Stretch in width: gymnastics for shoes. Ways to quickly stretch suede shoes at home

It happens that we buy shoes or boots we like that are a little tight for us. Improper care and storage can also cause deformation of your beloved pair. If you experience discomfort when wearing suede shoes, do not rush to give them up. Our tips will help you solve this problem.

How to stretch shoes to size, width

Suede is elastic, so you can expand it at home. True, you will have to spend a little more effort and time if the material is not natural, but artificial.

We offer a selection of the most common and proven methods:

Wet stretching

To increase the width or length of the shoes, you need to slightly wet them and walk around in them for some time. There are 4 options for this method:

1. Take socks made from natural materials, wet them with water, and put them on. Now feel free to put on your shoes and walk in your shoes until the fabric dries.

2. Moisten the inside of shoes and boots with beer. Wear cotton socks and tight shoes. Do not remove shoes or boots until the material is completely dry. The downside of this method is the persistent beer smell.

Note: take only light beer so as not to stain the suede.

3. If you moisten the inside of the shoes with alcohol on those parts of the shoes that pinch and press, you can quickly stretch the shoes on your feet. Alcohol can be diluted with water 1:2 or used pure, undiluted. So, we soaked the suede, put on socks and walked around the house for 1 hour.

4. You will need an iron with a steam function or a household steamer. Treat the inside of your boots with a stream of hot steam for 15 seconds. Repeat the procedure 2 more times, then put on your shoes and walk around the apartment for at least half an hour.

Note: the same effect can be achieved by holding any suede shoes over a saucepan of boiling water. Further actions are the same.

Paper stuffing

If your shoes or boots are too tight and it hurts to walk in them, then use this method. Stuff wet paper inside your shoes. This needs to be done as tightly as possible. After the paper dries, the shoe size will increase slightly.

Note: you should not take newspaper, although it wrinkles well. Printing ink can easily stain the insoles, and even the suede itself.

Freeze stretching

An unusual, but very effective way to increase your shoe size. Its essence is as follows: take 2 thick plastic bags or 2 balloons, fill them with water, about 1/3, and tie them securely. Important: there must be air inside.

Place the water pack inside your shoes or boots. Place the shoes in the freezer for 8 hours. When water freezes, it increases in volume and expands. The material will be under the pressure of frozen water and begin to stretch.

After this treatment, all that remains is to remove the shoes from the freezer, wait for the water to thaw in order to remove the packaging without damaging the product.

Warming up the suede

Wear thick socks and shoes that need to be stretched. Turn on the hairdryer and direct a stream of air to those places that pinch, press, and generally cause discomfort when wearing. Warm each area for 1 minute. Without removing your shoes, knead the material. Take off your shoes only after the suede has completely cooled.

Using grain to expand suede

Sprinkle cereal inside your shoes; any kind will do. Splash some water on it. Leave your shoes or boots in this condition until the morning. Overnight, the cereal will swell, put pressure on the material, and gently stretch it. All you have to do is pour out the porridge and walk around in your shoes for about an hour to finally wear them in and consolidate the effect.

Breaking in shoes naturally

In the case when you have a week left before going outside, another try to simply wear your shoes at home. To do this, put on shoes or boots and walk around the apartment in them for 1–2 hours a day, while going about your daily business.

Note: apply an adhesive plaster to problem areas of the feet where calluses and abrasions most often appear. This will protect you from unnecessary suffering.

Alternatively, ask a loved one with larger feet to put on and walk in your shoes. But in this case there are 2 disadvantages: firstly, a person who puts on small, oversized shoes will experience discomfort; secondly, there is a high probability of damage to the product and its irreversible deformation.

3 ways to stretch suede boots in the shaft

To slightly increase the volume of the boot top with a lock, do this:

Prepare your ironing board and iron.
Unfasten the boot and place it face down.
Place a damp flannel cloth on the inside of the shoe.
Gently run the hot iron over the napkin several times.
Put on your boots, fasten the locks. Walk around the house in your shoes for a while. After hot processing, the suede softens and the product fits precisely to the shape of the foot.

