Wearing non-slip shoes is an important safety precaution that is crucial for preventing bad falls at home and at work. It is not a rule just for restaurant workers and bartenders. For everyone generally, it is more ideal and safer to wear slip-resistant shoes as much as possible, whether as bathroom shoes or as work shoes.
If you perhaps have a pair of shoe that you love but is not slip-resistant, you have come to the right place to find out how to make your shoe slip-resistant at home. We have a full outline of DIY methods for making slip-resistant shoes that will help you save money on the cobbler while ensuring that your shoes will not let you trip when you walk.
What can You Put on the Bottom of Shoes to Make them Less Slippery?
To make your shoes less slippery, there are a number of tricks that you can use. While it is easier to use the cobbler in getting your shoes to become slip-resistant, it is an expensive option and sometimes not entirely necessary especially if there are ways you can do it yourself.
Here are a few methods that we recommend making your shoes less slippery.
1. Combine Sand and Adhesive
This is an entirely foolproof method that works all the time.
How to do it? Simply get yourself a measure of fine sand. Make sure that the sand is free of stones, sticks and other sharp objects like glass or nail.
Place a generous amount of adhesive on the surface of your shoes’ soles. Make sure that the entire surface is well covered with the sand. Sprinkle some of the sand that you have collected over the adhesive and allow it to dry.
This may take time to dry up but by the time it is done, you should have shoe soles with a really good grip.
2. Use Grip Pads
Grip pads are commercially sold at the cobbler’s shop or at your local supply store. They are also available online at affordable prices.
You can get a grip pad and fit it under your shoes to improve the friction. Grip pads come with self-adhesive backs that can stick on the shoe easily.
Lay the pad and smoothen it out gently, then press onto your shoes firmly. Leave them on to stay. You will be able to wear your shoes without any fear of slipping.
3. Use a Traction Spray
A traction spray is an excellent spray-on adhesive designed to help in making your shoes non-slip.
Purchase a traction spray at little or next to nothing and spray on the soles of your shoes. Before you spray, make sure that your shoes’ soles are free of dirt and dust to obtain maximum results. Leave on to dry completely before you begin to enjoy your non-slip shoes.
4. Do Some Scouring
One rather popular way to make your shoes less slippery is to scour the surface of the soles.
Using a knife, make rough lines on the shoe’s sole and simply have a field day giving your shoe soles some marks. Make sure that you do not cut in deep as that will damage the shoe. Just do it gently and your shoes will be ready to go against all slips.
How to Make Shoes Slip Resistant with Non-Slip Shoe Spray
Non-slip shoe sprays are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and great at giving shoes the slip-resistant feature. To use a non-slip shoe spray, follow these simple steps.
i) Clean off the dirt from the sole of your shoes by wiping with a soft clean cloth.
ii) Spray on the non-slip shoe spray, covering every inch of the sole.
iii) Wipe off the spray at once with a clean dry cloth immediately.
iv) Repeat the spraying, covering every inch of the sole area.
v) Leave the shoes to dry over the night and check to see if you have the perfect anti-slip shoe.
How to Make Shoes Slip-Proof with Anti Slip Tape
Using anti-slip tape to make slip-resistant shoes has also proven to be an effective and handy method.
If you want to go by this simple and inexpensive way, all you need do is purchase a masking tape from online or your local supply store and follow these steps:
i) Remove all dirt and grime from the sole of your shoes as these will interfere with the stickiness of the tape and render it ineffective.
ii) Find the flattest part of your shoes’ soles and place a long cut of the masking tape across the surface.
iii) Ensure that the sticking is perfect by smoothening it out with a firm finger and setting off creases on the masking tape.
iv) Place another cut of the tape across the sole of your shoe to form a large X with the first tape that you placed.
v) Ensure the tapes are not peeking out from underneath the shoe by cutting off all excess.
There, you are all done. Note that as you continue to use this method to make your shoe slip-resistant, you will have to change the tapes from time to time as continued use will make them wear out and come off.
Non-Slip Material for Slipper Soles
Slipper soles tend to require some form of non-slip material worked into them to prevent bad falls around the house.
