If leather gloves are shrunk or too small, the leather can be stretched, as it is a fairly elastic and pliable material. But in this case, it is important to choose a safe method so as not to deform or damage the products. Let's look at how to stretch leather gloves at home quickly and without risk to the quality and appearance of the natural material.
Stretching gloves
There are several ways you can change the size of your gloves without ruining them. These methods may vary depending on what exactly the accessory is made of. Leatherette and genuine leather have different properties that are recommended to be taken into account when stretching. It is important to remember that any material cannot be stretched by more than one size. Otherwise, the gloves will lose their original appearance and will look old, frayed, and worn out. For the same reason, there is no need to rush, so as not to spoil a wardrobe item.
Before purchasing, you can find out whether leather gloves stretch. You should also try on the products to determine their size. If they are short, then it will not be possible to increase or decrease their length. The material stretches only in width - in the area of the fingers and palms.
You should not try to stretch the skin from all sides, trying to “shrink” it, so that it does not lose its elasticity. This will lead to nothing - the gloves will either come apart at the seams or will look unpresentable, which is why they will have to be thrown away. Before you begin the procedure of stretching the material, you need to evaluate your chances of getting results. It is necessary to take into account a number of nuances:
- If you have to forcefully pull the glove onto your hand, you won’t be able to increase its size. You should not try even if it is very uncomfortable when moving your fingers.
- If the material presses hard between the fingers or rubs, then this cannot be eliminated. The pieces are usually sewn together using cotton threads. They are very durable, not elastic, not stretchy. If you apply force to them, the glove will come apart or torn threads will stick out from it.
- If it is impossible to move your fingers and hand, but your hand is comfortable, then you should not try to increase the size of the accessory. To be able to move your hands freely, you need gloves at least 2-3 sizes larger. It will not be possible to stretch them that much, even if you do it gradually.
If it is clear that it is unlikely that you will be able to stretch the gloves, then you should not even start. Everything will lead to them deteriorating, losing their appearance, and starting to look worn out. You should not spoil a piece of clothing; perhaps it would be more rational to alter it.
For example, make inserts from fabric, leather or leatherette. It is very important to remember that different types of materials have their own characteristics. For example, leather is more delicate, the approach to working with it should be slightly different.
Conclusion
Gloves can be returned to a comfortable state with your own hands, even if they have stretched or, conversely, become small. The main thing is to be extremely careful, otherwise the product will have to be thrown away, and the price of high-quality leather gloves is prohibitive.
Using the recommendations indicated above, it becomes possible to change the size of your favorite product both smaller and larger, while none of the methods requires significant financial costs or you can do without them at all.
The video in this article describes in detail the features of changing the size of leather products - watch! And if you have any questions, I’m waiting for them in the comments.
Genuine leather and suede
Genuine leather and suede are good because they take the shape of your hands and stretch well . Usually you don’t have to do anything for this, just wear the leather product for several days. It is highly recommended not to use liquids containing alcohol. Many tips on how to stretch genuine leather gloves using these means, although effective, have some unpleasant consequences. Since the skin absorbs odors well, getting rid of them in the future will be problematic. And even washing or long-term weathering of a wardrobe item will not eliminate the remains of alcohol or cologne.
You can use eau de toilette, the scent of which will not get boring, then the disadvantage of the method can be turned into an advantage. But it is worth remembering that your hands will also smell of perfume.
You should not use various creams to stretch suede. Even special products must be selected with care so that they do not leave traces.
Natural suede can be very tacky, especially if it is a light shade. Grease stains from cream will be very difficult to clean, and you will have to turn to other methods to get rid of the dirt.
How to care for leather gloves
Leather gloves should be washed in warm water at a temperature of 30-40 degrees using a soap solution. If present, pull the lining out and wash separately. Wash the items by putting them on your hands and rinse in cool water. Then, just like suede gloves, wrap the leather gloves in a terry towel.