Vinegar will help to slightly widen the boot tops. Prepare a weakly concentrated solution of table vinegar. Moisten the top of the product and its front side with this liquid. Gently pull the material with your hands, as if stretching, or put on boots and walk in them until the fabric dries.

You can stretch the boot tops using the freezing method described above. To prevent the package of water from sliding down, tightly stuff the bottom of the product with paper. The rest of the procedure is similar.

Video

It often happens that the purchased shoes are so uncomfortable that there is no way to wear them: the suffering caused negates all the joy from the purchase.

Why does this happen? After all, in the store they carefully measure it, paying special attention to the comfort of the foot when walking.

The fact is that indoors (in a store or at home) we walk differently. Therefore, when trying on, it is impossible to guess the degree of comfort of new shoes during normal walking on the street. What if you have to be on your feet for several hours?

Don't despair: in this case, there are many ways to stretch shoes at home. The main thing is that it matches the length of the foot, and softening it and stretching it a little so that it “sits” exactly according to the shape of the foot is not so difficult.

Traditional Stretching Methods

Breaking it in is the easiest thing you can do. We replace cozy slippers with new shoes and walk around the house in them.

It is impossible to achieve a perfect fit in one day, so the same thing is done over 2-3 days. If it still hurts to move, you can try other methods.

You can break in your shoes by wearing not very thin, wet socks. Under the influence of moisture, the material will become softer and more elastic, gradually taking the shape of the leg.

This method also requires 1-2 days, which is worth considering if the shoes were purchased for an event. You should be careful: walking around the apartment in wet socks can lead to a cold.

Freezing

Freezing is a creative way to stretch your shoes yourself. Suitable for all types of materials as it does not disturb their structure.

The essence of the method is that a well-closed plastic bag filled with water is placed in the shoes, almost a third full. You need to lay it evenly from heel to toe, and then place it in the freezer for several hours, preferably overnight.

As you know, when water freezes, it expands, stretching the shoes wider. After removing it from the refrigerator, you should not immediately begin removing the bag; it is better to let the ice thaw so as not to damage the lining.

After this, you need to put on your shoes and walk around the room. Usually, after such manipulations, the legs feel much more comfortable, but if this does not happen, the procedure is repeated.

Stretching

Stretching with thick socks and a hair dryer is a relatively new method.

After putting on socks, the foot is bent and straightened several times, directing a hot stream of air from a hair dryer to the creases.

This softens the shoes well, making them softer and more elastic, but after the stretching process is completed, treatment with a special conditioner is necessary to restore the moisture balance.

Stretching with alcohol spray. Water and alcohol are mixed in equal parts and poured into a container with a spray bottle. The spray is sprayed inside the shoes, allowed to soak in and put on, wearing them until completely dry.

The wet newspaper will also help to expand the shoes a little. The period is compacted, paying special attention to the toe part. It is important not to overdo it, otherwise deformation may occur. After complete drying, the shoes will fit your feet much more comfortably and will also become much softer.

Faux leather

Here are some ways to effectively stretch faux leather shoes.

Use a special spray. It is sprayed inside the shoes, which are then put on and broken in.

Potatoes will do a good job. It is cleaned and tightly inserted into the toe part of boots or shoes for several hours, for example, at night. After removing the potato, the shoes are wiped and broken in.

Suede shoes

Many stretching methods applicable to products made of natural and artificial leather are not suitable for the specific product.

This is a rather soft and delicate material that is very easy to damage using radical stretching methods.

Nevertheless, the task is quite doable: you just need to be patient. Being a natural material, suede is elastic.

Therefore, it is enough to just walk around in suede shoes, mostly at home and not on the street, so as not to experience discomfort.

If gentle methods of influence do not bring results, you should resort to wet or dry methods:

wet methods are similar to those used for leather shoes. The only condition is to moisturize the suede very moderately, since excess water causes it to become covered with characteristic stains;

Dry stretching of suede shoes is done on a wooden last with a hinged structure in the shape of a foot. The desired width is achieved by adjustment, but it should be noted that dry stretching will take several days.

