When is it necessary and how to avoid it
It happens that when you bought shoes they fit correctly and didn’t sting, but in practice they rub and cause unbearable pain. To avoid this, it is better to try on shoes with socks. In addition, it is better to buy new clothes in the late afternoon, when your feet are slightly swollen. You need to break in shoes in several cases:
- If the length is normal, but the width is too tight (or vice versa);
- If the shoes are suede and have become smaller after the rain;
- If they become cramped in the evening.
Is it possible to stretch shoes at home?
You can stretch shoes, boots or sandals at home in the most unusual ways. But the best advice is not to wear shoes for the first time on a long day at work, or take a spare pair with you. Walking for 12 hours in new shoes without chafing is very difficult and not everyone can do it.
The easiest way to deal with natural leather. It stretches easily when exposed to moisture and contracts when exposed to heat. It is for this reason that you should not leave boots or shoes near a radiator or heater, unless you are interested in the opposite effect.
Suede and artificial leather are not so easy to adjust, so when experimenting with such shoes you need to be as careful as possible so as not to spoil the new thing.
Oddly enough, fabric shoes can also be stretched, but with drastic measures you can easily damage the texture of the fabric, which will lead to torn areas over time.
Universal tips
The easiest way to stretch out tight shoes is to take them to a shoe repair shop. Usually there are special devices for stretching. By the way, you can buy these for home. But there are other options.
Patch
You can wear it even if you don't have a blister from your new shoes yet. This will stretch the front part of them. The bactericidal patch has a thick layer that will definitely help promote stretching and reduce stress on the heels.
Stretcher
You can buy it in the shoe care department. Not suitable except for patent leather. It usually consists of alcohol and chemical softeners.
You can ask the seller how to use the stretcher. Usually it is enough to moisten a cotton swab with it and apply it to the area of the shoes that rubs the most. Next, we put on cotton socks and walk for three quarters of an hour in the treated shoes.
There are also stretchers for suede. This is usually foam. We treat the shoes from the inside with it and stuff them with newspapers. You can just walk around in them for about an hour.
Ethanol
Vodka, cologne, and just medical alcohol are suitable for breaking in shoes. But it needs to be diluted with water. We moisten the inside with diluted alcohol, put on a thick sock made of natural fabric and boots. We walk around the house in them until the shoes are dry.
Freezing
On the skin and more. With its help, you can stretch your shoes an entire size. We take shoes, a plastic bag and tap water. We proceed like this:
- We put a bag in the shoes and fill it with water so that it fills the entire internal space of the shoe - from the toes to the heel;
- Place in the freezer for at least 8 hours;
- Remove from the freezer and let thaw. If you remove the ice immediately, you may damage your shoes.
- If the result is not achieved, repeat the procedure.
The secret is that when water turns to ice, it takes up more space. This means the shoes stretch.
How to break in leather shoes
Shoes made from genuine leather are distinguished by their quality, and therefore it is much easier to stretch it. There is more than one way to decide how to wear shoes made of leather that pinch. What can help you in such a situation?
Newspapers. To do this, take an ordinary newspaper, tear it into small pieces and soak it in water. Place the resulting scraps tightly into your shoes, using maximum force. Leave them alone until the paper is dry. It is better not to speed up the process using heat devices, otherwise there is a chance of damaging the surface. After 1-2 days you will be able to enjoy wearing comfortable shoes.
Beer. It perfectly softens the skin and makes it more pliable. It should be applied to the inner surface, after which you need to walk around in shoes for several days.
Ice. This is one fairly effective way to break in tight shoes at home. Place cellophane bags inside a pair of shoes, fill them with water and tie them well to prevent leakage. After this, place the pair in the freezer. During the freezing process, water tends to increase in volume, so the shoes will increase slightly. It’s a pity, but this method is not suitable for winter shoes, since when the ice expands it will knock off the fur.
Wheat. The next method will definitely appeal to the villagers, judge for yourself. You need to fill your shoes to the brim with regular wheat and moisten it with water. Leave it alone overnight until the grains are completely swollen. In the morning, we pour out the contents, put on plastic bags and put on the shoe that causes inconvenience. Walk until the material is completely dry.
We recommend using the last method only with good quality shoes made of genuine leather. Often suffering is caused not only by tightness, but also by chafing. A callus forms on the damaged area, and this is a problem. Try bending the shoe up and down. This will not spoil a quality pair. After this procedure, your leg will feel much better. Special conditioners for leather shoes will help. Treat the areas where blisters appear.
All these methods are good only for shoes made of leather; other technologies are used for shoes made of leatherette.
How to stretch leather shoes
The easiest way to stretch leather shoes is with alcohol (or vinegar) and thick socks. You can remove the smell by washing your shoes with soap. But there are other methods.
Boiling water
He must be cool. Just pour it into your shoes and pour it out instantly. Now we put on our shoes and walk around the apartment in them for about half an hour. As the skin cools, it will take the shape of your foot. This way you can increase your boots by a whole size.