To get non-slip materials that are perfect for slipper soles, you can try the following:
1. Use Indoor Rug Pad
An indoor rug pad can be sewn into your slippers to keep you from slipping.
By cutting the right size for your shoe or sewing it in patches under your shoe soles, you can give your shoes more traction and stability on floors.
2. Slipper Soles
Slipper soles are available for sale online. Here’s how to attach them to shoes.
a) Using a pair of scissors, cut the material into the size and shape that best fits your shoe’s sole.
b) With a cobbler’s needle and thread which you can easily purchase, sew the slipper soles on the seam of the shoe. They are quite easy to sew on and will not take time.
c) Check to make sure that you have fully joined the sole with the rubber. And that does it.
3. Use Silicone Sealant
Any brand of silicone sealant will do a great job of making slip-resistant soles for slippers. You will need a silicone sealant and a bowl of clean water.
1. Ensure that the soles of the slippers are clean, even if they are fabric or knit slippers.
2. Gently apply some silicone on the sole.
3. Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and use your wet fingers to press the silicone into the shoe. Allow drying.
4. Add more silicone to fill the remaining spaces in the shoes and repeat the procedure of pressing it in with wet fingers.
5. Smoothen the silicone all down until you have a perfectly spread out level.
6. Allow the silicone to dry.
This method may take several days to cure but once it is ready for use, you will have no more fear.
How to Make Shoes Slip Resistant for Restaurant
Working at a restaurant comes with a need for professional slip-resistant shoes.
The reason is because of the constant encounter with spills in a restaurant. Chefs, waiters, waitresses, managers and everyone involved know that from the kitchen to the dining hall, spills of water, soup, oil, cream, and drinks are practically inevitable. In the midst of all of these, a fall by a member of the staff could be pretty bad.
As a restaurant worker, you must protect yourself from any potential danger by wearing shoes that are practical for your work environment. If you have shoes that are not labeled slip-resistant and still want to wear them to your workplace at the restaurant, then it is important that you make them non-slip.
You can use any of the methods that we have discussed to make your restaurant shoe slip-resistant, or alternatively, you could use any of these other methods.
1. Scrub Your Shoe with Sandpaper: Using sandpaper to scrub the sole of your shoe is a very effective way of having your way. Granted it will take some effort but in the end, it will pay off. Just take it one portion at a time and scrub away.
2. Use a Nail File: If you don’t have sandpaper, a nail file is very useful too. Just the way you would use the sandpaper, file your shoe’s sole to create rough surfaces that give you good friction on all those wet floors.
These are options that will help you add good friction to your shoes. Just one of these will do as long as you do it well.
How to Make Shoes Slip Resistant for Work
For the workplace where you will be on your feet many hours in the day and have to be able to maintain your balance on wet floors, shoes with a coefficient of friction (CoF) of 0.5 to 0.7 are usually mandated by the employer.
To make your shoe slip-resistant for work, simply make use of an anti-skid pad. An anti-skid pad, just like a grip pad is a useful, double-sided material that can be used to make your shoe non-slip.
The pad has a self-sticking waterproof adhesive which you simply need to peel off and place firmly on the shoe’s soles. You must ensure that the surface of the sole is clean and has no dirt on it. Leave to set for a few hours before wearing your shoes.
This method is completely stress-free and your anti-skid soles can also give your shoes the extra quality of preventing noise when you walk.
Importance of Wearing Slip Resistant Shoes at Home and at Work
Slip-resistant shoes are important as excellent companions that help to prevent bad falls. Wearing slip-resistant shoes help to enhance your confidence when walking and keep you safe even in unfamiliar terrains.
Note that it is wise to always test the anti-slip-resistant quality of your shoes in a safe place by using it to walk around in your house before wearing them to work or anywhere else.
Conclusion & Final Words
Staying safe when you walk is the reason for getting shoes so it is only expected that you should wear shoes that will keep you from slipping.
It is advisable to buy shoes that come with anti-slip features once and for all but if you have shoes that are not antislip and you consider useful all the same, then make sure to make them slip-resistant to be able to rock them with confidence.