Shake the dried products and inflate them, insert the lining inside. Leave the gloves to dry away from batteries, electronic devices, open flames and sunlight. To prevent the leather from becoming wrinkled and hard over time, periodically wipe the material with castor oil or Vaseline. The product will soften the product, restore shine and attractive appearance.
Before long-term seasonal storage, clean or wash and dry leather or suede gloves thoroughly. For dry cleaning, you can use a stiff brush. The outside of the product is treated with a special cream, spray or polish intended for this type of material. Such products are also sold in shoe stores.
Dried and treated gloves are wrapped in paper and placed in a box with a tight-fitting lid. In addition, the products can be placed in a paper or canvas bag or pouch. If your gloves have a natural wool lining, place them in a box or bag to protect them from moths.
Gloves should be stored in a closet, in a dark and dry place. Do not store products damp and dirty, store them in a room with high humidity and put them in ordinary plastic bags! For more information on how and where to store things correctly, read the link.
Leatherette and other artificial materials
Artificial materials are different and, accordingly, have different properties from each other. However, they are more difficult to stretch. It all depends on the specific type of material, its composition, and quality. Porous artificial leather of the high price segment is more elastic than ordinary leatherette made from cheap raw materials.
But it is worth remembering that when stretching the gloves by one or more sizes, the appearance of the product will change slightly. This will not be noticeable if you do everything carefully and gradually. It is not recommended to try to change the size of patent leather gloves or those with embroidery or decorations. Most likely, they will lose their presentable appearance.
You will need it
- - rubber;
- – cotton gloves;
- – shampoo;
- – lanolin soap;
- - Castor oil;
- - egg white;
- - fish fat;
- – glycerin;
- - hand cream;
- - olive oil;
- – gasoline;
- – talc;
- - boiling water.
If your gloves have a lining, try sewing an elastic band around the wrist. She will not let them fall off while wearing them. Do the following. Buy thin cotton gloves and carefully insert them into leather ones. In these cases, the gloves themselves will not become smaller, but they will not slip off your hands.
You can reduce leather gloves using the following method. Wash them in shampoo, you can also use lanolin soap. Then straighten the gloves and leave to dry. Do not dry on radiators or near heaters. To make the skin softer, add a little olive oil to the water when rinsing.
If the gloves do not stretch very well, moisten them with warm water and dry them, straightening them first. Wipe the dry product with castor oil. Instead of oil, you can use glycerin, dull shoe polish, or any greasy hand cream.
Some craftsmen rub their leather gloves with a consistency to make them smaller. Mix egg white with 50 ml castor oil. After application, dry the product without rinsing off the composition. You can replace the oil with fish oil, but it will leave behind a nasty smell. After such procedures, the gloves should shrink by approximately one size.
To make gloves out of huskies smaller, dip them in gasoline for 5 minutes. Later, remember them well and lower them into the liquid for another couple of minutes. Straighten the product, but do not stretch it, wipe it with a cloth and sprinkle it generously with talcum powder. It is best to use aviation gasoline for this, it is more unstained.
Place very stretched gloves in a container of boiling water, place on low heat and boil for about 5 minutes. After such an “execution,” the gloves will naturally shrink, but at the same time, the skin will lose some of its natural fats and tannins, which will lead to a loss of elasticity and strength. This can be corrected with olive oil. Lubricate the product well with it and leave for 5 minutes, then remove any remaining oil with a rag. If the gloves are made of bad leather, it will crack even when boiling.
If you really like your gloves, but you couldn’t make them smaller, give them to a leather goods repair shop. The craftsmen will sew them according to your hands.
New leather gloves
They should fit snugly on your hands, because over time this material will stretch and they may become too big for you. But what to do if you already have this problem? Unfortunately, it is very difficult to reduce them without losing quality, and if there is such an opportunity, then it is better to give them to someone for whom they will fit. If you still want to try to work on their size, then try doing this.
Products with textile lining
Sometimes it becomes necessary to stretch lined leather gloves. Products with a thick and warm lining are a little more difficult to stretch, so you will have to do this several times. If it is possible to remove it, then it is worth doing so, but most often the fabric is sewn to the inside.
