How to wear shoes that pinch your toes at home?

Wardrobe > Shoes

Often we only notice when wearing new shoes that they pinch our feet. While trying them on in the store, they were, and while wearing them, I began to feel some discomfort. For this reason, you shouldn’t immediately give up on new shoes or boots, especially since there are many effective ways to stretch them at home.

Possible causes of tight shoes:

the shoes are tight in length, although the width is just right;
the shoes are tight in width, but the length is just right;
a pair of shoes is too tight at the end of the day;
The shoe size has decreased after getting wet (improper cleaning or rain).

How to stretch leather boots with hot water

In order to stretch leather boots, you should unlace them or open the zipper all the way. The principle of operation is this: water is heated to a hot state and poured onto the sock. Next, the shoes are pulled onto a long stick; you can take the leg of a wooden mop. The shoe sock is gradually put on this stick. The movements should not be strong so that the material is not injured. This option is only suitable for real leather boots with stitched soles, which most likely will not melt from hot water. You should also take note that the process at high temperatures is not suitable for boots with soles glued to hot glue. This type of fastening does not allow the use of shoes near fires, hot springs, etc.

How to stretch patent leather boots

Patent leather shoes are difficult to stretch. Such material very easily deteriorates from home experiments. So in this case, it is better to use sprays and foams that are purchased in shoe stores. If possible, you can try using Vaseline. It has a gentle effect on the inner surface of the boot and does not injure the shoes, like, for example, boiling water, which is used for natural leather. After applying Vaseline, the boots are worn in for the rest of the day on a warm sock. Patent leather shoes stretch more easily than leather, so you need to be careful with stretching so as not to increase the size too much.

Ways to break in shoes

There are plenty of ways to break in uncomfortable shoes. Before you begin choosing what to do, keep in mind that tight shoes can be stretched if they are made of leather. In other cases, be careful: there are fears that it could simply be ruined.

Before purchasing a new pair of shoes, try to adhere to the following recommendations:

if the problem of swelling is acute for you, then try to visit the store in the afternoon;
do not rush into buying new shoes; in a hurry, the chances of purchasing narrow shoes increase;
When trying on, put on your shoes, walk around the store, make sure that neither the left nor the right shoe is squeezing your foot.

If, however, when you come home with a purchase, you find discomfort, the question arises: how can you solve such a problem?

First of all, think: is this your couple? Maybe it doesn't suit you and you need to take it to the store? Different stores have their own rules on how to properly exchange a pair of shoes, but one thing we can say for sure: you need to keep the receipt and packaging of the goods.

So, how can you quickly, without harm, stretch your favorite shoes a little at home?

New shoes need to be put on and walked around the house in them for as long as possible, for several hours.
The old fashioned method will do - using alcohol or vodka. You need to put on thick socks, then apply a little solution to your shoes and quickly put them on your feet. Why abruptly? Because alcohol tends to evaporate quickly. Attention: alcohol or vodka can only be applied to the inside of the shoe!
Using hot water. Prepare boiling water and pour it inside the shoes. After it has cooled a little, put it on. Thanks to boiling water, the skin steams and stretches.
Using a hairdryer. Put your shoes on with thick socks and heat the folds with a hairdryer.
Use of special means. You can always buy foam or spray for stretching shoes at a shoe store.

How to stretch boots with croup

A garbage bag without holes is placed in the shoes and rice is filled in. The rice is soaked in plain water overnight. The principle of action is this: the croup swells from moisture and stretches the boots, especially the thinner part of the shin. Duration of action is 10 hours.

The easiest option for stretching boots is a shoe studio, where specialists professionally deal with shoe problems. But it is not at all necessary to resort to outside help, because at home it is very easy to stretch boots with your own hands. It is not recommended to wear boots that have not been worn in, as such wear can lead to painful blisters. If one method does not work for boots, then you can try another until it works. Different types of material wear out differently.

If it suddenly turns out that the boots, which fit perfectly on your feet when you bought them, suddenly turn out to be too small at home, you can return them back to the store within 14 days. But if this is discovered later, it will no longer be possible to return the goods.

In such a situation, you can resort to methods of stretching shoes at home or turn to professionals. In the process, you will need such improvised means as crumpled newspapers, a hair dryer, water, ice and store-bought compounds for stretching shoes.

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A few more ways to stretch your boots at home

If winter leather shoes are tight and cause discomfort when walking, you can treat the problem areas with alcohol at a concentration of 70%, and then put the boots on your feet and do not take them off until the product has completely dried. Ethanol perfectly softens the material, which gives it flexibility and the ability to expand somewhat.

For ease of processing, it is better to pour alcohol into a spray bottle and spray the substance on those areas of the boots that are necessary.
The rest should not be wetted.
After treating the desired area, you should wait 30 seconds for the liquid to be absorbed into the skin.

A test fitting the next day will show whether the result was achieved the first time. If necessary, the effect can be repeated.

If your leather boots don’t feel too tight or are just a little “shrunken,” you can do this:

Lubricate the leather with vegetable oil or glycerin and carry the shoes around the house;
Wet the product a little with clean water, put it on your feet and let it dry completely;
Put wet knitted socks on your feet and boots, do not take them off for a couple of hours, then let them dry at room temperature.

