There is a common misconception that work shoes are the types of shoes that do not require a great deal of maintenance and care. After all, are they not specifically the kind of shoes that are designed to withstand the rigors of manual labor and challenging conditions? Are they not the type of shoes that are worn all day long? Certainly, the answer to both questions is “yes” – these are the type of shoes built to withstand a great deal of stress and still “perform”.
However, that is not to say that they do not require any sort of care. While they might not be purchased or worn for any aesthetic reasons, being worn for long shifts on a regular basis does mean that they will very often smell – and badly at that. Accordingly, applying a good shoe deodorizer spray is one of the ways in which work shoes can and should be cared for. But there is more to it than just that.
Why Do Work Shoes Need Care?
Just like a joiner’s hammer or a fisherman’s boat, work shoes are one of the tools of trade that need to fulfill a function. And because they rarely come cheap it makes sense to ensure they can fulfill that function for as long as possible. Work shoes can very often lose their breathability and become brittle if they are not cared for properly. This might not cause them to fall apart, but if they suffer blows (which is what they are designed to do) they can be damaged more easily when not cared for properly.
Also, if your work shoes lose their breathability, they can very quickly become uncomfortable to wear. This is an aspect of work shoes that is very often neglected. After all, if they are going to properly protect you, they need to work for long hours. This will soon become an unpleasant experience if the shoes lose their comfort, which can mean that you ultimately neglect to put them on at all. ShoeFresh, a company specializing in shoe care products, say that a good deal of their business goes towards customers with work shoes.
Tips for Caring for Work shoes
Accordingly, it is an incredibly good idea to wise up on proper work shoe care. This need not be an arduous task – we are not talking about keeping an expensive pair of leather winkle pickers looking their best here – but some diligence is certainly required if your work shoes are going to last.
Clean Your Shoes Every Day
We’re not talking about a full clean here, merely wiping off the dust and dirt from your shoes after every shift. When dirt is allowed to settle and set into work shoes, this accelerates their degradation.
Air Out Your Work Shoes
The smell from work shoes that haven’t been aired can be truly foul. More than just that though, allowing moisture to remain inside the work shoes can degrade the interior and the insole. It also helps to use a shoe deodorizer like ShoeFresh.
Deal With Wet Shoes
For the same reason, you shouldn’t let a pair of wet work shoes sit overnight. A good tip is to remove the insoles and stuff them with newspaper.
Use a Shoehorn
This is not a particularly difficult tip to follow as all it involves is a one-off purchase to allow you to put these heavy shoes on properly every morning. This will stop the heel losing its shape and will make your work shoes last considerably longer.
As you can see, none of these tips are particularly arduous. However, following them means you can expect your work shoes not only to last, but to perform as well.