish remover to get rid of difficult stains as they damage the leather. These products contain acetone, which removes the leather’s color. 
• Avoid using products that contain alcohol as they damage the top layer of leather.

Caring for Your Safety Footwear

Your safety footwear’ lifespan is heavily dependent on how they are used and maintained. Therefore, it is important to take utmost care of them to maximize its usage as well as to ensure that your feet are well-protected at all times.

On another side, it is very important to get them replaced when they are no longer protective or comfortable: 

• Wear and tear: The treads of your work shoes became smooth, in other words, they are no longer as slip-resistant as before.
• Leaks: There are signs of fluids leaking in, if you are regularly exposed to corrosive materials, you should get rid off your current footwear immediately.
• Comfort: Discomfort is footwear can result in cuts on your foot or blisters and can even result in musculoskeletal pain in other parts of your body.

If you are looking for a replacement for safety footwear, check out our catalogue of safety footwear. Find More Coupons for USINE PRO on wethrift.com.