How to break in leather shoes in an evening. How to quickly break in tight or new shoes

Issues discussed in the material:

  • Why do we sometimes still buy tight shoes?
  • What homemade recipes will help stretch tight shoes?
  • Is it possible to stretch suede shoes using boiling water
  • Where can you stretch tight shoes? the best way
  • How to avoid buying tight shoes in the future

Everyone has probably at least once purchased a pair of shoes they really liked, but they didn’t quite fit. How to break in tight shoes to truly enjoy your purchase? Read about it in our article.

How to break in tight shoes at home

Elegance, style, originality - these are the main criteria, in the name of which we often neglect convenience and practicality when buying shoes. We buy shoes or boots a size smaller because we can’t resist beauty, believing that they will soon wear out.

However, after the first walk in new shoes, calluses appear on your feet. So we leave the pair we liked in the store lying in the closet, because we no longer want to experience pain and inconvenience. And all that remains is to regret the money spent, not being able to show off such an acquisition.

Is it possible to fix this situation? How to spread tight new shoes? We suggest adopting ten available means, the effectiveness of which has been tested by time:

  • Alcohol solution

A tight product, both inside and outside, can be treated with any alcohol-containing liquid: vodka, alcohol diluted with water, cologne. You can wipe the entire pair or individual areas that cause discomfort. Then you need to walk around the house in it for at least two hours, while wearing thick cotton socks.

  • Vegetable oil

Castor or sunflower oil, as well as cosmetic Vaseline, will help to break in tight shoes. These three products are well suited for products made from artificial or genuine leather. You need to properly smear your pair of shoes inside and out with one of them, and then walk around the house in it for about three hours. Then you need to carefully wipe off any remaining oil or Vaseline.

  • Hot water

How to break in tight shoes made of genuine leather at home? Take advantage of this most budget option.

To do this, you need to pour very high temperature water into the middle of leather shoes or sneakers, drain it after a few minutes and cool the product slightly. Then there are two options: either put on socks and walk in shoes until they dry, or wrap them in a cotton cloth soaked in boiling water for half an hour, grease them with any oil and leave for a day.

You can also moisten not the product itself, but warm socks with very hot water, put tight shoes on them and walk like this for about thirty minutes.

  • Newspaper

To break in shoes, try using an old-fashioned method that has been proven by many generations of experience. The toes of shoes that are tight in the toes should be filled with newspaper soaked in water. At the same time, to achieve the desired effect, you need to push the wet paper very tightly, but carefully, keeping an eye on the original shape. After the newspaper has dried (in about a day), you need to remove it from the shoes, which will now fit just right.

  • Freezer

To break in tight shoes, you can use the property of liquid to expand when it freezes. To do this, you need to pour water into strong new plastic bags, check if they are leaking, and tie them. Then put the bags in tight shoes, wrap them in newspaper and place them in the freezer. The product will become looser due to the fact that the bags of frozen water will increase in size.


  • Laundry soap

If you need to break in tight shoes, try rubbing them with soap before going outside. Because soap reduces friction, you can avoid developing calluses. Use this product until the pad stretches to the required size.

  • Hair dryer

A regular hair dryer is another way to get rid of tight shoes, especially if you need to do it quickly. To do this, put on a tight pair of warm socks and warm up the most problematic areas with a hairdryer turned on hot. Walk around the apartment for about fifteen minutes. If the discomfort does not disappear, repeat the procedure.

  • Cereals or grains

Cowboys also used this method to break in tight boots. As you know, cereal soaked in water increases significantly in volume. You need to pour it into your shoes and leave it overnight. When you pour out the cereal in the morning and dry off your pair, it will become much more comfortable to wear.

  • Kerosene or vinegar

If your shoes are tight in the toe and toe area, try soaking them in pure kerosene or a 3% vinegar solution. This will help make the shoes looser.

  • Paraffin candles

Using paraffin wax can also help if your new shoes are tight. You need to wipe the inner surface with this substance and leave it overnight. Remove the paraffin in the morning with a brush, and your shoes will no longer upset you.