Here are some universal tips on how to quickly and painlessly stretch your shoes:

Don't rush and try to achieve a perfect fit on your leg in one approach. It is better to gradually change the shape of your shoes by stretching them over several days.

It is better to purchase shoes in a timely manner, taking into account the fact that it will take several days to break them in and stretch them.

In some cases, it is worth turning to professionals. This applies to designer and expensive delicate shoes, which are simply scary to ruin.

This is also relevant for those who have problem feet, including the notorious “bumps” (valgus). People with such foot features require a special shape of shoes, which can only be created by a specialist.

Home stretching is applicable only to high-quality shoes made from natural materials. Budget models may not withstand exposure to heat and moisture.

After using a hairdryer or other heat source, treatment with shoe conditioner is mandatory. If it is not there, the shoes can be treated with regular cream to restore moisture.

When purchasing a new pair of suede shoes, you need to pay sufficient attention to fitting. But if after purchasing you find that the boots are too small and cause discomfort, do not despair. more difficult than leather, but possible at home. The main thing is to remember that suede requires a special approach, since it is a very delicate and capricious material. To avoid having to go to a shoe repair shop, you should be patient and be careful when stretching your suede boots.

First you need to understand that suede shoes can be stretched slightly both in length and width. Often this is enough for the boots to fit comfortably on your feet. However, you should not expect a miracle - it will not be possible to make suede boots several sizes larger. The material simply cannot withstand such stretching and becomes deformed.

The most logical option that immediately comes to mind is. If you wear tight shoes for 3-5 days, they will change their shape a little and become comfortable.

However, a significant disadvantage of this method is discomfort during wear. Shoes that are not worn in can cause a lot of suffering and lead to the appearance of calluses. Therefore, it is recommended to use other methods to stretch suede boots.

If, nevertheless, the choice fell on wearing it out, then you can seal the places that rub the most with an adhesive plaster. It is advisable to coat the back of the shoe with Vaseline.

It is also worth noting that boots made of artificial suede are more difficult to stretch than boots made of natural materials.

Hydration

Another well-known way to stretch suede boots is to moisten them with water.

Algorithm of actions:

wet cotton socks with water;
put them on your feet and put on boots that are too tight;
then you need to walk around in your shoes until your socks are completely dry.

If you need to speed up the process, you can moisten thick woolen socks with hot water and walk around in them while wearing suede boots.

This method is not perfect, as your feet may suffer from wearing tight shoes.

Therefore, you can simply stuff a sock with paper, moisten it with water and put it in your suede boots. After a few hours, you should check whether the shoes have stretched. However, the effectiveness of this method is lower than the effectiveness of breaking it in independently.

Steaming

Tight suede boots can be stretched using steam. For this you will need:

hold the shoes over boiling water in a kettle or pan until the material is moistened;
put thick socks on your feet;
walk around in boots for several hours.

Do not hold your shoes too low, otherwise you may get burned and damage the suede.

If winter suede boots are small in the shins, you can use an iron.

Procedure steps:

unfasten the boot;
straighten the boot on the ironing board with the inside facing up;
put a soft cloth moistened with water on top;
iron the boot with an iron, setting the temperature to medium;
then you need to put on your boots and fasten them completely;
walk like this for 1-2 hours until the shoes fit your feet.

Instead of ironing, you can treat the boot by turning on the steam function.

Folk recipes

Alcohol-based solutions will help speed up the breaking-in process.

Procedure:

mix medical alcohol with water in a ratio of 1:2;
apply the resulting solution to the inside of the boots;
wait 15 minutes;
After the allotted time has passed, put on socks made from natural fabrics and walk around in your boots for a couple of hours.

Alcohol can be replaced with vodka, but in this case it does not need to be diluted with water. In addition, it is sometimes recommended to treat tight shoes with beer.

Freezing

If you don’t want to wear your shoes on your feet, you can resort to freezing.

Instructions:

insert a plastic bag inside the shoe;
fill it with water so that it swells, but is not overfilled to the brim;
put the shoes with the bag inside in the freezer;
leave overnight.

