How to quickly break in shoes that are too tight - proven tips

It’s very disappointing when new shoes that fit perfectly on your feet and were comfortable when you tried them on in the store turn out to be tight and chafe on the very first day. Read our article on how to quickly break in shoes and get rid of discomfort.

Try to choose shoes made from natural materials

Basic rules

It is extremely important to choose the right stretching technique. The first thing to take into account is the composition of the product. For example, it is easiest to expand shoes made of genuine leather. It is much more difficult to lengthen shoes made from its substitute. It is important to know that the surface of varnished products may crack if the method is not chosen correctly. As for rubber boots, they cannot be worn out.

You can stretch shoes by yourself no more than 2 cm. If they are expensive, then it is better to turn to professionals. They use special compounds and adjust products using pads.

It happens that you don’t have time to go to the workshop, but you don’t want to change your already favorite pair. In this case, products that are suitable for stretching products at home will be of great help. It is also worth using specialized compounds that are available in any shoe department or choosing a suitable folk method. According to reviews, both options cope with their task, but you need to take into account what the product is made of.

There are techniques that are not suitable for certain materials:

1. The freezing method has a negative effect on leatherette and varnished leather.
2. The use of alcohol-containing compounds is prohibited for artificial leather - the surface will become dull and streaks will appear.
3. The action of boiling water has a negative effect on any synthetic material.
4. Vaseline and other fatty compounds should not be used on suede and velor - permanent stains will appear.

Before putting your shoes away for storage, you need to wash them well - remove all dirt from the surface, dry them and insert them inside the lasts or stuff them with paper. This will prevent deformation of the material. Do not place shoes in bags for a long time. Cardboard boxes and special fabric bags are suitable for this.

The freezing method has a negative effect on leatherette and leather.

The use of alcohol-containing compounds is prohibited for artificial leather

The action of boiling water has a negative effect on any synthetic material

Fatty compounds should not be used on suede and velor.

Useful tips

To avoid having to mechanically stretch men's or women's narrow or tight shoes made of leather, denim, EVA or other materials, but to immediately buy the right size, use these tips from professionals:

• buy shoes in the afternoon. During the day, the legs often swell; in the morning they can sit normally, but in the evening they feel stiff, especially where the zipper is located;
• Don't wear new shoes all day if they are too small. When going to an event in new beautiful shoes, take comfortable shoes with you as a replacement;
• If you feel that your fabric boots or sandals are starting to rub on your toe or foot tightly in the heel area, cover the problem area on your foot with a plaster in advance.

To prevent a synthetic or velor backdrop from chafing, lubricate it with paraffin or soap. Choose nubuck, leather or canvas high-heeled shoes carefully - if the shoes rub a lot in the underwires, in the little toe area already in the store, don’t torture yourself - discard a pair in favor of a more spacious one at least half a size. If stretching at home fails, the shoes will be ruined and will not be accepted back into the store. When preparing for an important event, stretch your hard heeled pumps or other shoes one size in advance - this will take time.

Selection of method depending on the material

To determine how to wear shoes that pinch at home, you must take into account that there are no universal methods suitable for all types of material. It is best to use a specific method for stretching models made of leather, suede, leatherette, membrane, textiles. This is the only way to be sure that the new pair will last a long time.

Leather

You can use ready-made cosmetics to wear shoes at home, but you need to pay attention to your skin type. Conventionally, shoe cosmetics are divided into two types: for a specific material and universal compositions. The use of products intended for other types of leather products is harmful to the pair. You need to be attentive to metallized, wicker, greased and varnished surfaces. Before wearing shoes that are too tight at home, you need to dry clean the shoes from dirt using a brush. If dust is not removed from the top and inside of the leather, it will penetrate into the material along with the wear agent, which will worsen the appearance of the product.

Suede

Suede is very susceptible to the negative effects of the environment, so you need to be careful when breaking it in. It is forbidden to use products that contain varnish or oils, and this material should not be soaked too much. You can purchase a spray for breaking in suede shoes. It should be applied to areas where significant compression occurs. Next, you need to put on your shoes and walk until the composition dries completely. If the process is accompanied by severe pain, then it is better to do several approaches. The spray effectively stretches suede without harming it.