How to break in tight shoes if you can’t do it yourself? Take help from professionals. The workshops have special equipment designed for such work.

How to break in tight shoes made of genuine leather


Products made from genuine leather are elastic and soft, so they stretch most quickly and easily. How to break in tight leather shoes:

  • Prepare a soap solution from colorless liquid soap and water in a ratio of 1:4, stir thoroughly. The resulting product must be applied using a spray bottle inside the product. Then put on thick socks and walk around the house for two hours.
  • Use vinegar to apply to the inside of your shoes. Wear thick socks and walk in your shoes for one hour. To remove unwanted vinegar aroma, use a soap solution.
  • Tight leather shoes can be broken in with boiling water. You need to pour boiling water inside and pour it out immediately. Then put on socks and wear a pair for about twenty minutes. After cooling, it will take the shape of a leg. This type of stretching is only suitable for products made of genuine leather, since this material is not afraid high temperatures. Leatherette shoes can be damaged by boiling water.
  • To stretch a leather product, use a hair dryer. To do this, put on wool socks, bend your foot, and direct a stream of hot air to the bend. Wear the pair until it cools completely. Repeat the procedure until the skin becomes soft and stretched. Apply conditioner to moisturize the product.
  • The swollen grain will help break in leather shoes. Pour dry grain inside, fill with water and leave overnight. In the morning, remove it, wipe the product and wear until completely dry.

How to break in tight nubuck shoes


Nubuck is a finicky material. It is quite difficult to remove shoes from it using improvised means.

Nubuck products cannot be stretched using Vaseline and fat cream, as they will leave unsightly streaks and stains that cannot be removed. You also need to make sure that the shoes are made of natural and not artificial material.

First you need to try to separate the pair for some time on your own. Most often this succeeds. If that doesn't work, you can try some tricks.

Purchase special foam designed for stretching shoes. Be sure to make sure that it can be used on nubuck. Using this tool is easy. Just distribute it inside a pair, put it on thick socks and walk around the apartment for several hours.

Consider taking your tight nubuck shoes to a repair shop. Specialists, using wooden blocks, will make stretching better. Craftsmen can also stretch the product lengthwise, which is very difficult to do on your own at home.

How to break in tight faux leather shoes

Faux leather is a difficult material to wear in. Repeated attempts to stretch products made from it can lead to cracking and loss of attractive appearance. However, do not despair, it is still possible to break in tight shoes.

To do this, wet your socks with cologne, put on your shoes and walk around the house in them for about twenty minutes. Do this ten times a day until you stretch it to the desired size.

An effective method for breaking down a leatherette product is to stuff it with small pieces of newspaper. Place cut-up newsprint inside a pair of shoes, being careful to maintain the shape, and add water. Wait for it to dry naturally. This will help to stretch the product not only in width, but also in length.

How to break in tight suede shoes at home


Soft and flexible suede molds to the shape of your foot. But remember that this material is afraid of water. To maintain aesthetic appearance product, avoid contact with liquid on its outer surface. How to break in tight suede shoes? Put a pair on wet socks and walk around the house a little this way.

You can use beer to break in suede shoes. Pour it inside the product, put it on thick wool socks and wear it for several hours. This method is very effective.

How to break in tight patent leather shoes at home


It is more difficult to wear a patent leather product than a leather product. When the skin is soft and thin, you can stretch the pair, but only in width.

Place the tight garment on wool socks soaked in vodka and wear until dry. Vodka can be replaced with an alcohol solution - 1/3 alcohol to 2/3 water. Neither alcohol nor vodka will spoil patent leather shoes.

In order to properly and safely distribute fragile varnish products while maintaining the shine and integrity of the coating, careful and delicate handling is necessary.

Tight patent leather shoes can be worn in using a hairdryer. Heat the product from the inside with a stream of hot air, then put it on your socks. Just be careful not to overheat your shoes to avoid losing their shine. It is recommended to perform such manipulations periodically. To stretch a varnished product, you can lubricate the pair with Vaseline or high-fat cream, Special attention paying attention to the heel and toe, and then put on the last. If there is no last, put the shoes on and wear them at home for two hours.

