Rubber Boot Repair

Rubber boots are waterproof and provide protection to the feet from exposure to mud, muck and other such gunk substances. For this reason, it is widely used by people (like gardeners, farmers and fishermen) who work outdoors on wet surfaces. People working in mines or chemical plants and various other industries also wear rubber boots to protect the feet from harsh or harmful chemicals. The problem with rubber boot is that it is susceptible to some damages. If the rubber material dries out, then cracks may develop on the boots. Then it may get torn by some sharp objects. If you wear a damaged rubber boots, then water and gunk material will get into the shoes through these leaks. When the leaks and cracks are small in size, then you can reuse them after repair.

Repairing Small Holes on Rubber Boot

To repair small holes on rubber boots, you just need a silicone glue. The first step of this repair job is to cleaning up the dirt, grease and debris from the boots. This is done to ensure proper adhesion of the glue on the rubber surface. Wash off the boots thoroughly with water. Then identify the locations of the holes and cracks on the surface of the rubber shoe. If the holes are small, then they may not be easily visible. In that case, fill up the boot with water and check out the spot from which water is leaking out. After that, remove the water from the boot and let it dry properly.

Once the boots are dry, sand the areas where the holes are located with the help of a sandpaper. Then rinse off the sanded dust with plain water and allow it to dry. Now, it is time to fill up each of the small holes with the help of silicone glue. Apply the glue on the outer surface of the boots and leave the boot untouched for the next 48 hours so that the glue gets cured properly. Finally, you must check out whether the sealant have sealed up the holes or not. For this, fill up the boots with water once again and see if any water is leaking out. If any holes are still left, then you have to seal them up with silicone glue.

Repairing Large Holes on Rubber Boot

For covering up holes and cracks that are large in size, you need a rubber boot repair kit. It contains repair patch which is used for mending rubber boots. Here too, you have to first clean up the boots properly with plain water. Dirt and dust may get accumulated inside a large sized hole. To clean them up, use a soft bristled brush. If the rubber boots have lots of grime on them, then you can use mild cleanser to clean them up. Do not use any such cleaning products with harsh chemicals as it can cause harm to the rubber surface. Let the washed boots dry up.

Now, the rubber surface surrounding the hole has to be roughened by rubbing a sandpaper. Before using the repair patch on the rubber boots, read the instructions provided by the manufacturers on the label of the kit. Some kits contain stick-on patch which has to be cut as per the size of the hole and then placed over the damaged portion directly. The drying time of these patches are provided by the manufacturer and you have to give that much of time for curing the patch properly. There is another type of repair patch where you have to apply adhesive. Apply a thin layer of silicone glue on the area surrounding the hole or crack. Similarly, apply the adhesive at the back of the patch too. Then press the patch gently over the hole on the rubber boot and smoothen up the surface so that no wrinkles are formed. Wait for at least 48 hours before you start wearing them again. You can place a moderate weight on the repaired area so that the patch sticks well on the rubber surface.

If the boots are expensive, then it is advisable that you take the help of professionals in shoe repair shop as you cannot afford to make any mistakes. In case the rubber boots are in a badly damaged condition, then it is better that you replace them with new ones.