Textile

Summer shoes are often made from woven materials, such as jeans. It won't be possible to expand it much, but it is possible to increase it a little. If the products are tight in your fingers, sometimes it is enough to put a damp insole and walk for 25-30 minutes, putting on socks and shoes. Alternatively, the surface layer is treated with an alcohol-containing liquid, for example vodka.

An effective way to break in fabric shoes is to walk in them in the rain or on wet grass. When you get home, you will need to put dry, crumpled paper sheets inside. This method is harmless if the sole is sewn and not glued.

Walk in the rain or on wet grass

Place dry, crumpled paper sheets inside

Membrane

If the shoes are made of membrane, you must first wet the surface inside the shoes with boiling water. When they soften, the products should be wiped with a dry cloth and worn in by putting them on a sock. To consolidate the effect, you need to treat the shoes with cold - you can use water or ice for this. The method should be used carefully, since low-quality boots will lose their former shape when exposed to boiling water.

Wet the surface inside with boiling water

Wipe with a dry cloth and wear on a sock.

Treat shoes with cold

Leatherette

This is a synthetic material that is practically unstretchable. If you only need to enlarge the product a little, then you can distribute faux leather models at home in the following ways:

1. Spray the surfaces inside and out generously with Vaseline. Wait about an hour, so the product is well absorbed, put shoes on socks, and a bag on top, then walk for half an hour. Upon completion, remove the greasy composition.
2. Use candle paraffin. Rub the surface inside the shoes with wax and leave for a day. Afterwards, remove the paraffin with a napkin. As an alternative, you can use laundry soap. After a day, the product is removed with a damp cloth, after which the shoes are worn until dry.
3. To increase the volume of leatherette shoes, you need to tightly pack peeled potatoes and crumpled wet paper inside, and leave the product for a day.

Do not dry wet shoes near heating appliances or on hot radiators. During prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures, cracks form on artificial leather. As a result, the material becomes clogged with dust, which shortens its service life. Surface deformation also speeds up shoes getting wet when “walking” in the rain. Products should only be dried at room temperature. Cedar blocks will help speed up the drying process.

Spray the surfaces inside and outside generously with Vaseline.

Walk for half an hour, remove the greasy composition

Use candle paraffin

Place peeled potatoes and crumpled wet paper tightly

Professional approach

If finances allow, then you can use the services of professionals - this is the fastest and most effective way to get rid of problems with new shoes.

By the way, there is an opinion that it is impossible to stretch leather shoes in length. In general, this fact cannot be refuted, but today professionals can offer a solution to this problem. As a rule, the leather at the toe of the shoe is thicker, and thanks to the combined effects of mechanical stretching, spray, special attachments and electrical heating, this area of ​​​​leather can be stretched to give more room to the toes.

Check the availability of shoe stretching services in workshops in your city

Folk remedies

There are many folk methods for distributing shoes at home. Use alcohol compounds, water, fat, vinegar, and newspaper sheets. How to carry out the procedure correctly and not harm the product is a question that is worth considering in more detail.

Alcohol

This is an excellent skin softener. Shoes made from natural material are rubbed with alcohol from the inside and put on the toe. It is prohibited to wet the outside. Alcohol dries very quickly, so it doesn’t take long to break in tight shoes.

It is prohibited to treat suede shoes with alcohol - the material can only be moistened with beer. Lubricate the inside of the products well, put on thick socks and boots and wear them until dry. Kerosene can be used as an alternative to alcohol-containing liquids. The processing principle is no different, the only thing is that the smell after the procedure is difficult to remove.

Rub shoes made of natural material with alcohol from the inside and put them on the toe.

Treat suede shoes with beer, put on thick socks and wear until dry.

Steam

This method allows you to slightly increase the length of the product. Few people know how to properly break in shoes that press on your toes with the help of steam. To do this, you must complete several steps:

• hold shoes over steam;
• then fill with crumpled paper;
• wait until it dries.

Drying using heating equipment is strictly prohibited, as the surface will be deformed. Unprinted paper should be used. Blank A4 sheets are best.

Hold your shoes over the steam

Stuff with crumpled paper

Wait until it dries

Hairdryer

This technique is suitable for leather products. First, put on socks, then shoes, then use a hairdryer to treat the area on the bend of the foot with hot air. There is no need to take off your shoes right away - you need to wait until the surface has completely cooled naturally. This needs to be done 3-4 times, then treat the outer part with shoe care products.