How to quickly break in tight textile shoes


Use boiling water for stretching. We talked about this method in detail above. In this case, you need to let the socks dry on your feet. Another way is to fill the shoes with wet paper, but not with newspaper, which can stain the material, ruining the appearance. As the paper dries in the shoe, it swells and stretches it.

But it is necessary to take into account that it is almost impossible to take apart a tight pair of textiles, since it is practically not deformed. The best solution in such circumstances is to purchase a product that is the most appropriate size for your foot.

How to stretch parts of tight shoes

Often, discomfort is caused not by the entire product, but by a specific place. This happens, for example, if the shoe is the right length but is too small in width. Then, to avoid chafing, it is necessary to separate separate areas of the pair.

  • Narrow and hard heel. To soften the heel, first of all, you should walk in shoes with socks made of wool or thick fabric. If you can't achieve the desired effect, try tapping the area with a hammer. You can also use soap or a candle, as we wrote earlier. Another remedy is to stuff the back area with balls of paper or socks.
  • Narrow toe. Taking shoes that are tight in your fingers is actually easier than it seems. Products made from suede and genuine leather can be placed in the freezer by filling the sock with bags of water. It is preferable to wear patent leather shoes, as well as those made of leatherette, on your feet, having previously treated them with paraffin, alcohol or soap. You can use a hairdryer to heat the sock and let it in until it cools down.
  • Stretch the boot. The farmer's or cowboy's method is best for this. A freezer is also useful, in which you can place boots with bags of water in the tops. A good option– using boiling water and wearing it on your feet, if the product is made of the appropriate material. The choice of how you will stretch a pair depends on the type and material of the shoe.

Please note that the product may be subject to minor wear and tear. Applying natural remedies, it is possible to increase by one size. It is best to entrust stretching to professionals by contacting a workshop. If you do not want to subject your shoes to serious tests, which are not always without consequences for the appearance, listen to the following recommendations.

The problem of uncomfortable shoes is familiar to many, especially women. The wrong size can cause a bad mood and poor health. Don’t rush to get rid of a bad purchase; find out how to take out shoes that are too tight using home remedies. When choosing a method, be sure to consider the type of material - leather, leatherette, suede, nubuck, rubber.

How to stretch new shoes: quick ways

Take these tips into account:

  1. Try not to go outside in new clothes right away; in most cases, calluses on your feet are guaranteed. First, try wearing tight shoes or boots around the house for several hours a day. When your feet feel comfortable, you can confidently go for a walk or to work.
  2. If the first method did not work positive result To prevent shoes from pinching your toes, take them to a workshop. The master will stretch them to the desired size in a few minutes.
  3. For quick results, you can use special “stretchers” - sprays and foams. You can buy them at shoe or hardware stores and use them at home. To quickly break in new shoes, apply spray or foam to areas where you feel discomfort.

How to wear shoes made from genuine leather

Use these proven options:

  1. Use alcohol or any alcohol-containing product to treat the inside of the product in places where there is pressure on your legs. Put on thick socks and walk around the apartment for several hours in a row in the shoes you want to increase in size. This home method allows you to noticeably stretch leather shoes not only in length, but also to stretch them in volume so as not to sting your toes.
  2. Simple and accessible remedy- hot steam. Hold your shoes over the kettle spout until steam begins to condense on the surface of your skin. Wear uncomfortable sneakers or shoes for a couple of hours with thick socks on your feet. The method helps to first soften the material a little to make it easier to stretch tight shoes made of genuine leather.
  3. The technology can only be used for products made from high-quality soft leather. It's not just cramped conditions that can cause your feet to suffer. The hardness of the raw material also causes discomfort and causes calluses. Try bending your shoes up and down several times in a row and twisting them in different directions. On quality material There will be no creases left, but it will become much softer.

