Weather in a slushy winter or in the off-season threatens both depression due to lack of sun and comfort, and colds due to cold and wet feet. Therefore, the question of how to make shoes waterproof is especially relevant at such a time. Using simple methods, you can save your he alth and save money on buying new boots or boots.
Causes of shoes getting wet
It's no secret that wet feet are a harbinger of a runny nose and high fever. Therefore, in order to understand how to keep your feet dry and warm, you need to figure out why boots get wet in a slushy or rainy season. The reason for this may be:
- Peeling off the sole. Often, increased humidity is due precisely to damage to the sole or its loose fit to the boot itself.
- Bad shoe quality. Budget boots at an attractive price usually have a significant drawback:disgusting quality. In production, cheap materials are used, and a lot of flaws and shortcomings are allowed in manufacturing technology.
- Influence of chemical reagents. They are used in winter to sprinkle slippery roads, which negatively affects the condition of even the strongest and most expensive boots.
- Synthetic materials. Under the influence of low temperatures, artificial leather and other synthetic materials tend to crack, which also negatively affects moisture resistance.
- Manufacturer savings on special impregnation for shoes during production.
Proper preparation of shoes for winter
In order not to look when it's too late, information on how to make shoes waterproof, you should immediately prepare them for winter. For this you need:
- Check whether the sole, seams, leather and accessories are intact in all places.
- Wash and clean the surface.
- Replace heels if needed and reinforce heels.
- Sew (strengthen) the seams.
- Strengthen the sole with insufficient strength. With the help of such a preventive measure, it will become denser, will not wear out and slip so quickly. But you need to make sure that the master finishes it with high-quality material that is resistant to reagents and low temperatures. It is optimal to use wear-resistant rubber or polyurethane, but cheap resit should not be considered as an amplifier.
Professional Protective Equipment
There are various ways to make leather shoeswaterproof. The easiest, but also the most expensive thing is to purchase special tools for processing boots or boots. They are sold in all shoe stores and differ in the manufacturer and the material for which they are intended. The most effective are:
- Salamander Universal SMS. Made in the form of a spray and suitable for both leather and suede or textiles. In addition to protecting against moisture and dirt, it improves the appearance of products.
- Ecco. It is a fast acting spray as it dries in less than a minute. Its use guarantees moisture resistance and breathability of shoes.
- Salamander. Treating leather shoes with this oily cream makes shoes waterproof and improves their appearance by restoring shine, repairing scratches and removing roughness. The main ingredient of the product is natural wax.
- Collonil Nanopro. The best spray for covering nubuck products. It can also process leather boots, velor ankle boots and textile boots.
- Grangers G-Wax Impregnation Cream is ideal for water and s alt protection of rough leather boots and boots.
- Quality Swedish impregnation SMS Olvist is designed to treat suede. This is the best way to make suede shoes waterproof, given that they are not waterproof at all. And the use of improvised means can ruin its appearance.
Processing mechanism
It is important not only to buy, but also to apply the product correctly so that the shoes aremoisture resistant and comfortable to wear.
Before applying a cream or spray, boots or boots must be cleaned of dirt, washed and left to dry.
Spray should be sprayed once - as long as it is absorbed into the material being processed. This is a great way to make your shoes waterproof in 8 minutes. But the cream is applied three times - once a day. This will ensure maximum effect.
Universal recommendations
In order for boots, boots or shoes to last a long time and at the same time look beautiful, you need to wear them correctly, namely, according to the weather. Then the question of how to make shoes waterproof at home will not be so relevant. Here are some general tips for saving shoes:
- You should always carefully study the recommendations of the manufacturer. If they say that the boots are waterproof, then they can be worn in slush and rain. If shoes or boots are not designed for high humidity, you should not walk in them through snowdrifts and puddles, otherwise they will quickly become unusable.
- If the financial opportunity does not allow you to separately purchase shoes for the rainy season, it is enough to get ordinary galoshes. On sale today there are even transparent models that are not at all conspicuous. A great way to protect your boots is to temporarily make them rubber. Galoshes are better than rubber boots in that they take up less space and allow you to combine them with different shoes.
- Helpful prevention is treatmentshoes with castor or linseed oil, solid fat. The joints with the sole and the seams should be carefully processed. They are most affected by moisture entering the shoes through these places.
Home hacks
When there is no professional moisture-repellent at hand, and the rainy season has begun outside the window, home methods will help to make shoes waterproof. Here are three easy budget recipes:
- Paraffin or wax. To keep the boots dry, you can rub them with wax or paraffin, but not with stearin candles, which contain fatty acids that do not save you from moisture. Paraffin is carefully rubbed on the outer surface of the shoe, after which you need to walk on it with a hot air dryer. It will melt the paraffin and let it soak in. This method is not suitable for suede boots and nubuck products, it will permanently ruin their appearance.
- Paraffin and gasoline. Effective tips on how to make leather shoes waterproof include soaking them in rubbed paraffin (1 tsp) and refined gasoline (100 g). The ingredients should be mixed and beat until the paraffin is completely dissolved. Then the boots are liberally smeared with the mixture and left overnight to soak. Before starting the procedure, shoes can be warmed up with a hair dryer so that they soak faster. It is also important to ensure that there are no open sources of fire nearby, because the mixture contains gasoline.
- Castor, linseed oil and paraffin. This recipe is good for its versatility, because it is suitable for both the skin and itssubstitutes. It is necessary to dissolve castor oil, linseed oil and paraffin ground on a grater in a ratio of 2: 2: 1 in a water bath and apply the mixture to shoes in a warm form. It is important not to overdo it here: castor oil in large quantities clogs pores and leads to rough skin.
Conclusion
There are many ways to make shoes waterproof. You can buy special tools, or you can use one of the above life hacks. And in order for the shoes to serve for a long time and retain their presentation, it is optimal to wear them according to the weather, and for rain and slush, purchase rubber boots or galoshes.
