Stop Feet Sweating in Work Boots - Keep Your Feet Happy & Healthy At Work
No Sweat, No Glory? 5 Tips For A Fresher Foot Climate At Work.
No sweat, no glory? Maybe. However, sweaty feet are not particularly pleasant. Especially when you wear your work shoes or safety boots for eight hours PLUS — without any foreseeable way to air out the “cheesy feet”. As the day grinds on the feet get tired, in turn, every step feels heavier and heavier. Concentration levels drop, while the risk of missteps rises.
THE HYGIENE ELEMENT FOR HAPPY FEET AT WORK.
Sweat does not smell. However, a shoe in which the feet heat up like a tropical house is an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. These decompose the sweat and butyric acid is produced, which we perceive as a pungent smell. The result is “cheese foot”, usually accompanied by painful blisters. However, what sounds harmless for some is torment for others. People with smelly feet can feel constant feelings of shame, dreading taking their shoes off and their self-confidence suffers massively. However, these are extreme cases.
No one should feel shameful for having smelly feet, everybody sweats, especially in the sweaty summer months. The soles of the feet have the most sweat glands per square centimetre. No other region of your body can match that density. Surprisingly, not even your armpits.
The good news is that you are by no means helpless against these sweat glands. There are several measures that can help you reduce perspiration. Here are our 5 tips for a fresher foot climate.
Important note: As we said, everyone sweats. Some people sweat less, others more. If extreme sweating cannot be contained and attributed to circumstances such as intense heat, a trip to the doctor is advisable. In some cases, it can be a symptom of a serious medical condition.
TIP ONE | WASH & DRY FEET THOROUGHLY
If you don’t want your feet to smell, you should wash them regularly.
Regularly doesn’t mean two or three times a week, but every morning. Wash and dry thoroughly. The key is to get every area, even between the toes, so that no residual moisture remains. A warm and humid environment allows the athlete’s foot to spread. The moisture causes the skin to swell and bacteria can penetrate the skin more easily.
TIP TWO | PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CHOICE OF WORK SOCKS
Change socks daily and wash them regularly.
Washing is a basic requirement to ensure that you have a fresh pair of socks in your wardrobe. Damp socks are – you guessed it – also a cosy breeding ground for bacteria. So always ensure you have plenty of dry and clean spares.
The material and fit of the socks are also crucial.
Socks with a high proportion of synthetic fibres are more durable and less absorbent than natural fibres, as they do not store moisture caused by perspiration but wick it away to the outside. Socks made of 100 percent wool, on the other hand, are absorbent—but only release moisture slightly.
Take a look at our breathable work socks like the Perfect Fit Sock . They are made from skin-friendly materials that fit the foot comfortably thanks to the pressure-free cuff. It is important that your socks fit well and do not wobble on your feet—as ill-fitting socks create friction and additional heat in the shoe.
TIP THREE | GIVE SAFETY SHOES & WORK BOOTS A (DRY) BREAK
Even shoes need a break sometimes.
Over the course of the day, a person sweats out up to half a litre of moisture through their feet. The residual moisture that remains in the steel or composite toe cap shoe at the end of a long, sweaty working day does not usually dry overnight. It is therefore advisable to wear safety shoes in rotation. When you give your shoes a break, you should also remove the insoles and let them dry separately. It is also advisable to change the insoles regularly.
You can use the THERM-IC Refresher in the shoe so that completely soaked shoes are ready for use again in a few hours. The shoe dryer dries the shoes efficiently and gently. UV light reduces bacteria and germs that could cause unpleasant odours.
TIP FOUR | CHOOSE THE RIGHT SAFETY BOOTS
As we all know, you can’t always rely on the weather forecast. If you foresee that your working day is going to be another sweaty one – because you work in production facilities that heat up quickly, for example – it’s worth thinking about very airy safety footwear. If you are on duty in dry work areas safety shoes such as the SENEX BOA WELLMAXX are suitable for hot & long days.
If you work outdoors, then safety shoes with a GORE-TEX® membrane are suitable. Such a membrane ensures that rain and moisture from the outside do not penetrate the shoe. By its very nature, it is designed to allow moisture to evaporate from the inside. Read about how the principle works in this blog post . Whichever model you choose, the general rule is that the shoe should always fit well. Ill-fitting or too large steel cap shoes slip back and forth on the foot. Which is already problematic for health and safety reasons. At the same time, friction and avoidable heat are generated in the shoe.
TIP FOUR | MAINTAIN BREATHABILITY WITH THE NECESSARY CARE
Breathable work shoes allow your feet to breathe — but only if you help maintain it.
If your work boots become too dirty on the outside, this can lead to its upper material, be it leather, textile, or its climate membrane being restricted in its breathability. The dirt acts as an impermeable shield. It is better to use the brush once too often than too little. Composite and Steel Toe Cap Boots should be disinfected inside about once a week. This kills the culprits producing butyric acid, also known as, cheesy feet.
We have compiled some more tips and tricks for safety shoe care, check them out here.