Stretch New Shoes

Now you've done it! You saw that pair of shoes you always wanted, and before you knew what happened, you purchased them. Now that you have them, you realize they're awfully tight. If you could just stretch them, they'd be perfect, right? Fortunately, there are quite a few ingenious ways to gently stretch your shoes, and send you out in style.

Steps

Stretching Your Shoes

  1. Wear your shoes at home. This is the easiest option: if your shoes are not so tight as to be completely unwearable, simply put them on and wear them around the house, until they have adjusted to your feet. This might take a couple days, but it's so natural, it's practically organic!

Sock stretching

  1. Wear thick socks and add heat. Put on the thickest socks you have, and squeeze your feet into the shoes (leather only). Heat the tight area of the shoes using a hairdryer and bend your feet back and forth as much as you can for 20 to 30 seconds.
    • Remove the heat source but leave the shoes on until they have cooled. Try the shoes on with your normal socks or stockings.
    • Repeat until the shoes have stretched enough. Once stretched, apply leather shoe conditioner to restore the moisture that might have been depleted by the heat.[1]
    • Note: heating shoes could weaken glue bonds—use with caution on vintage shoes.

Sock ball stretching

  1. Gather a few socks for each shoe.
  2. Roll the socks into small balls.
  3. Gently stuff each sock deep into the shoe until the shoe is full.
    • Repeat on the other shoe.
  4. Wait overnight. Next day you will see a difference.

Freezer stretching

  1. Freeze the shoes with a bag of water. Fill a hole-free resealable sandwich bag, thick balloon, or similar plastic bag about one third to halfway with water and seal tightly, one bag for each of your shoes.
    • Place a bag inside each shoe and push into place so that it fills your entire shoe. Place your shoes in the freezer, and let them sit until the water freezes, or overnight. As the water freezes, it will expand into your shoes, gently stretching the leather.
    • Remove from the freezer and let them thaw for about 20 minutes before trying to remove the bags. Try the shoes on again to see how the shoes fit and repeat if needed.
    • It's recommended that you don't use this method on expensive shoes.

Newspaper stretching

  1. Stuff your shoes with wet newspaper. Scrunch up wet newspaper, and stuff it into your shoes. Stuff in as much as the shoe will fit, but be careful not to distort the shoe shape when using this method; if the shoe appears distorted, remove newspaper and re-stuff until the shoe shape looks right.
    • Let the shoes dry. Remove the newspaper and try on the shoes. There should be more give.
    • Note that this method can also include freezing the shoes for added expansion. Wet socks can be substituted for newspaper.

Using oats to stretch shoes

  1. Fill the shoes with oats. Try this old cowboy trick for leather boots: fill your boots with oats, or any grain that swells up when wet.
    • Pour in enough water to cover the grain. The grain will swell overnight.
    • Clean out the oatmeal. It's probably not a good idea to make breakfast with the leftovers.
    • Wear them for a few days as they dry and adjust to your feet.

Rubbing alcohol spray for stretching

  1. Use a rubbing alcohol spray. Fill a spray bottle with 50 percent rubbing alcohol and 50 percent water. Spray the inside of each shoe and wear for about 20 minutes.
    • Alternatively, simply rub alcohol directly onto the parts of the shoe requiring stretching.
    • Quickly put the shoe or boot on while still wet, as the alcohol will dry quickly.
    • Another variation is to take a pair of cotton socks, soak them in rubbing alcohol and squeeze out the excess. Put on the socks and wear with the shoes until the alcohol dries. Repeat several times if necessary.

Potato stretching

  1. Do the "mashed potato". Peel a spud (a big russet is best), and push it into the shoe overnight. Make sure it is large enough to create a small bulge in the shoe.
    • Potatoes do not smell bad (they actually trap odor), and any potato residue left over will easily wipe off with a damp cloth.

Shoe stretcher

  1. Use a shoe-stretcher on leather shoes. A shoe stretcher is shaped the same as a foot and is usually made from wood, such as cedar or maple, with screws and adjustments that help to stretch the shoe.
    • Look in the closet-organizer section of your local hardware or organizational stores, or check out garage sales and thrift stores.
    • A shoe stretcher can adjust width or length (check its ability when purchasing) and will fit in either the left or right shoe.
    • Known as "dry stretching," a shoe-stretcher can take several days for it to have an effect; check the fit every now and then.
    • Some shoe stretchers include little buttons you can insert into holes for localized stretching, for example to fit over an area with a bunion or corn.
    • Use a shoe-stretching spray or oil in conjunction with the shoe-stretcher. You'll find the spray or oil at shoe stores, shoe repair shops, or from wherever you purchased the shoe-stretcher. The spray or oil will help to make the shoe material a little more supple, helping it to stretch evenly and speeds up the process.