The problem is that fabric stretches much faster and better than leather. Therefore, when the material is stretched, it will also increase in size. In this case, heating some areas with a hairdryer or rubbing the outside of the gloves with glycerin on the fingers and palms is ideal. There is no need to specifically stretch the fabric insert, since over time, with prolonged wear, it itself will become a little more voluminous and will not fit so tightly to the hand.
Special means
The easiest way to achieve the desired result quickly and effectively is to use special products. Such compositions are sold in hardware, shoe and other stores. Most of them come in the form of sprays and allow you to increase your gloves by one size. The product is applied in an even layer, then the accessory is put on the hands. Just wait for it to dry.
A few simple ways
The first, simplest and most obvious way to stretch gloves is to wet them and then put them on your hand. Initially, you need to wrap the item of clothing in a damp towel. Then pull the gloves onto both hands, move your fingers, and clench your fists. After the material dries, the product will become freer, but will not deform.
It is very important not to wet the accessory through and through; this is not necessary. On the contrary, it will be difficult to dry the lining. In addition, raw leather gloves can be “tightened” or stretched unevenly.
If this method turns out to be ineffective, then you can try the following. For this we use:
- Soap. You need to take toilet soap, moisten it a little and spread it on the material. It is not necessary to foam the soap base heavily. It is recommended to use soap with glycerin, as it not only helps stretching, but also improves the visual characteristics of dermatin or leather.
- Eau de Toilette. It is necessary to spray the outside of the gloves with perfume or cologne, then put them on and wear them for a while. If necessary, repeat the procedure 2-3 more times. After some time the size will change.
- Vodka. Wipe the inside of the gloves with vodka or alcohol, then lightly rub the glove with your fingers and put it on yourself. You need to repeat the procedure several times to increase the size.
- Cream. It is advisable to take thick baby cream. They need to lubricate the inside or outside of the material, but not in a too thick layer. Afterwards, put gloves on your hands and walk around in them for at least a few minutes.
It is important that these methods are suitable for those types of materials that do not have a lining. Firstly, the procedure will be ineffective. And secondly, the fabric will deteriorate - it will smell of alcohol, or greasy stains will remain on it. The material with a sewn lining can only be stretched using soap or glycerin.
You can stretch lined leather gloves using ammonia or soda. You need to take a cotton pad and an empty container. Pour warm water into the container, add a teaspoon of soda or ammonia. If desired, both of these options can be combined into one. Cotton wool is moistened in the solution and applied to the leather gloves with patting movements. There is no need to soak them in a container of water. Afterwards, by analogy with other stretching methods, you need to pull the gloves on your hands and clench your fists several times and move your fingers.
The result should be already after the first application, but if necessary, you can repeat the procedure again. You can also take a simpler route and buy a spray in the store for stretching certain types of materials. It is usually sold in shoe departments, as well as in leather goods departments.
Detailed instructions for using the product should be read on the packaging, but they all work approximately as follows: the spray is applied to the outside, absorbed a little, after which you need to put the glove on your hand and wear it for a while. Repeat the procedure one or two more times.
The advantage of such sprays is that they do not damage the skin, but improve its appearance.
Leather gloves stretch in a short time. But here you need to be extremely careful not to spoil the thing. You need to turn on the hairdryer and slightly heat the gloves on the outside and inside, and then immediately put them on. Exposure to hot air will help the material become more elastic and pliable. This is worth repeating again if you want to wear gloves another day. Usually three procedures are enough to achieve the desired results, and the time will take about 5 minutes.
Alcohol and water
Leather is an expensive material and it can be a shame to throw away products made from it. If the gloves become too small, water or alcohol will help to change their size. The simplest recipe:
- wet the towel with water;
- wrap gloves;
- leave for several hours.
During this time, the skin will be saturated with moisture. Then put them on your hands and wear them until they are completely dry.
It is not recommended to wet gloves completely under the tap. This way they can sit down even more.
If you have alcohol or regular cologne at your disposal, you can try the following:
- spray the inner lining;
- put it on your hands and wear it until the liquid evaporates.