3 ways for narrow nubuck shoes

Don't know how to make nubuck boots bigger? The following improvised means will help to stretch the natural material:

  1. Sunflower or Castor oil. Take this product and treat the material well inside and out. Put on socks and walk around the apartment for at least three hours without taking off your tight boots or sneakers. Remove any remaining oil with a napkin at the end of the procedure.
  2. You can break in nubuck shoes if they squeeze your toes by using newspapers. Take old newspapers, crumple them, wet them with water, and stuff them into a sock. Leave it for a day.
  3. To quickly stretch boots or boots that are a little tight at home, a regular hair dryer will come in handy. Wear a tight pair of shoes with thick terry or wool socks. Use a hairdryer to heat the top surface of the boots until it is sufficiently hot. Wear your shoes until they cool down. This can be repeated several times.
At home, you can quickly remove shoes using a hairdryer and a special spray.

Special compounds for stretching suede shoes

If you have boots made of suede that feel too tight on your toes, try expanding them so they don't sit idle in your wardrobe using these simple, proven methods:

  1. At home, you can break in tight suede shoes using steam. This method allows you to increase your shoes by about a size. Hold them over the steam so that the suede warms up well, but do not let the leather get too wet. Put on tight socks and wear until dry.
  2. To stretch the top of suede boots, moisten the outside of the material with a weak solution of vinegar. Put them on and walk around the house until the suede dries.
  3. Suede boots that squeeze the leg at the top can be expanded using an iron and a flannel napkin. Unfasten them, lay them out on the ironing board, place a damp flannel cloth on top, and iron them well.

Helpful tips: You can use wooden blocks to stretch suede, but you should contact a shoe repair shop to do this. If you cannot solve the problem with the help of improvised means, buy special compounds for stretching suede.

Methods for artificial leather

There is no need to wear leatherette shoes that pinch your feet. In domestic conditions, it can be increased in size, but you should know that leatherette is less susceptible to stretching than natural material.

Try one of the following tips:

  1. You can try stretching the leatherette using the “farmer’s” method. It is convenient for villagers. It is necessary to pour grain into a close couple to the top and moisten it generously with water. Leave the grain overnight, it will swell from moisture and pull the leatherette.
  2. Generously lubricate the inner surface of the leatherette product with thick cosmetic cream or Vaseline, put on thick socks and walk like this for at least two hours. Try it on with a thin toe; if eco-leather shoes are still too tight, choose another method.
  3. A tight pair of shoes from artificial leather wears out after treatment with beer. It is enough to moisten a sponge in this drink and carefully treat the entire inner surface of narrow shoes. Walk around in them for about half an hour. This is how women stretch their boots in the ankle area. The only thing to consider is the possible staining of light skin, so choose non-dark beers.

What to do if your rubber shoes are tight

Real rubber cannot be stretched; it will either break when stretched or return to its previous position. However, today it is almost impossible to purchase products made from real rubber, so you can take advice on how to distribute small-sized rubber shoes to make it comfortable. Follow these instructions:

  • Pour boiling water inside and leave for half an hour;
  • In the meantime, while boiling water softens the rubber, put on woolen socks, so your feet will increase in size;
  • drain the water, let the rubber cool slightly until it becomes warm, and put on the boots for half an hour.

Breaking in patent leather shoes

It is dangerous to wear patent leather shoes that are too tight on your own, as there is a risk of ruining their attractive appearance. It is better to entrust such work to professionals or factory products. If your back is rubbing, treat it on the inside with alcohol or vodka.

To stretch patent leather shoes, you should not put them in the freezer, wet them with water, much less boiling water, or hold them over steam.

Important to know: It is necessary to avoid contact of the varnished material with gasoline, alcohol, and silicone lubricants. Any chemical stretchers can only be applied to the inside of the product.

Methods for winter models with fur

wear out winter shoes with fur inside - boots or boots, a little more complicated. The technique of steaming and wearing thick socks around the house will help to slightly stretch the boot in the ankle area. You can also try using frozen water:

  1. Place a thick plastic bag over your hand and push it inside the boot closer to the toe.
  2. Pour water into the bags so that it fills the entire space - from toe to heel, tie them.
  3. Place a tight, clean pair in the freezer overnight, until the morning the water freezes, increases in volume and stretches the dense material.


