Give winter footwear problems the boot
Winter is here and with that comes wet rainy and snow-filled days.
Most of us in North Idaho spend a lot of time outside sloshing around in mud, slush and muck. Consequently our shoes and boots take a real beating. If our footwear is not cared for properly the cost of replacing those items every year can be very expensive.
Proper care of footwear begins with choosing the right product for the environment you will be working or playing in.
For example, if you cross a stream wearing a pair of athletic shoes, you should not expect your feet to stay warm and dry. On the other hand if you have a good pair of work boots that have been treated properly, your expectation will be met.
When leather becomes wet on the inside from perspiration and wet on the outside from rain or snow the boot must be dried slowly.
Forced drying, especially with heat will cause the leather to harden and shrink. The best technique for drying boots is placing the boot upside down on cedar boot stands. I usually put some kitty litter in an old sock, tie the sock sealing in the kitty litter and placing the sock into the toe section of my boot before placing it on the stand; the kitty litter will pull out moisture from the toe section and the cedar stand will pull out moisture from the stack section of the boot.
This process really expedites the drying process. If the boot is really wet it could take two days to fully dry. It’s best to have several pairs of treated work boots.
There are several types of products that make boots water repellent.
Most of these products contain silicone. In my view silicone has very limited use primarily because it doesn’t prevent moisture from entering the boot or shoe if you step into water above the sole.
There are a lot of products of the open market that profess to be waterproofing agents. They are — goose grease, bear grease, mink oil, neatsfoot oil, lanolin, petrolatum (petroleum jelly), silicone oil, mineral oil, and pine tar. These products fill the cells of the leather boot so water can’t enter. Most of these are fluid at room temperature.
After a few applications you will see the residue on your sock. The leather gets soft and can no longer absorb the perspiration from your feet. Saturated leather cannot absorb perspiration and loses its insulation value so your feet feel cold and clammy. (I hate when that happens.)
The best product to use for water proofing boots is beeswax. The superiority of wax results from a combination of its ability to remain fixed on the outer layer of the leather and its superior water resistance.
Beeswax has a melting point of 1460 degrees Fahrenheit. It is very dry and oil free, thus once applied is not only waterproof but extremely durable. Beeswax provides just enough lubrication to prevent hardening of the leather. It allows the leather to absorb moisture keeping your feet warm and toasty.
If you would like to share a cleaning idea or concept with the reading audience, call Ed at NWES (208-255-2266) or toll free at 1-877-311-NWES. E-mail them to nwees@hughes.ne. or send them to Bonner County Daily Bee, 310 Church St., Sandpoint, ID 83864, Attn: What Would Ed do. For more information about Ed’s company, check him out at NWESINC.COM.
Copy written by Edmond E. Madan, certified forensic, fire, flood, mold inspection and remediation contractor. Ed is the president o. Northwest Executive & Environmental Services, Inc.