How to stretch leather shoes?

Surely this story has happened to you: you take leather shoes out of your closet that have been sitting there for several months, put them on and realize that they are too tight for you. This confusion occurs due to their improper storage. Don’t rush to get upset and run to the store to buy something, you can stretch them yourself using improvised means. Our advice will cost you much less than new shoes.

Ways to stretch leather shoes

Before you begin stretching work, you should understand that genuine leather tends to stretch when worn. Therefore, there is a high probability of stretching the material so much that the shoes will be too big. You need to work carefully here. There are several ways to stretch, the most common and effective of which are:

• use cold;
• apply water;
• using steam or hot air;
• using products such as alcohol, petroleum jelly or vinegar.

Let's consider all the methods in detail.

How to treat shoes?

One of the remedies that help stretch the skin is alcohol. It’s not easy to buy alcohol tinctures now, so you can replace them with vodka. We follow the instructions:

• Apply alcohol to a cotton pad and wipe the inside of the shoes;
• we wet the shoes until the material becomes damp and soft;
• We put on woolen socks and put on our shoes;
• walk for 10–15 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.

Important! It is not recommended to wipe the upper part of the shoes, as this may damage the material.

You can replace alcohol with vinegar essence. Dilute it in water in a proportion of 1 tablespoon per 100 ml of water. Apply to a napkin or cotton pad and wipe the inside of the shoes. Put wet shoes on your feet with socks and walk around the house for about an hour. The material will stretch.

Using homemade stretching

Stretching can be purchased at shoe repair shops, or you can do it yourself. After measuring the length and width of the shoe inside, take a thick wire and cut the required amount from it. Wrap the wire with a cloth to avoid damaging the skin. You will have two spacers for each shoe. Insert them inside and leave for 5-6 hours. Instead of wire, you can use wooden sticks. But if the wood is too thin, the sticks may break.

Through a special means

Shoe stores offer special products for stretching the leather. They have proven themselves well and do not require any effort to process shoes. The best sprays at the moment are considered to be from Salamander, Kiwi, Silver and Salton.. They soften the skin and are irreplaceable in cases where you need to stretch your shoes a little. Apply a special spray to the shoes from the outside and inside and put the shoes on over woolen socks. Walk like this for about an hour.If the leather is still rough and the shoes are tight, repeat the treatment several times.

Using wet newspapers

The most accessible and simplest method of all known. You will need old newspapers, water and a little patience. Pour water into a spray bottle and spray the paper thoroughly until it is wet. Tightly crumple the paper and push it inside. The more newspaper you stuff into your shoes, the more they will stretch. Leave until the newspapers are completely dry.

It is not recommended to use heating devices; let everything dry naturally. The approximate waiting time is 15–17 hours, so it is convenient to use this method in the evening and leave the shoes to dry overnight. After the newspapers have dried, take them out and leave the shoes for a few more hours to allow the leather to dry out a little.. After this you can put on your shoes. This method is effective, but many argue that the effect does not last long, the moisture evaporates and the material dries again.

Freezing

You can stretch the skin by freezing it. Take two plastic bags and pour water into them, then tie them tightly so that the liquid does not leak. Place the water-filled bags inside your shoes and place them in the freezer. Expect several hours. When cold, water expands, thereby stretching thin material. After this, remove the shoes from the freezer and carefully remove the bags. You need to act carefully so as not to damage the skin with ice. Leave the shoes for a few minutes to warm up. Everything is ready to wear!

Hot air

Another effective method of stretching natural leather is hot air. You will need a hairdryer. Wear shoes with thick socks and point the hairdryer at the areas that are tight. A jet of air will soften the material, and it will take the shape of a leg. You can try steaming your shoes with steam from an iron. There is no need to wear them, as you can get burned. Hold the shoes in your hand and steam them for 5-7 minutes. Put them on while they are warm and walk around in them for 15–20 minutes. The skin will stretch.

Other effective ways

1. Vaseline can soften and stretch natural leather. Apply the product to the inside and leave for several hours. Remove any remaining Vaseline that is not absorbed with a napkin.
2. Baby cream, castor or vegetable oil have a similar effect.
3. If it suddenly happens that no available means are available, use simple but good advice. Put the shoes on a wet sock and walk for about an hour, the material will stretch and take the shape of your feet.. You can also stretch it with a wet towel.
4. Soak your shoes in hot water, wring them out and wrap them in a towel for 5-7 minutes. After the procedure, walk around the house in your shoes for 30 minutes.
5. You can also treat shoes with paraffin. Rub the skin from the inside with a regular candle and leave overnight. In the morning, shake off any remaining paraffin.

Is it possible to quickly break in shoes made of genuine leather?

Genuine leather is good because it does not become rough and wears out quickly. If the shoes are a little tight, then you can break them in yourself without using any improvised means and without contacting a specialist. To prevent your shoes from chafing, it is better to wear them in at home with thick socks on your feet. This will save you from blisters.

However, stretching natural material into several sizes will not work. Firstly, thin skin can burst. Secondly, it may stretch unevenly, as a result the shoes can only be thrown away.

How not to damage?

Using products such as vinegar or alcohol can ruin your shoes. Poorly dyed shoes may fade. Therefore, before applying the product to the entire surface, experiment on a small area.. In addition, frozen water (stretching in the freezer) can damage the natural material. To prevent this from happening, leave the shoes until the ice melts and only then remove the bags from them.