There is no need to bring a working hair dryer very close to the surface - leather shoes can be damaged under the influence of intense and hot air.

Ice

This is the most humane method for breaking in shoes quickly and stretching them out. You will need a freezer and 2 bags. Balls are inserted inside each shoe and water is added to them. Be sure to tie the bag tightly, then put the shoes in the freezer. As the liquid freezes, it expands, stretching the material.

The main thing is not to keep your shoes in the refrigerator, since prolonged exposure to cold can cause cracks on their surface, especially for materials such as leatherette.

Add water to bags, tie

Paste inside

Place shoes in the freezer

Vinegar

This method involves mixing 70% vinegar with water in a 1/1 ratio. If you use a 9% composition, then there is no need to dilute it. Rules of application:

• treat the surface inside with a solution;
• then put on socks and put on shoes;
• Afterwards they walk for at least one hour.

Vinegar is absolutely safe, and to remove the smell, the products need to be thoroughly washed with soapy water. If this is unacceptable, then simply ventilate in the fresh air for a long time.

Treat the surface inside with a solution

Put a pair on your socks and then walk for at least one hour.

Corn

There is a proven way to break in faux leather shoes. This will require wheat grains. They fill bags with them, put them in shoes, and add water to the cereal. The shoes are left in this state for a day. When cereals swell, they increase in volume and thus stretch the material. After completion, there is no need to specially dry the products; you just need to put them in fresh air.

Pour grains into shoes, add water, leave for a day

Moisture

You can wash leather boots with hot water. Only genuine leather can withstand this method. Rules for how to quickly break in new shoes:

• the product is doused with boiling water from the inside;
• excess liquid is removed and the shoes are left to cool for a while;
• Then they put on their shoes and walk until the product dries. If necessary, the process is repeated.

Pour boiling water over the inside of the shoes, remove excess liquid, and leave the shoes to cool for a while

Put on shoes and walk until the product dries

Faux leather shoes

Soak thick socks in an alcohol solution or vodka , put them on and put on new shoes. Walk around for about 30 minutes. Repeat the procedure several times during the day. If it doesn’t help, do the same for 2-3 days in a row. The smell of alcohol can be eliminated by wiping the shoes with soapy water or leaving the shoes to air out.

Faux leather and some other synthetic materials are difficult to stretch. The only way to avoid the problem is to be careful when purchasing

Another way is to stuff your shoes with wet newspaper . Cut thick paper or newspaper into very small pieces, stuff them tightly into the shoes and fill them with water until they swell. The paper should tightly fill the entire volume of tight shoes. Then dry the shoes naturally, away from heating devices.

Faux leather shoes help spread potatoes . Peel the tuber and place it in the toe of your shoe overnight. In the morning, wipe your shoes and break them in.

Keep in mind that inexpensive shoes may be of poor quality and may not withstand exposure to heat or moisture.

Best Techniques for Winter Boots

Breaking in winter boots or boots is much more difficult. There are two main methods: ice and alcohol treatment. Instructions on how to quickly break in winter shoes with the first substance:

• place the bag inside the shoe as close to the toe as possible;
• add water to it and tie;
• Place the boots in the freezer for 10 hours. During this time, the liquid will freeze, enlarge and expand the product.

Any alcohol-containing composition is applied inside the product, then a sock is put on, and boots are put on top. When exposed to alcohol, the leather material takes the shape of the foot. This method is suitable if you need to increase the size of the boot.

When to contact a professional

You can often stretch tight shoes on your own. But you can entrust this procedure to specialists. Their experience and the availability of special materials will allow them to complete the job with a guarantee.

You should definitely contact a professional in the following cases:

• it is necessary to stretch shoes made of delicate material;
• you need to perform significant stretching (by a size or more);
• Independent attempts to stretch the product did not yield results.

How to wear it if your shoes are narrow

What to do if new shoes are tight and there is no time to break them in is a question that arises for most people. The simplest way is to increase the width of narrow shoes using newspapers. To do this, you need to crumple up the required number of sheets, put them tightly inside tight shoes and leave for a day. The paper will gradually expand and thus increase the volume of the shoe.

Sometimes it is suggested to moisten newspapers with water or vodka. This should not be done, as the printing will remain on the surface of the product. If your shoes are too tight, you can use a hairdryer. You need to warm the product inside well, put on a woolen sock and walk around for about an hour.

