Return to list of articles The need to stretch leather material can arise in different situations. It happens that the length or width of the existing flap is not enough for cutting. Purchased finished products initially do not match the size or begin to cause discomfort over time as their owner becomes fatter. For those interested in how to stretch natural leather at home, we suggest considering several ways to solve the problem. It should be noted that their effectiveness has been tested on raw hides of natural origin. You should not experiment with leatherette, so as not to spoil the thing.
How to stretch genuine leather shoes at home
Genuine leather stretches well with the help of folk remedies, without losing its shape. Let's look at popular methods for stretching leather shoes at home.
Boiling water
Remove the insoles from your shoes and place them over a bowl of boiling water. Hold over the steam for 3-5 seconds, then put on with a thick sock and walk in the shoes until they cool down. The steam will soften the skin and it will mold to the shape of your foot.
Ice
Fill two plastic bags with cold water, tie them and place one bag in each shoe. Place your shoes in the freezer and remove them when ice forms in the bags. Let the ice melt, remove the bags. Ice gently stretches the skin, but remove the bags carefully so as not to scratch your shoes. This method is good for stretching narrow shoe toes. Just don't use it on patent leather shoes - freezing will ruin the polish.
Hairdryer
The hair dryer is suitable for thick leather shoes. Wear tight-toed shoes and heat them with a hairdryer for 30–40 seconds, actively moving your toes and feet. Let the shoes cool and repeat the procedure several times. Do not point the hair dryer close to the surface of the shoes or seams.
Wet newspapers
Wet newspapers help stretch leather shoes wider. Stuff your shoes or boots with pieces of newspaper and pour water into it - the paper will get wet and fill the shoes completely. Leave it overnight away from the battery and, if necessary, repeat the procedure.
Alcohol
Wipe the inside of your shoes with alcohol or vodka, put on thick socks and walk around the house for an hour. Then wipe with soapy water to remove the alcohol smell and expose to air. After the entire procedure, treat your shoes with shoe polish.
Oils
You can use any vegetable or castor oil. Take out the insoles and lubricate the areas that are pinching with oil. Remove excess and leave for one hour. Then put on thick socks and shoes and walk around. The oil stretches the skin and the shoes take the shape of the foot.
Vinegar
You can use vinegar to soften the toe and top of leather shoes. Treat the toes of shoes or the tops of boots with 3% vinegar and wear with thick socks. Walk around the house until any tight spots are loosened.
Groats
Croup is good for stretching boot tops and lifting shoes. Pour any cereal into a plastic bag, add hot water and leave overnight. In the morning, take out the bags: the swollen cereal will stretch the top and toe of the shoe. If necessary, the method can be repeated.
Wet towel
Moisten a soft towel with water, cover the tight areas of the shoe and hold for 5-10 minutes. Then put on thick socks and walk around in your shoes for half an hour. The method helps to soften and stretch shoes by two sizes.
Wet rag and hammer
This way you can stretch the heel of your shoe. Wet two rags, place them in the backs of the shoes and leave for 1-2 hours. Then, without removing the rag, gently tap the inside of the heel of each shoe with a hammer.
How to soften a watch strap that is too oak
The stronger and thicker the new wristwatch strap, the stiffer it is, i.e. more simply put, “oaky”. Such is the specificity of this material.
Of course, this pattern does not apply to most expensive luxury models, which their manufacturers equip with high-quality straps made of alligator skin (sometimes even with special waterproof coatings) or other exotic animals (ostriches, sharks, stingrays, monitor lizards and other lizards).
Increased rigidity, as a rule, is characteristic of relatively less expensive belts made from calf (nubuck, etc.), buffalo, cowhide or horse (Cordovan) leather of various types, which are equipped with men's (and even some women's) wristwatches such as casual, military , vintage, etc.
The “oakiness” of a new leather strap largely depends on the production technology of the material from which it is made. However, now we will not detail this, of course, important aspect in view of the extreme breadth of the topic itself, but will dwell on a more relevant point.
As you know, a hard strap, even on a new watch, is not always comfortable. And for many owners, this nuisance is frankly annoying (if not infuriating), significantly limiting the amount of positive impressions from the new acquisition. It is clear that over time a leather belt will wear out and acquire the proper softness and flexibility, but you always want maximum comfort, don’t you? This means that the process of carrying out a new belt must somehow be accelerated. Everything is correct! Moreover, it is not at all difficult to do this.
So, how to soften a new leather watch strap?
First of all, you will need: leather oil* (you can find it online under the name Neatsfoot oil Pure**, it’s inexpensive) and a small piece of clean cloth.
