Keeping your feet dry while you are at work, or anywhere for that matter, isn’t just important from a comfort standpoint, because dry feet are also healthier feet.
Protecting your feet against perspiration buildup is just as crucial as preventing outside moisture from getting in. If you’ve ever had to endure a day with sweaty or wet feet, you are aware of the misery they can cause.
Your feet will slip and slide around in your shoe, and painful blisters can develop. If it’s cold, then your feet will feel the sting of the weather even more so than the rest of your body, which adds immeasurably to the discomfort.
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When your feet are wet, you can’t wait to get home to take off your work boots, but once you do, you still have cold, sore feet that are also the source of an unpleasant odor. And, to add to the trauma, your shoes might not dry before it’s time to head out again, so the next day could be more of the same, or even worse.
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How to Keep Your Feet Dry in Work Boots
We ask a lot of them, but you shouldn’t ask your feet to put up with being wet, regardless of how long you keep them cooped up in sturdy work boots. Here are a few tips you can use to ensure your feet remain comfortable, healthy, dry, odorless, and blister-free.
1. Use Good Quality Inserts
Two or three pairs of good quality inserts for work boots can help you keep odors at bay while ensuring your feet spend the day in a dry environment. Inserts soak up the sweat and odors, and once you get home, you can take them out and throw them into the washer – which is why having a few pairs can be handy.
Inserts can also add a great deal of comfort to your boots if your job requires you to stay on your feet all day.
2. Wear the Right Socks
It’s surprising how much time people will spend choosing a quality pair of boots, but then throw on any old pair of socks. Even the best pair of boots won’t help you when you combine them with a cheap pair of socks.
There are socks for office workers, and there are socks for work boots. High-quality socks will wick the moisture away from your feet to keep them dry, but they won’t be so thin as to allow the moisture to soak into the inside material of the shoe.
Also Read: Why do my feet sweat so much in my work boots?
3. Choose Your Boots
The first rule when asking yourself, “how to keep my feet dry in work boots?” is to choose high-quality work boots. Many of the top brands manufacture work boots that are waterproof on the outside but also do an excellent job of managing moisture buildup from sweat on the inside.
You will also need to consider your work environment when deciding on a good pair of work boots. If you work outside in winter, boots that have insulation will keep your feet warm. Work areas that are regularly wet will need the best waterproofing you can find, and slippery work areas will need excellent traction.
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If you have flat feet, that means you don’t have a natural arch. So, when it comes to choosing work boots for flat fleet, make sure you choose the kind that can artificially correct your fallen arches. That means picking boots whose footbed, insole, and outsole has raised arches to just the right degree
4. Get Two Pairs of Boots
Regardless of how good a pair of working boots you have, if you need to wear them every day, then there’s a good chance they won’t dry out properly from the previous day’s sweat.
One of the best ways to keep your feet dry in work boots is to have an extra pair with which you can alternate. This system will give each pair of boots an extra day to air and dry out.
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Moisture left over from a hot, sweaty day will never completely dry overnight. Over time you will create the perfect environment for fungus and bacteria to breed, which both love the dark, moist warmth of the inside of your shoe.
5. Buy Work Boots That Fit
We all love a good pair of perfect fitting shoes, but if they fit too perfectly, you may be setting yourself up for problems. When a boot fits snugly around your foot, there’s no room for air circulation. So, the trick is to get boots that fit well, but also give your feet room to breathe.
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6. Try Desiccant Packets
Don’t throw out those little packets of silica gel you get when buying electronic equipment. These tiny moisture absorbers can help remove the odor and excess moisture from your shoes.
Of course, we’re not suggesting you put them in your boots while you are wearing them. However, if the day has been long and hot, and your feet have been sweaty, a handful of silica gel packets will help get your boots dry and remove odors, so they are ready for the next time you need them.
7. Electric Boot Drying Rack
A good pair of boots can be expensive, so a second pair may not be possible. If you only have one pair and want to make sure your shoes are dry every morning before you put them on, you could invest in an electric shoe drying rack.
Electric shoe racks are a lot like the electric towel racks you see in bathrooms, except they are made for shoes. You put your boots on upside down over the rack, and the built-in heating elements ensure your boots get warm enough to dry out fast, without getting too hot.
The other benefit to an electric shoe drying rack is that they can make putting your boots on during a cold winter’s morning a part of your day you can look forward to before heading out for work.
An alternative to a shoe drying rack is a fan heater put on a low setting, but you want to make sure your boots are a safe distance away, so they don’t get too hot and start burning.
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8. Powder Your Feet
Foot powder can help keep your feet and the inside of your boots dry. The powder is designed to soak up excess moisture, reduce odor buildup, and kill off any fungus and bacteria that may be trying to set up colonies inside your boot.
Some people have also had some success using antiperspirant on their feet to help keep them dry by stopping them from sweating.
When you need to spend all day, every day in your work boots, being able to keep your feet dry can significantly improve the health of your feet, as well as keep you more comfortable. By using a combination of good quality work boots and socks, and a few of the other tips mentioned above, you should never have to come home with cold, wet, blistered feet ever again.
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