If it's winter outside, you can put your boots on the balcony.

Special means

You can stretch suede boots without harm to the material using special means. There are aerosols and devices for “dry” stretching.

Using the aerosol is easy. It is enough to simply treat the inside of the boots with it and put them on your feet. The spray will soften the suede and the shoes will fit comfortably on your feet.

For mechanical stretching, a sliding wooden block is used, which is inserted into a tight boot. The length of this device can be adjusted depending on how much you need to increase the shoe size.

You can stretch suede shoes at home. However, it will not be possible to increase it by several sizes without harming the material. The only real thing is to make boots that are a little too tight comfortable to wear.

Suede shoes are loved by fashionistas and fashionistas in various countries. And this is not surprising, because on her feet she looks stylish, expensive, elegant, chic. It can be of a variety of colors and shades. Recently, colored suede is very often used in the production of shoes.

Like all other natural materials, suede can be called very elastic. But in most cases it is much more difficult to stretch it than, for example, models made from genuine leather. Contrary to misconceptions, stretching methods intended for natural leather are not suitable for suede. Since the material under discussion is much more fragile and can easily be damaged and completely ruined.

But don’t despair. Even suede models can be stretched at home without turning to specialists. In this case, you will need to use the simplest means at hand. In addition to the ingredients described below, it will also be useful to stock up on patience and accuracy.

Ways to break in suede shoes that are too tight

You should start with the most important way to help break in any suede shoes - wear them as often as possible. To protect yourself from discomfort, it is best to do this at home. For example, while doing household chores, put on and show off in front of your family. Suede, as mentioned above, is quite elastic, which is why, as a result of constant movement, it will eventually take the desired shape. In addition, if you wear them on the street, this can lead to rapid damage to the shoes - contamination and abrasion.

If you can't break in your shoes for a long time, you can ask someone else with larger feet to do it. The main thing here is not to overdo it, as suede can stretch too much and lose its shape for a long time. After this, you may need to tighten it. As a result, from constant such manipulations, suede shoes can become completely unusable.

In some cases, even breaking in suede shoes becomes completely impossible - when every movement of the foot causes severe pain and discomfort. There is another way out - to use the chosen folk remedies for stretching shoes.

Video: How to properly wear shoes at home

Plain water will also help with stretching. You can do this in several ways:

First, wet your socks, put your shoes on top and walk around the room for a while until the fabric is completely dry. It is very important that the socks are made only of natural material, for example, cotton.
Secondly, dip a sponge in water and thoroughly scrub the entire inside surface of the problem shoe before putting it on. The liquid will slightly soften the material and make it looser and more elastic.
The main thing is to never dry wet suede shoes with a hairdryer or on a radiator. This can tighten it even more or completely ruin it.
It is also important to note that water in general is not good for suede. It can ruin it, take away its color, or cause white spots to appear on colored suede. Therefore, you should be very careful with moisture in the process and use it in strictly moderate quantities.
But at the same time, stretching suede shoes without using water at all will be quite problematic. Sometimes it’s not the entire shoe that pinches your foot, but only the toe. In this case, the most ordinary paper will allow you to stretch the shoes. It can be slightly wetted, rolled into a ball, and then inserted into the problem area for a while. The paper will stretch the toe, making the suede in this place more comfortable and elastic. You can also use old newspapers for the described method.

Newsprint is even softer. The main thing is not to overdo it with the size of the paper ball and do not leave it in your shoes for too long. Otherwise, the shape of the sock may be completely compromised.

You can also try to change the size of your shoes using hot steam. To do this, you will need to put a pot of water on a boil and, after the steam comes out, hold the problematic pair of shoes over it. Then put it on and wear it until the shoes are dry. It is not recommended to go outside immediately after this procedure. It is also important not to get your shoes too wet.

There is an opinion that regular beer will help break in boots or suede shoes. To do this, you need to take this alcoholic drink into your hand and lightly moisten the entire inner surface of the shoe with it. It is important to choose regular light beer, avoiding varieties that have added dyes. Otherwise, you can seriously damage your shoes.