Waxing is also an effective option for breaking in shoes. You need to rub the inner coating of the product with a regular candle, then install the shoe last in the shoes and leave for 10 hours. This method can be used on shoes made of any material.

Increasing the width of narrow shoes using newspapers

If your shoes are too tight, use a hairdryer

Rub the inner coating with wax, install the last in the shoes

Sneakers are too small: how to stretch them in length - help from professionals

Most shoe shops offer a stretching service. It is done using special equipment. Shoes are stretched in width and length. The technology is very different from home technology.

Craftsmen use two types of machines - classic and for boot tops. Procedure:

• First, the inside is treated with a spray that softens the skin.
• Then select the nozzle.
• Separate levers adjust it to stretch in length and width.
• If necessary, install additional small attachments under the fingers, bone or other areas.
• Set the temperature (from 40 to 60 degrees).

Leave until the skin stretches. The exact time depends on the characteristics of the material.

How to make a backdrop softer

If the heel puts a lot of pressure on the heel, you can soften it in several ways:

1. Place wool socks in hot water, wring them out, let them cool a little and put them on your feet. Next you need to put on your shoes and walk around until the moisture evaporates.
2. Moisten thick socks with vodka, then put on shoes. Walk until the alcohol-containing product has completely evaporated.
3. The backdrop can be softened with pliers or a hammer. To avoid damaging the material, the procedure is performed through fabric.

After you have succeeded in disassembling the backdrop using one of the methods, to record the result you need to fill the product with crumpled paper. In this form they should stand for one night.

Wear wet wool socks

Moisten thick socks with vodka, then put on shoes

Soften with a hammer

How to stretch boot tops at home?

A common problem. We ordered boots from an online store, and when we received the parcel, we discovered that the bootlegs did not fit together.

There is an exit. It is expanded using a hairdryer or steam generator. The method is good for natural materials - suede, nubuck. If the boots are made of synthetics or leatherette, use warm air from a hairdryer.

What to do:

• Treat the tops with a store-bought softener spray. Suede and nubuck - only on the inside to prevent stains. Smooth skin – outside and inside.
• Warm it thoroughly in the right places.
• Cool slightly and put on shoes.

Wear for 2-3 hours to see results. After this, remove and then apply cream.

Rules for using stretch marks sprays

The spray is used if the boots are only a little tight. As a rule, these compositions for shoes are used after long-term storage. The product can be applied to any type of skin.

Step-by-step instructions on how to quickly spray on shoes that are too tight:

1. The composition is generously sprayed onto the pinching areas inside the shoes.
2. The product is put on and worn by walking around the house for half an hour.
3. If necessary, repeat the procedure.

You can buy spray for wearing shoes in any shoe department.

These methods are time-tested, so there is no doubt about their effectiveness. It is worth remembering that thin material will not withstand aggressive influences, since it is not designed for this. Therefore, before breaking in your shoes, you need to try initially gentle methods - they can show excellent results.

Spray the mixture liberally onto the tight areas inside the shoes.

Put the product on and wear it by walking around the house for half an hour

Tips for properly breaking in new and tight shoes

Using special stretchers

In workshops and shoe stores you can purchase special attachments for stretching shoes. They help create tension in the material. It is recommended to use them together with oils or shoe creams that soften the leather.

Chemicals

There is a wide range of special products on the market that help soften the skin. They are sold in spray and cream formats. Such remedies have a stronger effect on shoes than home methods. However, they are more expensive financially.

Proper care

Leatherette shoes will last a long time if treated with care and proper care. Faux leather does not require special handling.

Basic rules for caring for leatherette products:

• timely cleaning and drying;
• use a damp cloth and soap solution if you need to wash the product;
• drying in natural conditions, without the use of heating devices;
• applying special shoe cream or baby cream to the dried surface.

What to do if ballet shoes are too tight in your fingers

You can use the wet method to break in new ballet shoes. This is a safe option that will help even in cases where you know what the model is made of.

• Place the shoes in the basin.
• Wet a cloth with plenty of warm water and cover the shoes.
• Leave until cool. Add more warm water. There is no need to pour water inside the shoes. It is enough to soak the napkin generously.
• Repeat the procedure for 2 hours.
• Put on wet shoes and walk like this for a while.

After complete drying, you can safely wear your favorite shoes.