How to make shoes non-slip for work?

When it comes to the workplace, it has become a necessary norm to wear non-slip shoes. From healthcare sectors and pharmacies to restaurant and cleaning agencies, every person working in these sectors requires a non-slip so that they can work freely without the risk of accidental falls on slippery grounds.

Accidental slips in workplaces are the second most proactive cause of accidental death, and it mainly happens because most people opt for shoes that lack anti-slip features. Are you wearing one of those ordinary shoes to your workplace and wondering whether you should invest in a non-slip work shoe?

Well, hold on to your thoughts because, in this guide, we will tell you how to make shoes non-slip for work. Surprisingly there are many efficient ways to make your work shoe non-slip, and they work with a charm.

Why is shoe slipping a big issue?

Shoe slipping is one of the primary causes of major accidents in workplaces, and thousands of people face injury and often death due to this problem. Many workplaces like restaurants, healthcare sectors, cleaning areas, etc have slippery surfaces, so employees who do not wear non-slip shoes tend to fall down.

It is not always possible that you will mindfully walk to work, especially when you are in a hurry. Shoe slipping not only causes injury to the workers but often causes death. The working efficiency often tends to decrease because employees often tend to divert some of their attention towards walking.

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Why Do You Need To Wear A Slip-Resistant Shoe At Work?

When you wear slip-resistant shoes in your workplace, you will enjoy many benefits. Not only will you be less prone to slip on slippery surfaces, but you can reduce the chance of accidents by a large margin. Here are some of the reasons behind the concept of wearing slip-resistant shoes.

Reduce Accidents At Work

This is probably the main reason behind wearing slip-resistant shoes in the workspace. When you work in certain industries where you will have to walk on slippery surfaces or icy roads, slipping can cause accidents. Slip-resistant shoes prevent those accidents as it doesn’t trap the water, ice, or oil under your feet and let you walk confidently. You will have a proper grip on floors, and the chances of falling decrease by a large margin.

Reduce Accidents on Road

From drivers to road workers, everyone needs to wear slip-resistant shoes because they have to deal with different road types. If you are someone who makes deliveries, then slip-resistant shoes are highly useful because you can deliver efficiently and quickly without worrying about falling.

Reduce Accidents in Kitchens

Personnel working in kitchens in different capacities are always prone to accidents as the floor gets heavy oil and water slippage. So they need the support of slip-resistant shoes that will let them walk them properly on slippery falls while carrying dishes or cleaning the floor. Oil spill often happens on kitchen floors, so it becomes necessary to wear those that don’t trap oil beneath the sole while you walk.

Doesn’t Trap Oil and Water

The treads underneath the sole have specialized patterns that don’t trap oil and water and let you have a proper grip on the floor. Whether you walk on a kitchen floor or healthcare surface, you can walk without worrying about falling. Basically, the non-slip repels them and lets you have a firm footing.

Ensures Stability

Stability is an important aspect of workspaces, and slip-resistant lets you achieve that on every surface. Whether it is a watery surface, oil floor, or icy road, it won’t let you slip; instead, it will assist you in walking confidently without causing much disbalance.

How Can You Make Your Work Shoes Non-Slip?

The perks of slip-resistant shoes are numerous, and they will become a perfect work partner once you start wearing them. Nowadays, you won’t have to invest in new non-slip shoes; instead, you can make your old work shoes non-slip. Here are some tricks and tips to make your shoe slip-resistant.

  • Applying Sandpaper- Applying sandpaper on the sole is one of the easiest and most efficient ways to turn your shoe non-slip. When you apply sandpaper, it will scuff off the top layer and roughen the sole, which makes the shoe highly slip-resistant. 50grits sandpaper serves as the best choice because it quickly roughens up the shoe base and makes it non-slip.
  • Scuffing The Sole- Scuffing of the base of your work shoe by walking on a highly rough surface will make the sole slip-resistant on slippery surfaces. From concrete surfaces and pebble roads to rocky roads and offbeat roads, you can use any surface to scuff the base of your shoe. You just have to walk on these surfaces, and rough surfaces will introduce abrasions and roughness in the base to increase the grip. You just need to walk for a few days.
  • Utilizing Traction Spray- Applying traction spray may seem like an unconventional choice, but it is actually an affordable way to make the base slip-resistant. It works on most shoes and offers the same amount of traction as adhesive. Many people working in different industries prefer to use it as it is easy on the pocket, and you can easily apply it on the smooth area of the base.
  • Applying Rubber Glue and Salt Mix- You won’t believe but applying a mix of rubber glue and salt can make the sole of your work shoe non-slip. The first thing you need to do is to rub some salt on the base of your shoe and apply glue over them so that the salts get glued to the base. After applying glue, you need to apply some more salt to create a proper rough surface, and ultimately it will give you the desired slip-resistant capability in your shoe.
  • Scoring The Base of Shoe’s Sole- Scoring the base of your work shoe with the help of a nail file is another efficient process to bring roughness to the base. The nail file is an inexpensive item that you can easily find in your home. With the nail file, you just have to create coarseness on the sole, and the whole process will take a few minutes. However, you won’t get 100% slip resistance, but you can work freely on any slippery surface.
  • Putting Puff Paint On The Base- Putting puff paint actually assists you in transforming your work shoe into an anti-slip shoe. Put a thin layer of puff paint on the base of your surface and allow it to dry for hours. After a few hours, you will see that the whole paint has got stuck to the sole. You can now use it to walk on any slippery surface, including icy roads, and you won’t tumble.
  • Attaching Non-Slip Sole- Without a doubt, attaching non-slip soles to the base of your work shoe is the most efficient solution to prevent slipping. Moreover, non-slip soles ensure top-notch slip resistance and last for a long time. These soles are readily available in both offline and online stores and come at a wide variety of price points.You just need some quality adhesive to attach the non-slip sole to the base and let it soak for hours. Once it is ready, you can enjoy firm footing on slippery roads and prevent accidental skids.
  • Utilizing Ankle Strap- The ankle strap is another excellent choice to make your work shoe non-slip. It is fast and efficient, so you won’t have to spend much time transforming your shoe into anti-slip footwear. These straps are available in various designs and colors, and you can easily find them in every footwear store. Not only does it offers excellent grip on surfaces, but it also lets you walk firmly on greasy surfaces.
  • Adding Adhesive Bandages- Unlike others where you have to apply the hack on the outside, this trick is involved with the interior. Attach one adhesive bandage to the interior of your office shoe, and then adjust your feet accordingly. When you place the bandages in the interior, it will assist your feet in walking firmly on wet and greasy surfaces by not allowing them to slide in inside. This trick is cheap and easy to do, but the only drawback is that it is not long-lasting like others.
  • Masking Tape For Fixing Slippery Shoes- Masking tape also comes helpful when it comes to adding traction to the sole of your shoe. Although they are not a long-time solution, it gets the job done by assisting you to walk properly on wet and slippery surfaces. These masking tapes are often available in the house, or you can easily get them at stores at cheap rates.