After wetting, you need to put the shoes on cotton socks and wear them until completely dry. After this method, you may have to stop wearing shoes for several days, leaving them in the fresh air. Otherwise, it may continue to emit an alcoholic aroma. If it does not evaporate for a long time, you can use a special shoe fragrance.

You can also splash a small amount of boiling water inside your shoe or boot. After this, you need to put it on your leg as quickly as possible and walk around slightly. Under the influence of hot liquid, natural suede will quickly become more elastic and take the shape of the foot. It is important that such a procedure has no consequences. As a result, there will be no noticeable unsightly marks left on the suede. The main thing is not to add too much water. It is the heat that acts here rather than the moisture itself. It is also advisable not to get boiling water on the glue, as a result of which it can instantly dissolve.

You can increase the width of tight suede shoes using alcohol.

If tight suede shoes need to be stretched wider, then ordinary alcohol or even vodka can help. The main thing is to use the listed alcohol in a minimal amount and try not to overdo it.

Alcohol or vodka should be diluted twice with cool water, and then lightly moisten the inside of suede shoes with the resulting mixture. Particular attention should be paid to those places where it rubs and squeezes the skin the most. But as

Breaking in suede is easy. The material is soft, elastic, fits well over time and takes on the desired shape. But when the purchased shoes are tight, half a size too small, or the fullness of the last does not match the foot, the suede shoes will have to be stretched additionally.

A safe method for breaking in suede shoes that are too tight

The safest thing for the shoes and your feet is to stretch the pair with a last. Wooden devices with a screw mechanism gradually and gently stretch the suede. The material retains technological strength and appearance. Pads are reusable devices. They are useful for quickly and accurately stretching more than one pair of shoes, not only made of suede, but also smooth or patent leather. They are sold in online shoe care stores and are relatively inexpensive - up to 1,500 per pair.

The same mechanisms are used by shoemakers in shoe workshops!

To break in suede shoes at home using a screw spacer:

Treat the shoes inside and out with a stretching agent. Any foam or spray from Collonil, Silver, Twist, Salton, Salamander or Tarrago will do.
While the product is absorbed, secure the orthopedic elements to the spacer. Manufacturers offer, in addition to the spacer, several auxiliary pads: in the area of the little finger, on the “bone”, on the instep. These pads help to more effectively stretch the suede in those areas that are most likely to rub and pinch.
Install the spacer into the shoe and unscrew the screw until the pads appear on the outside of the material.
Leave the pair on the spacer for 8-12 hours.

Mechanical stretching of suede shoes that are tight can be carried out as many times as necessary for a comfortable fit of the shoe.

How to quickly break in suede shoes at home: the classic method

For suede boots or sandals to wear out quickly, you need to walk in them. First, try walking around at home. To quickly break in suede shoes that pinch without causing discomfort, soften the leather. Castor/coconut oil, glycerin, 3% vinegar solution, paraffin or soap are suitable for softening. Pre-treat your little toes and heel area with a callus sticker or pencil. An alternative is hydrocolloid patches. They will protect your toes and heels from abrasions and calluses.

This process of stretching suede shoes at home is extremely simple:

Lubricate the toughest areas from the inside with glycerin, vinegar solution, paraffin or soap.
Put on your shoes and do any household chores. The main thing is not to sit, but to walk.
Are your legs freer? Remove the shoes and wipe the inside with a soft cloth to remove any remaining glycerin, oil, paraffin or soap.

The option with warm water is even simpler. It is enough to wet your socks with warm water, put them on your feet and put on your shoes, and in 2-3 hours you can wear out suede shoes that pinch and rub. Check the heel and insole first. If they contain cardboard, “wet delivery” is not recommended: the paper warps from moisture.

Do not wear shoes, boots and sandals made of light suede in wet socks, with oil or glycerin. Water, oily substances and glycerin leave unsightly stains on light-colored suede.

Special means work the fastest. Any shoe store always has a set of care products for stretching suede shoes of any color. But, of course, if you don’t have any special products, you can pretty quickly wear out suede shoes with your home arsenal.