The history of the boot scraper dates back hundreds of years and are as popular and practical today as in years gone by. Antique boot scrapers are much sort after and can fetch good prices. Many of the modern boot scrapers follow the traditional, tried and trusted designs of yester year.
History of Iron Boot Scrapers
Originally made from cast iron, boot scrapers where often built into the walls of properties near the front and rear entrance doors; some cast iron boot scrapers where very ornate featuring lions heads, insects, various animals or scroll work, while the basic models for the less well-off consisted of simply two legs with a bar running through the center. Just about every building- public buildings, hotels and private homes had at least one boot scraper. Today it is rare to have a boot scraper built into the wall of a property, they are far more practical and portable; with the ability to be fixed into the ground for stability or moved around to meet needs.
Many may not class coconut mats with or without steel wire coiled through them as boot scrapers, but they very effective and very popular; many large buildings deployed huge coconut mats at the entrance to the building and this tradition is still see today in some areas; although today, for the most part synthetic materials are used, but in the home setting coconut remains a firm favorite. Many of the synthetic mats can be washed in the washing machine.
Today many people associate boot scrapers with country pursuits, ranching and farming, but they are equally valuable in the town and city, keeping the worst of the outdoors from being transferred indoors onto expensive flooring. It’s not just ranchers and horse owners who need boot scrapers; golfers, sports people, gardeners and construction site workers too, pick up debris on their footwear.
Some types of outdoor debris that the best boot scraper works hard to keep out of your homes and establishments include -
-Grass
-Mud
-Snow
-Dirt
-Soil
-Ice melt
-Animal feces
-Hay
-Construction site debris
Boot Scraper Types
There are different types of boot scrapers available today – the traditional cast iron boot scraper and coconut mats as well as the modern boot jack and scraper and the boot cleaner scraper mats.
Companies such as Scrushers, Esschert Design and Maycreekprovide not only make the traditional designs, with their cast iron boot scrapers, but also manufacture modern and innovative designs; which remove the debris not only from the sole of the boot or shoe, but thanks to the brushes, also remove the debris from the sides, front and heels of boots, trainers/sneakers or shoes. Boot scraper materials are not restricted to the traditional cast iron and coconut. Today rubber, plastic and synthetic materials are used to create boot scrapers with practical applications.
Some of the mat type boot scrapers can be difficult to keep clean and are also difficult to dry, although the solids ones can be brushed off fairly easily. Rubber and cast iron boot scrapers are very easy to wash off and dry very quickly.
Boot Jack And Scraper Advantages
A very practical design is the boot jack and scraper, available as a single item or an integral part of a boot scraper design. While the scraper removes even the most stubborn dirt or debris from the boots, the boot jack assists with the removal of the boot or wellington. The heel of the footwear is held firmly allowing the foot to be slide out of the boot without having to bend or struggle to a seat in order to extract the foot from the boot. Wellingtons and boots are notoriously difficult to remove, especially when they are wet and dirty, so investing in a boot jack scraper could prevent an accident or fall.
Keeping your home or office clean and your family and staff safe is a top priority, especially if you live in the rural countryside or in the mountaineous regions of the country. Investing in a boot scraper could save you and your business a lot of stress and money. Today nobody has money to waste replacing expensive flooring due to external debris being dragged indoors or to pay for accidents caused by slipping or falling on dirt or debris.