Next in order: 1. If it is not possible to remove the strap from the watch, then despite all its rigidity you will have to act with increased care: holding one end of it with your fingers (the one closest to the body), we begin to carefully bend the second back and forth, not too much so as not to damage the skin and/or pins. The goal is to shape the flat strap into an arc that best fits the curve of your wrist. If the belt is not yet installed on the watch, then we perform the same operation, but without the risk of breaking the belt fastenings.
2. Repeat the same manipulation with the other half of the strap
3. We put a small amount of oil on a previously prepared piece of clean cloth (a drop the size of no more than half a 10-kopeck coin) and again carefully and evenly rub it into the upper and lower surfaces of the strap. After this, we place it (possibly together with the watch) in a dry and well-ventilated place for an hour so that the skin has time to completely absorb the oil.
4. We wear a watch on a strap treated in this way as often as possible, so the leather will quickly acquire its natural softness.
* An important nuance: the impact of Neatsfoot oil (leather oil) may cause the strap to darken a little, so if it is initially light or making any changes to its color is not included in your plans, then it is better to do without such oil.
** Neatsfoot oil is an oil that is made from the leg bones (this is important) of cattle. It is used as a preventive and restorative agent for softening leather and products made from it. Nowadays, very often, manufacturers dilute Neatsfoot oil with mineral oil, which can harm some types of leather, including those used for watch straps. In this regard, it is strongly recommended to use only Neatsfoot oil Pure for caring for leather watch straps (the corresponding designation can be found on the packaging), i.e. pure oil without additional impurities.
milwatches.com.ua
Features of working with different materials
Shoes made of suede, leatherette and patent leather are stretched similarly to leather ones. Many methods are repeated, but they also have their own characteristics.
Suede
Suitable for suede shoes:
- Wet processing. Pour warm water into your shoes, put on thick socks and wear until dry.
- Boiling water.
- Alcohol.
- Wet newspapers.
Leatherette
Leatherette is not as durable as real leather, so stretch these shoes carefully. Softening methods:
- Cream or Vaseline. Lubricate the inside of the shoes with cream or Vaseline and leave for 2-3 hours until the product is absorbed. Then put on thick socks and break in your shoes.
- Laundry soap. Grate the soap and dilute it in warm water to make a soap paste. Apply to the tight areas of your shoes and leave for 6-8 hours until the shoes are dry. Then rinse thoroughly.
- Wet newspapers.
- Hair dryer.
- Groats.
Patent leather shoes
If patent leather shoes begin to deform during stretching, stop the procedure. To stretch this type of shoe, use:
- alcohol;
- oil;
- vinegar;
- boiling water;
- wet towel.
Using soap solution
If you don’t have the product on hand or you can’t buy it, you can use an ordinary soap solution.
Prepare it this way:
- You will need liquid soap without fragrance or color. Pour approximately 200 g of water and 50 g of soap, mix thoroughly.
- Using a rag or sponge, apply the solution liberally to the outer surface of the skin.
- Put on a few things to increase your size, and then put on a jacket over it, wait about 0.5 hours;
- It is imperative to wash off any remaining soap solution. To do this, simply wipe the outer surface of the product with a cloth under running water.
The best shoe stretchers
In addition to home methods, you can stretch leather shoes using special stretchers. Best remedies:
- Salamander Shoe Stretch is used for leather and suede shoes. The stretcher gently softens and does not damage the material. Shake the spray and treat sensitive areas inside and out. Then put on thick socks and walk around in your shoes for half an hour.
- Salamander Professional Shoe Stretch is a universal product for natural, artificial and patent leather shoes. Action and processing are similar to Salamander Shoe Stretch.
- Salton - the spray makes the material flexible and increases the length and width of the shoe. Works in the same way as Salamander products.
Special tools and devices
You can stretch the skin using special mechanical equipment. It is a last with attachments for individual wardrobe items. This method is more suitable for shoes and gloves, stretching the item in a certain place.
On sale you can find special softeners, stretchers, which are sold in the form of aerosols and foams. After processing, the item must be stretched on a block or mannequin; you can use paper filling. After treating the gloves with foam, you can put them on yourself and wait until they dry.
What to remember
When using traditional methods of stretching leather shoes, be careful and strictly follow the recommendations to avoid aggressive effects on the material. Before stretching with special means, be sure to check whether the method is suitable for your type of shoe. Contact a shoemaker if you are unable to stretch your shoes using any of the methods. And if you accidentally put a stain on your favorite shoes, it can be easily fixed by professional cleaning - we use German environmentally friendly chemicals that carefully and effectively remove any stains.