This recipe can be used for suede.
What not to do
To stretch leather products at home, some people resort to a number of methods that are best avoided:
- Ask another person with larger hands to wear the new gloves. There is no need to do this, as the material quickly takes the shape of someone else's hand. This means that in the future the owner of the gloves will not be very comfortable wearing them.
- Some people use fatty vegetable oils to stretch their skin. This will really help stretch the material, but the oils will leave behind some greasy stains or shine. After such experiments, you will have to take your new accessory to the dry cleaner or look for other ways to wash your gloves yourself.
- Some people stretch the material in different directions. This will only lead to deformation of the seams or damage to the skin. It doesn’t matter whether it is natural or artificial.
Baby cream
To stretch the material, you first need to make it soft and more elastic. Baby cream is ideal for this. If this is not the case, you can use regular one, but with a high fat content.
You need to do the following:
- Spread the entire inside with cream;
- put them on your hands.
Already in the first seconds you will feel how the material begins to stretch a little.
Instead of cream, you can use glycerin. But the effect is achieved much worse, since it is poorly absorbed into the skin.
This method also has a contraindication. If the inside is made of fur, then after treatment with cream or oil the presentation will disappear and the entire finish will deteriorate.
Care tips and advice
To ensure that already stretched gloves remain in their original form, they should be properly cared for . Care involves following a number of rules:
- Put the skin in order after stretching: wipe off the remaining cream or glycerin, remove the smell of alcohol.
- Clean the material using dry cleaning to prevent it from stretching further.
- Do not lend leather goods to anyone. In this case, the size of the gloves will not change.
If you “pull” the material, it is unlikely that you will be able to narrow it back. With constant wear, some materials will stretch slightly without additional effort, so you may not have to do anything to make the skin more elastic.
The most common methods
The easiest way is to go to a shoe store and buy a shoe stretcher. Such products are produced in the form of aerosol cans. Your task is only to use them correctly. Purchasing a stretching aerosol is beneficial because there is always a use for it in the house. You can use it to stretch new shoes and gloves with or without lining. Read the instructions and use.
In addition to industrially produced aerosols, you can do the following at home:
- drop a little alcohol-containing product into the product. This can be cologne, perfume, eau de toilette and other alcohol-based solutions. They can do the same.
- If the gloves do not have fur or lining, lubricate them with hand cream or baby moisturizer. Place on your hands and do not remove until the cream is completely absorbed. The method is good for thin demi-season leather items.
- A universal method is moisturizing. Wet the leather accessory with water or wrap it in a wet towel. Surely you noticed that after you got very wet, leather things stretch a little? A damp towel works on the same principle. If you hold your skin in it for 3-4 hours, and then dry it by putting it on your hands, the size will increase.
- Glycerin renews and stretches gloves well. Lubricate the skin outside, let it absorb well.
You should not ask your husband to wear your item for the purpose of stretching it. Firstly, the product does not increase by more than a size, and secondly, after someone else’s hand, natural leather will not fit yours perfectly. And it’s not surprising that the thing will tear at the seams if you try too hard to pull it onto your big hand.
Remember that during prolonged wear, leather products themselves increase slightly in size and become softer. To ensure that things serve you for more than one season, store them correctly.
Before storing your leather accessories for the summer, be sure to lubricate them with castor oil. Wait until the oil is well absorbed and wipe off any remaining residue with a cotton cloth. Do not store leather items in plastic bags - without air access they lose their appearance. The skin does not like direct sunlight, so do not dry things in the open sun.
And most importantly, when purchasing, try on the gloves well. Don't buy them in a hurry, sophistication and style cannot be rushed. Correctly selected items will not have to be either increased or decreased.
You don’t have to think so often about how to stretch leather gloves at home. There are times when, after purchasing an item, the next fitting causes confusion and disappointment. Under the influence of some circumstances, gloves may become small or, conversely, the size may increase. There is no need to be upset about this, the problem can be easily solved: by resorting to small tricks, you can stretch leather products or, conversely, reduce their size.