Professional stretching

  1. Hire a professional. Take your shoes to a professional cobbler for stretching. Some have machines that can gently apply pressure and heat to shoes to stretch them just the right amount.
    • The precision and ease of using this service can be well worth the effort and cost, especially for expensive or delicate shoes.
    • Expect the service to take around 24 hours.

Preventative Measures

  1. Choose shoes that fit. As much as possible, choose shoes that already fit and don't need stretching or don't need very much stretching. Ensure this by:
    • Having your feet measured whenever you buy shoes. Feet are three dimensional, and all measurements should account for not only length but width and depth as well.[2]
    • Measure both feet. Most people's feet are identically sized,[3] however some people have feet which are two different sizes, and some people even experience up to a whole size difference between feet.
    • Trying the next size up if a pair is a bit too tight, even if you think you normally wear a certain size. Proportions vary between manufacturers, and the only way you can tell is by trying on the shoes.
    • Checking the sizing standard for your shoes. That is, is it European, UK, or US? Is it men's or women's? Even if multiple size standards are listed, there's not a strict correspondence between US and European shoe sizes, so if you're used to one and not the other, try on the nearby sizes.
    • Asking about half sizes and multiple widths. Not all shoe stores carry them, but the good ones do.
    • Buying shoes in the second half of the day, when your feet are at their most swollen after walking and standing on them during the day.[2]
  2. Choose stretchy shoes. As a rule, real leather is more conforming and has more give than synthetics such as plastic, PVC, etc.
    • If the shoe is synthetic, be sure to purchase it in the right size from the start as it's unlikely to have any give; indeed, the point of such materials is often that their molded shape has no give and endures.
    • Be careful with fabric shoes, as any stretching might weaken the fibers.
    • Shoes with an elastic gore will be stretchier. An elastic gore is an elastic fabric panel inserted into a shoe.
    • Different leather has different stretchability. Kangaroo leather is considered to have more stretch than cow leather, for example.
    • There's a limit to how far shoes can reasonably stretch. If you just need to loosen things up a little around the toes, you'll have better success than if the whole thing needs to get a lot bigger.
    • And some shoes should fit properly from the beginning, no matter what, such as walking shoes. If the shoe needs too much stretching, either don't purchase it, or purchase a pair a half to one size up, or switch to a better fitting style or brand.



Tips

  • Always purchase your shoes well in advance of when you need to wear them so that you have adequate time to break them in, especially for dances, proms, and weddings.
  • Go slowly, and be patient. Stretch the shoes a little bit, then try them on, then stretch the shoes some more. The reality is that shoes, like clothes, are made to approximate general size and shape. It is still up to each individual to break in or mold the shoe to fit her or his particular foot shape, and provided the shoe isn't impossibly tight, wearing the shoe regularly and gradually for more and more time is the most effective method for stretching it.
  • Polish leather shoes and boots after using a stretching treatment, to ensure that the leather is softened and maintained. This is especially important if you've used a method that required the addition of water or heat.
  • Try on shoes when you are buying them to make sure they fit properly. You might also consider returning the shoes to the retailer and asking them if they can stretch the shoe; this is especially useful where the retailer made a promise that the shoe would stretch.
  • Start by stretching a less-costly pair of shoes, while you get the feel for the process. That way, if you overdo it and ruin the shoes, it won't cost you as much.
  • If a brand warns you that it won't stretch out, heed the warning and find your correct size, instead. It's not just manufacturer's pride but a reality!

Warnings

  • Don't freeze or heat vintage shoes; it might be the last you see of the shoes!
  • If you use heat to stretch shoes, be aware that many of the adhesives used in constructing shoes are heat-based.
  • Don't heat plastic, PVC, etc., shoes. They are not meant to give and applying heat risks releasing toxic fumes.
  • If you use a shoe stretching spray with your feet, wear old socks because the fluid might make the dye in the shoes bleed a bit.
  • Take care of your feet first and your shoes second. Hurting feet are a sign that the shoes are not right for you.
  • Make sure your shoes won't be ruined if they get a little bit of water on the inside if you use the water in a bag method.

Things You'll Need

  • Shoe polish or conditioner to soften and protect shoes after stretching
  • Items as specified in article

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ Sian Berry, How to stretch tight shoes, http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/aug/23/how-to-stretch-tight-shoes
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Stretching Institute, Choosing the right shoes, http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/pronation-supination.php
  3. ↑ Netwellness, http://www.netwellness.org/question.cfm/53487.htm
Retrieved from "https://kipkis.com/index.php?title=Stretch_New_Shoes&oldid=363006"