Accurately determine the composition of a leather jacket
Sometimes a situation arises when a leather product becomes small for some reason. For example, a person gains weight, and the jacket becomes tighter. But sometimes you really want your favorite jacket to fit perfectly. What to do in this case?
The first and most important thing to do at the initial stage is to determine the composition of the leather jacket and make sure that it is truly natural. After all, today's technologies make it possible to obtain types of eco-leather that are almost impossible to distinguish from natural material.
If this cannot be done simply by palpation and visually, then you can find the fold and cut of the seam along the inner edge of the product and very carefully, with a thin blade or small nail scissors, cut off a tiny piece of skin.
Then put it on a saucer and try to set it on fire. If it is genuine leather, then it will not burn or melt, but will only smolder slightly.
Important! Once you have a lump of charred skin, you need to rub it with your fingers. If it disintegrates into ash and has a distinct smell of burnt flesh or burnt meat, then the leather jacket is genuine. Otherwise, when the product is made of eco-leather, the burnt lump forms one continuous coal, which will be difficult to destroy with your fingers.
Physical exercise
How to restore skin firmness and elasticity? Everyone knows that tone is maintained through exercise. In addition, exercise helps remove toxins and waste from the body, stimulate metabolism, and improve blood circulation. It is enough to devote 15 minutes to morning exercises. But no one has canceled the swimming pool, dance studio or gym.
If you combine fresh air and exercise, this is ideal. You can, for example, do exercises outside or run in the morning.
Few people today play sports, especially women. After all, they constantly think about everyday life and raise children.
But the skin will remain elastic and the muscles toned only with regular physical activity. Even if a woman is busy all the time, she will find time to exercise. You can combine it with cleaning the house, ironing clothes, and preparing breakfast.
Preparation
Before you start stretching, you need to find out whether the product is made of genuine leather or a substitute. This is an important step, since a thing made from artificial leather analogues, when using methods for natural material, will be damaged - stretch marks, deformed areas, stains will appear on the product, and in some areas the leatherette may simply tear.
The second stage is determining how many sizes the leather on the jacket needs to be stretched. Next, you need to focus on the characteristics of the product’s material – thickness, color. Depending on the specified parameters of the outerwear element, the final method for increasing the size is determined. You shouldn’t immediately use “heavy artillery” - the less harsh the product is chosen, the greater the chance of maintaining the appearance unchanged.
Proper skin care
To avoid damaging your leather product, you should carefully read the information on the tag. In addition to following the rules prescribed by the manufacturer of the item, there are additional recommendations for caring for leather outerwear. The jacket must be wiped regularly with a soft brush or cloth. When dry stains are minor, you can use an art eraser for cleaning.
For reference! It is not recommended to use an eraser for drawing too often. If you scrub away dirt every day, faded spots will appear in the areas where the eraser was exposed.
Out of season, before putting it in the closet, the item is lubricated with baby cream or moisturizer. When storing, you must ensure that there are no folds or creases - they need to be straightened. If the skin is moldy, it is possible to remove the mold using alcohol and bactericidal soap. First, the product is wiped with alcohol, and if mold remains, it is treated with a soap solution. But, if the soap solution does not give any results, you need to take the item to the dry cleaner.
How to soften a leather belt with castor oil?
This is one of the best ways to process leather fabric. True, it is only suitable for dark colors. Castor oil will not cause deformation of the product. Oil will only return the belt to its former flexibility and attractiveness. To process, you will need to buy about 10 bottles of the product, prepare a towel and an unnecessary rag.
Initially, pour the castor oil into another container to apply to the belt. Apply the oil with a pipette or cloth. You can, of course, pour it directly from the bottle in drops along the entire length of the belt.
Use a sponge or your hands to rub the product, moving gradually, lubricating both sides. Not a single section should be skipped. The belt will immediately darken, this is normal. Leave for soaking. When the oil is completely absorbed, lubricate again. And so on until the castor oil stops being absorbed.
You should not use this method on light-colored belts.
The skin will darken.
Ultrasonic facial cleansing
Many have heard about such a method as ultrasonic cleaning, which is often performed in salons and beauty parlors, and it has gained great popularity among women. Ultrasonic facial cleansing allows you to restore the elasticity of the facial skin, deeply cleanse the skin, remove dead cells and impurities, cleanse pores, and rejuvenate the skin.
Specialists carry out this procedure efficiently, so after it the woman takes on a new look. Her skin becomes elastic and firm.
You can sign up for ultrasonic facial cleansing at our cosmetology center in Kozhukhovo. Leave a request on the website or call: +7 (495) 120-29-55.
