Rain and snow have arrived! It is time to wear rubber boots: comfortable, waterproof, without laces, and practical.
Rubber boots are resistant and off-road shoes, but this doesn’t mean that they do not require care to be in perfect conditions. We can’t forget that rubber is a natural product.
We propose to treat them with a product specially designed for maintenance. Our Tarrago Rubber Boot Cleaner, which has a formula enriched with avocado oil – with a great power of nutrition – that manages to restore the original properties of the boot. This product helps maintain texture and prevents hardening of the rubber.
Why should we take care of them?
Most of the boots we use to protect ourselves from rain are made of natural rubber as the main material, including PVC and some halogen polymers. This is how natural rubber is the material chosen in brands such as Hunters or Tommy Hilfiger in almost all of their designs.
And where does natural rubber come from? Raw rubber is found in many plants, shrubs and trees, the most used is the Hevea Brasiliensis tree, native to Brazil. After the latex is processed, the natural rubber becomes an elastomer with excellent mechanical properties.
Why is natural rubber chosen as the main manufacturing material?
Natural rubber is excellent for tensile strength, elongation, tear resistance, resilience and electrical insulation. It has excellent resistance to water, cold flow and abrasion when combined with black carbon.
However, it must be taken into account that natural rubber deteriorates when exposed to oils, fuels, solvents and petroleum products.
The following study by the Polymer Department of the University of Akron states: “An overview of the causes and effects of porosity in rubber has been presented. The porosity formation in rubber can be attributed to heterogeneous nucleation and the growth of the diffusion-controlled bubble. The effects of composition, mixing and processing on porosity have been covered, and several methods to detect and prevent porosity have been reviewed. Finally, the effects of porosity on the mechanical properties of rubber have been described. ” Source.
The general conclusion of this study states that rubber absorbs water and it is the coagulants used in latex when preparing rubber that affect the degree of water absorption; using hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid or alum, rubbers with relatively high absorption power are obtained. The water absorption power of purified rubber is very low.
Due to this physical property, it is considered necessary to hydrate the rubber, preventing it from drying out over time.
The Tarrago Rubber Boot Cleaner, in addition to its cleaning power, moisturizes the rubber as it contains emulsion of silicone oil and avocado oil, causing the rejuvenation of this material.
Can all accessories designed with rubber be cleaned and hydrated?
Of course, tires in general – like car tires – can and should be hydrated. It is necessary to use products that contain silicone oil and glycerin. It is not advisable to use greases, as they contain solvents derived from oil that leads to poor care.
Apart from the Tarrago Rubber Cleaner, we can recommend the use of the Maxi Pro-Shine sponge to restore the shine of the rubber surface, thanks to its high silicone power.
I hope you don’t mind if I ask a quick question. I’m planning a hunting trip in the Olympic rainforest. Most likely it’s going to be pretty wet and we’re hiking 20 miles. Is there a particular type of boot you’d recommend? Thanks big time for the help. I really appreciate it.
Hello Malcom, how are you? Thanks for writting us but we don’t sell shoes. We can recommend you how to care you boots. Sorry.