You can also stretch your shoes at home using special lasts. Such devices allow you to effectively increase the size of shoes in the right places. But they are not cheap, and separate devices are needed to change the shape of the boot and bottom. This kind of service is offered in shoe repair and sewing workshops, so if a pair of boots is of very high quality and expensive, it is better to go there.

Ways to stretch boots at home

If your new boots are tight or are too small in the shaft or instep, you can stretch them at home or take them to a shoe repair shop. The choice of how to increase the size of boots depends on what material they are made of: genuine leather, suede or leatherette.

Natural materials

Boots made of genuine leather and suede are the easiest to stretch. Leather is an elastic material and can be stretched quite easily. Before stretching such shoes with special means, you need to try to break them in yourself. The skin quickly adapts to the fullness of the leg. Most often, after two or three days of wear, leather boots independently stretch in width. If this does not help, you can start using special tools.

Stretcher

Shoe stores sell special products (spray or foam) for stretching shoes at home. Their range is quite wide, so you can choose any one based on your financial capabilities.

This product is applied to areas that need to be stretched. Then you need to put the boots on with thick socks or tights and walk in them for one to two hours. As a rule, this method helps to stretch the boots in one or two approaches.

Using a stretching agent, you can also increase the volume of the boot if it is narrow. You can also stretch your shoes while instepping. The product is applied directly in places where the product is small, then the shoes are put on a pair of thick woolen socks. It should be noted that in this way you can stretch boots not only made of leather, but also other natural materials (suede and nubuck).

Steam

In addition to stretching spray, you can use another very non-standard method. You will need to boil a kettle or pot of water. When the water boils, you need to hold the product over the steam in those places that need to be stretched. It is recommended to do this no longer than two minutes.

Then you need to put your shoes on thick woolen socks or tights for one to two hours. Under the influence of steam, natural suede becomes soft and elastic, easily takes shape and adapts to the size of the foot. In this way, you can stretch leather boots a whole size larger.

Boiling water

If the boots are made of thick, rough leather, you can use the following method: shoes that are small are very quickly poured with boiling water, and then put on thick socks. Rough skin becomes softer under the influence of boiling water.

This way you can stretch your boots up to half a size.

Hairdryer

Another method related to thermal stretching methods. The places where the boots are too small are heated with a hairdryer, then put on and worn until the shoes cool down.

Iron

If the boots are small in the calves, you can iron the inside of the boot with an iron through thick fabric. Next, they are put on thick tights and worn for about two hours. If the shoes still feel tight, the procedure should be repeated.

Artificial materials

Most often, leatherette is used as an artificial material for making shoes. Leatherette is a polymer material that is used instead of natural leather, a polymer film applied to a fabric base. Thus, it combines the properties of leather and fabric.

Shoes made from leatherette are not as durable as those made from natural materials. Therefore, thermal methods of increasing size are not suitable here. Also, stretching products sold in stores will not have any effect. But there are still a couple of ways you can stretch leatherette boots to half a size.

Ice

A very effective way to stretch shoes. You will need a couple of plastic bags and water. The bags are filled with water, secured with a paper clip or tied tightly. Next, you need to place the bag in a boot and put it in the freezer for a day.

Damp newspapers

One of the well-known and repeatedly proven methods for enlarging shoes. It is necessary to compact the boots tightly with damp newspapers. They should dry naturally.

How to stretch winter shoes with fur?

Not all traditional methods of stretching boots at home are suitable for shoes with fur. In this case, we recommend a delicate but very effective method of stretching shoes: 1. Place a thick plastic bag on your hand and push it inside the boots. If the shoes are tight only in the foot area, then a small bag will be enough, but when discomfort is also present in the boot, you will have to use a capacious bag. 2. Pour water into the bag. You need to monitor the level; it is necessary to fill the container completely only if the boots are small and in the upper part. 3. Tie the bag tightly so that water does not spill out of it when you put the boots on. 4. Place shoes in the freezer or on the balcony if the temperature outside is minus. 5. In the morning, take out the boots and let the water melt. If the desired effect is not achieved the first time, the procedure can be repeated. When water freezes, it increases in volume and gradually stretches the material from which the shoes are made. This method is good because it does not deform boots or boots, but stretches them evenly over the entire area.

How to stretch suede winter boots?

Many fashionistas prefer suede shoes: they have a very noble and elegant look and look great on the foot. But suede also has one disadvantage - it is difficult to care for. First of all, all owners of such shoes need to know that they can only be dried at room temperature, and not near a radiator or other heat source. If, however, new winter suede boots were dried incorrectly and they began to shrink, you will have to use an unusual method to return them to their previous size: 1. The outside of the shoes is generously moistened with vodka or alcohol; 2. A cotton sock is put on the foot, and then shoes that need to be stretched; 3. You need to walk around the house wearing this for several hours until the alcohol dries and your leg feels better; 4. After the procedure, shoes should be thoroughly ventilated and cleaned with a dry brush. This method is the safest of those offered by home craftsmen. Not so long ago, many different sprays and creams designed for stretching shoes appeared in specialized stores - you can also use these products, they are safe and act quickly, immediately giving a visible result. Before stretching your shoes at home, make sure that the procedure will not damage its appearance. There are materials that are not designed to withstand frost testing. Therefore, this stretching method is unlikely to be suitable for summer shoes.