Since their invention in the 19th Century, rubber boots have been a wardrobe staple for most people. Their inherent waterproof nature makes them the ideal boot for outdoor activities. Drying out your rubber boots is critical to prevent discomfort and potentially getting a disease from the bacteria, which is especially true if you wear your rubber boots regularly.
Here’s how to dry rubber boots:
- Use a boot dryer.
- Use a hair dryer.
- Use rice.
- Use old newspapers.
- Use shoe inserts.
- Use fans.
- Use cat litter.
- Use moisture-wicking socks.
- Place the boots in the sun.
In this article, we’ll be expounding on how to go about the above tools and methods to dry out your boots quickly and effectively.
1. Use a Boot Dryer
Using a boot dryer is by far the quickest and most convenient way of drying out your boots, which is even faster than using rice. And unlike other methods, it doesn’t leave your boots feeling stiff or crunchy.
All you need to do is place the pipe inside the boot and turn the dryer on. It should take a few minutes for your boot to become completely dry.
Nonetheless, you need to have a reliable rubber boot dryer, as this is a chore you’ll often do, and you don’t want it breaking down on you when you need it the most. Check out this PEET Dryer. It works silently and dries most footwear overnight.
2. Use a Hair Dryer
In case you don’t have a boot dryer, you can use a hairdryer. This will take more time as the hairdryer is not as strong as a boot dryer, but it works almost as well. All you need to do is put the hairdryer inside your rubber boot and let it blow air into the boots for a few minutes.
You should then rotate it within the boot so that it’s evenly dried.
3. Use Rice
Rice is very useful when trying to dry out rubber boots, especially if you don’t have access to a hair or boot dryer. It’s also ideal for people who are traveling or camping outdoors. You just fill up your boots with rice, put socks over them, and let them sit overnight.
Rice is an excellent absorber of moisture, while the socks prevent the rice from spilling all over the place.
4. Use Old Newspapers
Like rice, old newspapers are an effective way of sucking up any humidity inside your rubber boots. You can use either crumpled or flat pieces of newspaper, but try not to use glossy pieces as they’re more likely to leave ink stains on your boots.
Just stuff the newspapers inside your boot and let them sit overnight. The next day, remove the old newspapers and allow the boots to air dry for a few minutes before putting them on.
5. Use Shoe Inserts
If you don’t have rice or newspapers, you can use shoe inserts as an alternative to sucking out humidity from your rubber boots. However, they’re typically slower than rice or crumpled newspapers, but they also won’t leave any mess.
They’ll slowly absorb the moisture like sponges. Again, remember to air dry the boots in the morning after you remove the inserts.
6. Use Fans
Using fans to dry out rubber boots is easier than rice or shoe inserts, but it’s slower than boot dryers. It’s also better suited for people who have access to multiple fans, so they can place one or two inside their boots and leave them overnight.
What you need to do is put the boots in front of the fan(s), making sure that there are no obstructions within at least 3’ (0.91 m) in radius.
Leave them overnight, and they should be completely dry in the morning.
7. Use Cat Litter
Cat litter is a great alternative to rice, shoe inserts, and newspapers. It’s also faster than using fans because cat litter is designed to absorb moisture effectively. However, it may leave some dust on your boots, but that can be easily wiped off by hand or with a damp towel.
You need to fill your boots halfway with cat litter, then shake them until the insides are completely coated with the litter. Let them sit overnight, then remove cat litter in the morning and air dry your boots for a few minutes before putting them on.
8. Use Moisture-Wicking Socks
If you have this type of socks lying around, you can use them to alleviate your problem. Simply stuff them inside the boots until there is no space left and leave them there overnight. The socks will absorb moisture like sponges.
The next morning, remove the socks, and air dry your boots for a few minutes before putting them on.
9. Place the Boots in the Sun
Another workaround is to leave the rubber boots in the sun for a few hours. The heat will dry them out, even if it’s cloudy outside. Furthermore, the heat will kill most of the bacteria inside them.
However, you should be careful when leaving your boots in the sun for extended periods, as it may cause the rubber to dry out completely and crack.
How Long It Takes For Rubber Boots To Dry
Unless it’s raining outside, your boots will be dried out within 12 hours or less in the sun. When you use the other methods in this article, even when it’s raining outside, it can take the same amount of time.
Sure, some take more time than others, but these are fast ways to dry out your boots.
Don’t let the cold weather affect your outdoor activities. Have fun hiking, biking, skiing, and whatever else you like to do this winter with dry feet.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have just about every method known to man of drying out rubber boots, which one will you use?
If using rice is too tedious or crumpled newspaper gives you blisters on your hands, try something more convenient like shoe inserts or fans. If you don’t have any of those things available, simply put the boots in the sun, but be careful not to let them dry out completely and crack.
But most importantly, remember that placing your boots near a fan or by the window will help dry them out faster if it’s raining outside.
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