Are you glad to have new shoes but tend to be afraid to use them because of the base being slippery? If your answer is yes, then you came to the right place. We can try to give you some tips regarding how to make your shoes non slip so that you could feel safe while walking around your house and minimize injury in the process.
Tools and Tips That You Can Use to Make the Shoes Stick
1. Scuff Your Shoes Regularly
The first thing that you would need to do is to scuff your shoes. You have to rub your chosen footwear onto rough surfaces to increase the friction of the shoes and eventually improve its grip.
If you’re afraid to slip or fall while wearing the shoes, you don’t have to because all you need to do is to rub the shoes onto any surface. This will do the trick. In addition to this, it is also important for you to make sure that you choose to walk on different surfaces to ensure that this procedure would become a success.
2. Walk on Different Types of Surfaces
Speaking of, you can choose to walk on gravel or rocks and even cement pavements. Your main goal here is to increase the friction and traction under the shoes and roughen the surfaces effectively.
3. Use the Nail File
The next thing that you can do is to use your nail file. This is another method you can use just in case scuffing does not work. Make sure to use metal nail files to graze the flattest and smoothest portion of the shoes. This would work better because of the strength of the material.
4. Wood
You can also choose to buy a thin piece of wood with external emery coating. Use this to rub your shoe base. Keep in mind that the coarser the wood board is, the better it would be for grazing your shoes.
5. The Grip Pads
Another option would be to use grip pads if the aforementioned tools do not work. How would you be able to apply them to your shoes? Here are some of the steps as follows:
Apply these pads onto the most slippery parts of the shoes. Be sure to invest in a good grip pad, mainly because you will be able to use them for many years if they are of high quality. They will still work even if the shoes are worn out already.
Are you worried that they might be expensive? Don’t be because most of these shoe grip pads are extremely affordable.
6. Spray Pads or Traction Sprays
Here is another option that you can do to make your shoes non slip. You can use spray pads to coat your shoes effectively, making them stick to the floor. If you feel that you’re not comfortable with grip pads, this is another alternative that you can definitely consider using as a replacement.
You can also use traction sprays if you happen to not find spray pads available. They will provide you with the same function. Aside from making them non slip, the spray pads will be able to give your shoes more protection from damage down the line.
7. The Puff Paint
You can place this particular solution on the soles of your shoes. With this particular formula, you will be able to boost the strength and friction of your shoes almost to 100%. This is because the puff paint adds texture to the soles of the shoes when it dries.
It is a kind of paint that is generally used for arts and crafts. Do not worry because it dries quickly and would allow you to use the shoes in just a few hours after application. You will feel the texture thickening right away as you use the shoes for sure.
As a reminder, you should apply it repeatedly because the effects tend to wear off after some time. Repeated application will lead to optimum results.
8. Use Masking Tape
You can put this tool under your shoes to increase its traction. Here are the steps that you need to remember to do it effectively.
First, you have to place the masking tape under your shoes in an X shape. Choose a flat and wide region of the shoe for this project. This will result in a much more comfortable experience wearing the shoes.
Remember that this is not a permanent solution to the problem. However, it will work as long as there is adhesive in the masking tape.
9. Sand and Sandpaper
If you like the beach, then this wouldn’t be an issue for you. All you have to do is to rub the base of your shoes with some sand. You can also stick them inside your soles or spray your shoes with sandy adhesive. If you’re not near the beach, do not worry because these tools are really cheap and affordable to buy off the hardware store.
You do not have to spend so much money just to scuff your shoes sooner rather than later. Another way for you to do this is to make sure that you have little strips of sandpaper beneath the soles of your shoes to prevent you from falling or slipping off inadvertently.
By doing this, you will have shoes with higher traction. However, try not to do this with newly finished floors because the sandpaper will end up scratching these surfaces and leaving potential damage to the floor.
10. The Ankle Strap
If you want to keep your footwear secure, using this particular implementation can do the trick. You will be able to maintain balance while walking on slippery floors for sure. It will also reduce the risk of you slipping as you take a step.
11. Salt and Rubber
This will give your shoe soles some rough and grainy texture. You will not end up sliding over any kind of surface no matter how slippery it is. Just remember to combine salt with rubber before applying them into your shoes. The combination will make your boots or shoes even more slip-resistant.
After mixing, you can even brush it onto the whole base of your footwear. With this solution, you will never have to worry about working around the wet floors of your kitchen or stepping onto a small puddle of spilled water or juice again.
Additional Tips
Try to keep the base of your shoe as clean as possible. You should wipe off any kind of dirt or debris that might end up being stuck under your shoe. When cleaning, always use the shoe brush and then wipe it down with a rag and some alcohol. This will increase adhesion for your shoes.
Additionally, always try to use the cleaning solution that comes with your shoes or your toolkit. Only use alcohol when there is no designated shoe cleaning solution available.
You can also use the foot stick-on that comes with the shoe. However, this particular product comes with different layouts to adhere to the shape of the outsoles. You can deal with this problem by cutting the stick-on into the desired shape before trying to stick them to your heels.
There are also some slip-resistant soles that you can get separately. Add those to your footwear ensemble and you will have greater chances of not slipping for sure.
You can also ask your employer to provide you with slip-resistant shoes right off the bat. They will surely think about it because as the boss, they have a responsibility to think about their employees’ safety and security at all times.
Do not be afraid to approach them and ask for this especially if they require you to wear uniforms within company premises.
Lastly, test out the shoes as regularly as possible. As they say, “Practice makes perfect.” If you wouldn’t be willing to use the shoes on a regular basis because you might slip, you will not end up scuffing them much more effectively.
Conclusion
While it is a good reason for you to buy shoes because of the style, you should also make it a point to avail of footwear that will give you comfort and safety. This is why you have to assure yourself that you won’t end up slipping as you walk with your new shoes.
These 11 tips will certainly help you ensure your protection against floor collision sooner rather than later. Of course, you always have to be careful when you walk or run for that matter. Having to use the right kind of shoes, particularly on a slippery floor, is just the first step. Always remember to put your safety first before anything else.
Otherwise, you’ll end up not being able to walk at all just because you failed or refuse to choose the right apparel to use at work or at home.
