Waterproof work boots are really great for keeping your boots dry on the outside and they do not let in any water even if you step inside a pool of water!
But, if a work boot is waterproof, it is also bound to be non-breathable which would mean that your feet will sweat on the inside and as a result, though the waterproof feature would keep the boots dry on the outside, your boots would get wet from the sweat within.
Therefore, it is essential to know the ways on how to dry waterproof boots on the inside and our today’s article is entirely based on giving you 10 such amazing ways to dry waterproof boots on the inside!
You can dry the inside of the boots using a towel, using newspapers, using moisture wicking socks, under the fan, using a boot dryer or a hair dryer, using rice filled within the boots, etc.
Not only this, the article will also cover other important points such as why waterproof boots become wet from inside, how to avoid that, what would be the effects on your feet, etc.
Curious; right?
Let’s read on…
Why waterproof work boots become wet from inside?
The very first reason why waterproof boots make you sweat is that they are not breathable. As they are not breathable, they don’t allow air flow within the boots and as a result when your feet get heated up due to excessive physical work, they tend to sweat and as the boots are not breathable, the sweat have no escape route from within the boots. The sweat, at the end gets trapped within the inside of the boots and become wet!
Well, there are some other factors too behind making them wet from the inside and they are:
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- If the weather outside is too hot, your feet will sweat from the inside a lot and make the boots from inside
- Having foot ailments such as athletes foot and hyper-hydrosis will make your feet sweat more
- The waterproof coating on leather work boots block the pores of the leather which allow them to breathe and as a result the sweat cannot evaporate through the pores and makes the boots wet within
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To know more read our article on do waterproof work boots make your feet sweat?
Effects on feet of getting wet boots in the inside:
If your feet sweat excessively inside the boots, you might develop the following ailments:
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- Excessive sweating might lead to whitening of the sweaty area and in the long time would develop loose skin which would then start peeling off
- It might cause blisters due to sweat accumulation
- Sweat accumulation can also lead to bacterial growth in the feet and result in fungal infections
- One most irritating effect of sweaty feet is having smelly feet that is a sheer cause of embarrassment for you
- It will also cause discomfort at work and cause itching in the feet
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10 Ways to Dry Waterproof Work Boots on the Inside
Still in case your waterproof work boots get wet from the inside, just follow the quick tips from our experts to dry them fast easily:
1.) Using a good boot dryer:
A good boot dryer will be around 2 horsepower and should dry your boots pretty fast. What you need to do is just insert the pipe of the boot dryer inside the boots, reaching out different parts by changing the position of the pipe at regular intervals.
2.) Using your hair dryer:
A hair dryer would do pretty much the same job as the boot dryer. Just turn on the heat setting to the highest and start blowing the dryer inserting the mouth of the dryer on the inside of the boots.
3.) Using a towel:
In case your boots are heavily drenched in water, take two clean and dry towels and insert them inside the boots and let them soak up the moisture within the boots overnight. Next day take the towels out and dry the boots under the fan or just blow them with the hair dryer.
4.) Using old newspapers:
This too is applicable for extremely wet boots. Take few newspapers or kitchen rolls and mould them in the shape of your boot and insert them within the boots. The newspapers would soak up the moisture and dry the inside of the boots. Don’t forget to dry the boots under the fan after taking out the newspapers.
5.) Using shoe inserts:
Shoe inserts have an incredible moisture wicking properties and soak up all the moisture from the inside of the boots when inserted in the boots and left for overnight. But do not forget to dry them thoroughly under the fan afterwards.
6.) Using rice:
Fill your boots with rice and let the rice soak up the water and get puffed overnight. Next day throw away the rice from the boots and allow the boots to sundry for a few hours.
7.) Dry them under the fan:
This is the most common and the easiest way to dry boots. After taking out the insoles and laces, place the boots under the fan and let them dry overnight.
8.) Dry them in the sun:
If your boots have changed color because of being wet and have developed bacterial growths within, it is necessary to keep them under the sun for a few hours. But do not forget to condition the boots and polish them because sundried boots tend to get harder and fades the color of the leather.
9.) Using cat litter:
Using cat litter works the same as filling your boots with rice. Leave the cat litter inside your boots overnight and then dry them under the fan the next day.
10.) Using moisture wicking socks:
Insert some moisture wicking socks inside the socks until there is no space left within the boots and leave overnight. The moisture wicking socks will soak up all the moisture within the boots and make them dry.
4 Ways to dry the outside of the waterproof boots
1. Dry the outside of the waterproof boots using a dryer:
You can either use a boot dryer or your regular hair dryer for this purpose. Wear off your boots and drain the water if any from the inside of the boots. Then use the dryer to dry the boots thoroughly using the maximum heating temperature in the settings.
2. Dry the outside of the waterproof boots under the fan:
This is in fact, the easiest and the safest way to dry the outside of the waterproof boots. All you need to do is just place your boots under the fan overnight and the next day your boots would be dry. If not, just spare another day and let the boots dry under the fan thoroughly.
3. Dry the outside of the waterproof boots in the sun:
This process is a bit tricky because over exposure of the leather to the sun can dry out the leather by ripping it off its essential oils and as a result, the leather might crack.
So, when the boots are extremely wet, place them in the sun and monitor when they are semi dry. The moment you feel that your boots are not that dry anymore, take them away from the sun and place the boots under the sun.
4. Dry the outside of the waterproof boots using a towel:
Yes, a towel can dry out the leather as well if not alone then by the use of a dryer later. In case your boots are drenched in water, wear them off and wrap a towel over the boots.
The towel will soak all the water from the outside of the boots and then you can dry the rest of the moisture with the help of a dryer.
5 Ways to Avoid Being Wet in the Inside of the Boots
Thank God we have some excellent tricks on keeping your feet away from releasing sweat and making your work boots wet. Have a look:
1.) Remove your boots while taking break from work (say at lunch):
While you are not working, like while having a lunch or resting in between work, just take off your work boots and allow your feet to breathe and have some fresh air. This will not only cool down your feet, but also let all the sweat evaporate in the air.
2.) Wear moisture wicking socks:
Wearing moisture wicking socks will absorb the sweat in the fibers of the socks and keep your boots as well as your feet dry.
3.) Use some talcum powder:
Talcum powder works great in absorbing the sweat and clogging the pores that produce sweat. It also keeps your feet dry and cool so that sweat is not produced in the feet while working.
4.) Apply antiperspirants:
Antiperspirants do almost the same job of creating a sweat barrier in your feet that prevents sweating of the feet. It also helps to prevent the odor from wearing work boots all day long.
5.) Choose the boots that are breathable:
In modern times, there a lot of boots available in the market those are breathable besides being waterproof. So, look at the features of the boots before buying them.
It’s time to bid Adieu!
Some quick tips to note before you go:
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- Before drying your boots, take out the insoles and all the inserts and also the laces.
- Do not forget to fold the tongue of the boots backwards. This will allow the air to pass inside the boots more due to increased open inlet for air circulation inside the boots.
- Before you dry your boots, clean your boots thoroughly of any dirt or grease using saddle soap or just soap and warm water solution.
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That’s all for today! See you soon in our next article, till then,
Take care, stay safe and healthy and…
Have a great day ahead!
