Have you ever worn wet boots to work just because they couldn’t dry overnight? Or went hiking with your boots wet? The experience is unpleasant. It is even more embarrassing if you have to remove the boots during work. This leaves you feeling quite uncomfortable, as obviously, the boots will be smelly.
Wearing wet boots poses a risk to the health of your feet. It could be the root cause of sores and blisters on your feet. Additionally, wearing wet boots provides a serene environment for bacteria to grow and thrive. The bacteria could have adverse effects on your feet, ranging from painful blisters to foul odors.
The most common way to dry boots is by keeping them under the sun. The sun naturally dries the boots in a short period. However, some situations would force you to wash your boots in the evening, when there is no sun heat. For instance, in a situation where you have to work with your boots every day, yet you own just a single pair.
In such situations, you are forced to look for alternative ways to get the boots dry before morning. There are several ways to dry the boots overnight. However, one method proves to be quite effective, and that is by using a dryer. In this article, we will give you a step by step guideline of how to dry your boots in a dryer overnight.
Ensure the boots can be machine dried
It is crucial to note that not all boots can be dried using a machine dryer. Before deciding to insert the boots inside the dryer, check the boot label to ensure it is safe. If it is not labeled outside, check inside the boot for the care guidelines. In most boot brands, this information is mostly listed on the inner heel.
It should be clearly marked whether the boots can be machine dried or not. This information could be presented in symbols in other brands, making it hard for a typical user to understand. Whenever you see a square with an X labeled in it, don’t insert the boots in the machine. On the other hand, a circle labeled inside the square indicates that you can dry the boots with low heat.
Materials safe for machine drying
Some boot brands may entirely fail to label on the safety of the boots in machine dryers. This leaves you confused about whether you should dry them on the machine or not. However, you should not panic as we got your back. Whenever you are not sure, check the material that the boot is made from. There are certain materials that cannot be affected by the machine heat.
If the boots are made of canvas, cotton, nylon, or polyester, you can dry them on the machine. These specific materials are warp-resistant when exposed to machine heat. However, you should avoid drying leather and suede boots on the machine dryer as they can easily crack on excessive heat.
Knot the shoelaces
After inspecting the boots and ensuring that they are safe for machine drying, it is now time to start the drying process. First, you have to place the shoes in a way that they are close. Gather the laces and tie a knot at the end so that the boots are next to each other. Hold the boots by the laces and pass them over the dryer door so that the shoes are inside the dryer. Find a hook on the door and hook it to the knot of the laces, such that the boots are hanging freely inside the dryer.
However, not all dryer doors have a hook. In the case where your dryer door is hookless, hold out the laces before closing the door. When you close it, the laces should remain stuck in place such that the boots are hanging freely inside the dryer. You should ensure the knot on the laces is outside the door to prevent the shoes from falling inside when the dryer starts. You do not need to go through all this if your dryer has a drying rack inside. Place the boots on the rack and start the dryer.
Switch on the dryer and adjust it to the air-dry setting
Depending on the type of your machine, you need to adjust the heat accordingly. Some machines have a knob that adjusts to different settings according to what you intend to dry. However, others don’t have this setting. If your machine has the knob, ensure you adjust it to air dry. In case your machine doesn’t have this setting, program it to generate the lowest temperature. It is crucial to note that too much heat may shrink or warp the boots.
Leave the boots to dry
Once you adjust the machine dryer into the right setting, leave it on for the boots to dry up. Check them after every hour to ensure they are drying. However, when opening the dryer door, do it carefully to prevent the shoes from falling inside. Feel the inner parts of the boots to be sure the heat is spreading to each part.
Just in case you feel like the boots are drying slowly, you can adjust the temperature upwards. Only be careful that the heat is not too much to shrink or warp the boots. Importantly, never should you ever make the mistake of tossing a loose pair of shoes into the dryer. This causes a disturbing and repeated banging on the dryer, which is more likely to damage the machine parts or even the boots.
Conclusion
Whether you are going for work or hiking experience, never settle for wet boots. As much as they make you feel uneasy and uncomfortable, wearing wet boots poses a health risk to your feet. Always consider using a dryer to dry them up completely. Armed with the information in this article, you should be able to comfortably dry your boots on the dryer without causing damage to the machine or the boots.
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