If your current job site exposes your boots to excessive salt, it’s in your best interest to understand how to protect your work boots from salt damage. Being aware of this can also prove useful if you know that a future job will have an abundance of salt that you’ll need to walk through. Salt can cause severe and unexpected damage to footwear, deteriorating material to the point where you need to purchase replacement shoes.

Treat Your Boots

When your work boots have a leather exterior, you can add strengthening lotion or sprays to make them more resistant to outside grime and muck. You can also apply this when there’s lots of salt at a worksite to prevent extensive damage. These special lotions repel many particles and act as shields that absorb the damage that salt and other hazards may have otherwise caused.

Cover Your Boots

Alternatively, if you aren’t confident in lotions or believe that they may cause more damage, you can use protective shoe covers instead. The covers act as physical barriers between your boots and the ground, protecting them from liquids and particles alike. Shoe covers are easy to put on and take off whenever you’re moving into a new area that needs to remain clean and free of contaminants.

Know The Materials

While shoe covers are ideal for protecting boots, they’re only as good as the materials they’re made of. Different materials fit different applications. So, make sure you use covers that are more durable when dealing with potential salt damage.

Wipe Down Your Boots

A good habit is to wipe off your shoes whenever you leave an area with excess salt or other contaminants, particularly if your boots have no protection. Particles that stick to your footwear, especially salt, can deteriorate your shoes at a much faster rate by breaking down the materials. When you leave them for a long time, they’ll cause irreversible damage. Thoroughly cleaning your boots will ensure that they don’t have any corrosive materials on them.

Be Aware Of What You’re Stepping In

Many things besides salt can harm your shoes, and knowing what potential hazards a job site holds is pivotal to maintaining your footwear. Knowing how to protect your work boots from salt damage and other threats will make them last longer, keep your feet safer, and reduce the cost of trying to repair or replace them.