Hairdryer
We put on the thickest socks we found and put on shoes. We squeeze the foot. We direct the hair dryer to the fold area. The air should be warm. After a while we remove the hairdryer. We do not take off our shoes until they cool down. We repeat the procedure several times until the shoes become stiff and hard. All that remains is to lubricate it with a special conditioner to restore moisture.
Corn
This method was invented by cowboys. We take any grain that swells if it is wet. We fall asleep in boots or shoes. Fill with water so that it covers all the grains. We wait all night. Having shaken out the grain, we do not dry the shoes, but only wipe them and put them on. We put it on and walk until the shoes are dry.
Glycerol
We wet the cloth and put it crumpled into the shoes. After taking it out after a third of an hour, spread the heel of the shoe with glycerin. Castor oil will do as well.
Suede shoes
Suede is a rather capricious material that requires delicate care. It stretches easily, so all breaking-in methods should be used with caution.
The methods for breaking in suede shoes are similar to those used for leather - for example, suede shoes can also be worn at home with a warm sock for several days.
Shoe stores sell a special product in the form of a spray or foam , with which suede products are stretched. The product is applied inside the product, and then shoes with tight toes are worn for about an hour.
To wear suede shoes, you can also use alcohol-containing substances and a method using warm air from a hair dryer. In addition, you can use the services of a specialist.
How to break in suede shoes
Leatherette and fabric
Textiles are handled with extreme care. Such shoes or sports shoes are not stretched, otherwise the material will quickly tear or stretch excessively, in both cases the product will lose its previous appearance.
To solve the problem of how to wear tight shoes at home, wetting them before a walk will help. It is not recommended to dry textiles near heating appliances - the fabric will shrink.
To stretch leatherette shoes, the same methods are used as for natural material:
- Ice. For stretching, use 2 bags, which are placed in shoes and filled with water. Place the products in the freezer for 10–12 hours, then remove and remove the ice.
- Shoe polish or Vaseline. You need to generously lubricate your shoes or boots with the product, put them on thick tights and wear them at home for 2 hours. Remove the remaining cream with a napkin.
- Vodka or alcohol. Moisten a cotton pad with liquid, wipe the product from the inside, put it on with a warm sock, and walk for 2–3 hours.
- Humidity helps solve the problem of how to break in faux leather shoes. You need to moisten the inner surface with water or put your shoes on a wet sock and walk until it dries.
- Wet newspapers. If the product is made of thick leatherette, then to stretch it, soak newspapers in warm water, squeeze them out and stuff them tightly inside. Then wait until the newspapers are completely dry, do not use heating devices. The drying period can last up to 3 days.
Sometimes you have to stretch your sports shoes. The following tips are useful on how to break in sneakers:
- If the product is made of genuine leather or leatherette, then take into account that the material will stretch during wear.
- A special product in the form of a spray will help stretch the accessory. The substance is sprayed inside the sneakers before each use and worn for several days for 30–60 minutes.
- Ice is also used according to the instructions for shoes made from other raw materials.
- If you need to break in sneakers quickly, then use methods with vodka, steam, and wet socks, but the service life of the product will be shorter.
The main secrets of breaking in tight shoes
- Break in your shoes gradually, 2-3 hours a day.
- It is better to cover areas that may rub in advance with a band-aid.
- The backdrop can be lubricated with alcohol, Vaseline or castor oil. These compounds will make it softer.
- To stretch suede and patent leather, it is better not to use options with hot water, steam and freezing.
- Alcohol for breaking in shoes can replace table vinegar.
- Instead of boiling water, you can use beer, which is no less effective at softening the skin and stretching the shoes.
- After rain, do not place shoes on the radiator. It is better to dry it with a hairdryer (cold air).
- The method with wet socks will work better if you wet them not with cold water, but with hot water.
- Buy shoes after lunch, when your feet are already a little full and tired.
Source
Why do shoes rub?
Before choosing methods for softening and breaking in shoes, you need to understand why they rub. There are several reasons:
- Incorrect size for the length and fullness of the foot.
- Excessively rough material. If the boots are too hard, then in 90% of cases they will rub the skin on the heels and toes.
- Incorrectly chosen shoe model (too high a heel or narrow toe).
Another reason is swelling of the legs, which happens when walking for a long time. In this case, the new shoes will rub periodically, which will lead to the appearance of calluses on the feet.
Is it possible to stretch rubber shoes?
Real rubber is a very durable material and it is impossible to stretch it, but shoes are not made from it at all, despite the name. So-called rubber boots are made mainly from polyvinyl chloride. It is this material that can be stretched a little.
The first thing to do is check if it is really polyvinyl chloride. Heat the needle and touch the boot (choose the top edge, where minor damage will not be noticeable). If the material begins to melt, then you will definitely be able to stretch the boots.
As you already understand, this material can change its shape from heating - hot water or steam.
- Pour hot water into the shoes and leave for 20-25 minutes. Then put on thick socks and walk around the house until it cools down completely.
- Steam is more often used to stretch the shins of boots. From scrap materials you need to build shin struts, and together with them, hold the boots over the steam. After that, hot stretched boots need to be put on your feet (preferably over jeans or thick tights) and sit in them until they cool completely.