How To Make Your Shoes Non-Slip For Restaurant

Restaurants are fast-paced workplaces where the floors are primarily oily and watery, making every employee prone to slipping. Not only does this causes a threat to the health of the workers, but it also incurs a massive loss because when a worker falls, it will also break the cutleries and other items they are carrying.

From bartenders and baristas to waiters and chefs, everyone needs slip-resistant shoes. In the above section, we have mentioned many hacks which will help you to transform your work shoe into a slip-resistant unit efficiently. You can use adhesive tape, traction spray, sandpaper, scuffing technique etc., to transform your shoe that won’t let you fall on any slippery and wet floors.

Bonus Tips On How To Make Shoes Non-Slip For Work

Well, if you have gone through the above tips to transform your work shoe into a non-slip one and want to know more, then here are some add-on tips;

  • Hairspray comes as a possible agent that can help you transform your shoe into a non-slip work shoe. It is as effective as other coating sprays that bring resistance under your shoe sole. Spray a good amount on the outer area of your shoe and allow it to dry for a few minutes to an hour.
  • You can utilize sticky papers to prevent your shoe from slipping on slippery surfaces. It is cheap and easy to apply, but it won’t last more than a few days.
  • Attaching thick sands on the bottom of your shoe will also do the trick because it makes a coarse exterior on the sole, which will help you to have a firm footing. You just need some powerful adhesive to attach them to the sole.
  • Apart from the nail file, you can utilize a knife to create rough patches on the sole, and it will show you the result instantly. However, you have to be careful while using the knife.
  • Another easy way to bring slip resistance property in the shoe sole is by allowing it to wear off after months of usage naturally. It may be a time-consuming task, but it works out effectively in many situations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How to tell If shoes are slip-resistant?

Most slip-resistant shoes come with a tag on the sole or upper body mentioning that it has the slip-resistant capability. However, if your shoe doesn’t have the tag or marking, it will be mentioned in the shoe box.

Why do we wear non-slip shoes?

Non-slip shoes come useful for us when we walk on different types of surface conditions, especially oily, watery, icy, etc. These non-slip shoes let us have a firm footing on slippery floors and prevent us from tumbling.

What to Put On The Bottom Of Shoes To Stop Slipping?

You can apply a lot of things to the bottom of your shoe to make it stop slipping. You can add non-slip exterior soles, spray puff paint, special padding, etc to stop your shoe from slipping. Basically, these tricks create a traction layer on the shoe and prevent any slippage.

How to Add Traction to Shoes?

There are many ways to add traction to the shoe, which will not only prevent you from slipping but also ensure you have a confident footing. From scuffing the sole and adding adhesive to putting spray and attaching pads, you can efficiently add traction to your shoe.

How Do I Keep My Boots From Slipping On Ice?

Adding traction or slip-resistant features on the bottom of your shoe can help your boot to stop slipping on ice. There are specialized add-on rubber soles that you can attach at the base, and they will help you get the needed grip on icy floors and roads.

What is traction spray?

Traction spray is a piece of unique spray equipment that is applied on the base of a shoe to enhance the slip-resistance property. This spray is easy to apply and comes with an inexpensive price point.

Is oil-resistant the same as slip-resistant?

No, oil-resistant and slip-resistant features aren’t the same as oil-resistant capability indicates the top layer won’t absorb oil. In contrast, slip-resistant features indicate that they will prevent you from slipping and assist you in walking on wet, oil, and greasy floors.

Final Thought

Having a slip resistance feature in your work shoe is a vital need, and that is why we have provided different ways you can make your shoes non-slip. All the ways we have added are highly efficient so that you won’t be disappointed. Moreover, they are pretty easy on the pocket and don’t cause any damage to the sole of your shoe.