7 Quick Ways To Dry Wet Work Boots (Fast & Easy)

Handy Tricks On How To Dry Wet Work Boots

One of the most uncomfortable feelings is to be walking around in wet boots all day. Some people need to wear their boots for longer hours, and if they are wet, it can end up in blisters and sore feet.

Rest assured; there are ways if you are thinking of how to dry your wet boots fast and I will explain the stuff.

But before that, I want to warn you against some bad practices. Please avoid:

A Few Mistakes To Avoid

The most common complaint received by retailers from the buyers is the outside of their leather boots falling apart.

While many retailers blame it on a manufacturing defect, more often than not the outside of leather boots get worn off due to poor maintenance of the boots on the part of the consumer.

Here is a couple of mistakes that you should avoid:

• Avoid drying your boots with direct heat such as heaters, woodstoves, blow dryers or even camp fires. While these are excellent sources of heat, it is going to be harsh to the outside of your boots. The excess heat from these sources can also affect the glue that holds the various layers of the outer sole together. The least you can go with the campfire but don’t place your pair directly on it.

• If a campfire is one of the only options, you have to dry your boots after a long day of work in some wet environments, keep the boots at a safe distance from the fire. Keep a distance of 2-3 meters between the campfire and the boot. The boots will not get damaged due to this technique.

Prepare Your Boots For The Drying Process

I warn you, if there is mud or dirt on the boots, it may put a permanent stain on the surface after drying. It gets baked into the leather texture. You need to wash your shoes clean to start the drying process. Follow some precautions:

• Make sure your shoes are clean before you start drying them. If they are muddy or dirty, give them a clean wash till all the dirt is taken off. You can also use some detergent to clean your boots to ensure all the dirt is taken off. Once you wash them, tap them dry with an old towel.
• If you haven’t already taken off the laces, make sure you do that before you toss your boots into the drying tips.

 

Best Ways To Dry Wet Work Boots Overnight Or Even Sooner

Boots are made of thick material, and it can take a while to dry them up naturally. Sometimes it takes more them 48 hours so as they are dry naturally.

Good news, there are ways to speed the process up.

If you’re wondering how to dry wet work boots fast, here are a few handy tips that can help you efficiently and make your pair very comfortable to wear.

Using A Fan

You need a sturdy table fan or a floor fan to dry your shoes using this technique.

Always place a towel under the fan, this will absorb all the excess water from your boots and speed up the drying process.

If your shoes have insoles, take them off and keep them out in the sun or toss into the dryer (A top load works fine for insoles). However, if your boot insoles are leather, you need to keep them out in the sun.

Take an old wire and twist it into an ‘S’ shaped hinge. Make sure the hook is large enough and sturdy enough to hold your boots.

Attach the hinges to the fan and hang your boots on the flap lifting the tongue upwards. Turn the fan on full and leave it overnight. Your boots will dry up.

 

Newspaper

If you have delicate boots that you do not want to harm during a drying process, using paper is one of the most efficient methods to dry your boots.

Although this technique will take a while longer, this is an effective way, and you manage to dry your boots without stressing them.

Like all other drying processes, you need first to clean your boots to take off all the dirt.

After the water is drained out from your boots, take off the insoles and keep them aside to dry.

Now carefully pack the insides of boots with newspaper and also wrap the paper all around the pair.

This process does take a little longer to dry your boots, but it is worth it since it is gentle and will not damage your boots in any way.

Make sure you change the newspaper every 2 to 3 hours to speed up the drying process.

 

Boot Dryer

It is a readymade solution.

There are various boot & shoe dryers available in the market that is effective in wiping your shoes.

These dryers collect all the dirty water that is dripping from the shoes.

These help keep the floor clean, and the dryer uses thermal convection heat that helps dry the insides of your footwear efficiently.

SEE OUR BEST BOOT DRYER REVIEWS HERE

 

Shoe Inserts

There are different shoe inserts available in the market that combines incredible moisture wicking fabric and cedar filling that helps draw the moisture out and helps mask the odor as well.

The shoe inserts also come with an antimicrobial coating designed to avoid pathogens growing on inserts.

The Sun

The sun is a natural dryer available to man. The ultraviolet rays of the sun serve two purposes. It dries your boots actually and kills pathogens from your boots as well.

Although the most effective way, it is not the most feasible during the rainy season when there is a lack of adequate sunshine.

Also, if you are in haste, the sun is not a friendly solution. Nevertheless, it’s the best.

Rice

Pour up to 1-inch rice at the bottom of a big plastic bin. This container should be large enough to hold your boots. Then you need to place your wet pair on top of the rice and seal the tray shut. The rice will suck out the moisture within a few hours. It’s a very useful trick.

Towel

Another effective way to dry shoes is with the help of an old used towel sheet. Make sure that the towel is completely dry before using it.

• Wash the shoes and take off all the mud and dirt. Then take off the laces and the insoles.
• Take the corners of the towel and tuck it inside the boots. Wrap the rest of the towel around the shoe and place it under the fan.
• After a while, take out the towel, use a new piece and repeat the process.

This process will take a few hours for your shoes to dry up completely; however it will not damage the shoes in any way and is extremely useful for lighter colored boots.

 

Where From Now?

Voila! Your boots are dry. But are they ready to wear? Unfortunately, they are not.

The water is a big enemy to the strength, charm, and sheen of the leather. Once you dry your boots, you must take a few further measures to restore its beauty and masculinity. How to do that? Let me explain: 

UV Shoe Sanitizer

In a humid environment, some harmful bacteria grow. These include Staph and MRSA that cause toenail fungus and athlete’s foot.

Even if the moisture and water are evaporated, these harmful germs are still residing inside the boots.

You must give your boots some treatments to kill them.

The ultraviolet shoe sanitizer is a scientifically tested product that kills almost all harmful viruses, fungi, and bacteria that resides in the shoes.

The best part of this sanitizer is that it kills all these bacteria only within 45 minutes.

These can kill all the germs present in wet shoes.

Please note, you do not need to use the sanitizer if you choose the sun as your boot dryer.

 

Saddle Soap

Your boots are dry and free of germs that mean they are ready to wear, aren’t they? Sorry but I still ask you to take one more step, and that is restoring their shine and strength.

Nurture them with a shoe nourisher. These readymade boot nourishing solutions restore the shine of the leather; it’s natural moisture and strength of the leather fibers. For the purpose, I recommend you using modern day saddle soaps . They clean, nourish, and strengthen the leather perfectly.

And one more thing, your boots are all set to wear. 🙂

 

Conclusion

One of the most important things to keep in mind is to dry the inner’s of the shoes before you attempt to dry out the rest of the pair.

The tongue and insole can take the longest to dry, and the inability to wipe them completely will affect the health of the feet as well.

I don’t recommend any trick to dry insoles as they are a just a light flap and dries up quick naturally.

Hope this guide on how to dry up your wet work boots helped and taught you new and faster tricks.

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