What to do when your shoes rub

To avoid the formation of calluses on your feet, check out these tips on how to treat shoes that rub your heel and squeeze your toes:

  1. Before you go outside in your new shoes, treat the inside of the heel with soap or a candle.
  2. To prevent the formation of calluses, shoes are broken in as follows: place a cloth on the heel and tap lightly with a hammer. These actions will soften hard skin.
  3. Even if you feel comfortable in your new shoes, don’t rush to wear them all day long, wear your new shoes little by little.
  4. If you need to slightly stretch your shoes in length, soak a towel in vinegar diluted half-and-half with water and place it inside the shoes.
  5. Shoes can rub not only your heels, but also your toes. If the cause of calluses is a hard sock, you can soften it with raw potatoes. Two large tubers are peeled and placed inside boots or shoes. Leave for 8 hours. When in contact with potato juice, the natural leather becomes softer, and the tuber stretches the narrow and hard toe.
  6. Which method, in your opinion, is the most effective? Share in the comments, read all the reviews...

The most common method of stretching shoes at home is to soak them in some alcohol solution. For example, regular triple cologne, inexpensive vodka or alcohol diluted with water are perfect for these purposes. Shoes must be wiped with an alcohol solution both inside and outside. After this, you need to put on thick cotton socks and only then shoes treated with alcohol. You need to wear it for about 2 hours without removing it.

You can stretch the ill-fated shoes with boiling water, provided that they are made of genuine leather. The point is that only natural materials are able to withstand the active influence of high temperatures on them. The treatment proceeds as follows: hot water must be poured into the shoes and then immediately poured out. Slightly cooled boots should be put on your feet and worn in for about 2 hours. As a result of this treatment, tight shoes will soften and expand, acquiring the desired size.

If you don’t have the time or desire to break in your shoes yourself, you can turn to a workshop for help. A specialist, using special blocks, will quickly stretch it to the required size.

Another way to break in tight shoes is to stretch them using wet newspapers. This method is especially suitable for stretching rubber, rag and artificial products. To begin with, tight shoes need to be held over steam for several minutes, and then the inside should be filled with wet newspapers. At the end of the treatment, the shoes are left in this state until the paper in them is completely dry. After drying, the newspapers are removed as carefully as possible: you must try to maintain the resulting shape of the shoes.

To treat shoes made of smooth leather, fatty cream, castor oil, kerosene, petroleum jelly, glycerin or vegetable oil are used. Any of the above lubricants is applied to the surface of shoes, boots, sneakers, as well as to their problem areas inside. After 2 hours, the treated shoes should be cleaned of ointment and put on your feet, having previously put thick socks on them. The principle of operation of this method is as follows: under the influence of fatty acids and substances, the material from which the shoes are made will become more elastic, which, in turn, will allow them to take the shape of the foot.

You can stretch your shoes at home by soaking them from the inside with a 3% solution of table vinegar. This method allows you to soften the product if it puts too much pressure on your toes.

One of the most popular ways to stretch shoes is to freeze them in the refrigerator. Low temperatures affect the material, expanding it: frozen shoes wear out much easier. However, this method applies only to demi-season and winter products designed for low temperatures. It is worth noting that all of the above advice assumes that you really have quality shoes! If boots, boots, shoes or sneakers are made of obscene material, then some of the tips can completely render them unusable!

Tight shoes are not only unsightly, but also very dangerous to health. A crooked gait and a stooped back are the least that can happen to a person who wears small shoes. In a tightly clamped leg, blood circulation is impaired, resulting in varicose veins and thrombosis. Therefore, it is very important that the shoes match your foot size. But there are situations when a pair fits like a glove in a store, but at home the shoes don’t fit or they squeeze your feet too much. What to do in this case? How to break in shoes that are too tight?

If the product was recently purchased, the buyer has the right to return the unsuitable product within 14 days. But there are situations when you really like the product or the return period has expired. Then you have to make sacrifices and break in narrow shoes at home using different methods.

You should try to expand the pair in the following cases:

  1. The shoes are small, but there is no suitable size in the store.
  2. The width corresponds to the width of the foot, and the length of the shoe is short and pinches the toes.
  3. Optimal length, but too narrow shoe width.
  4. The pair becomes a bit small at the end of the day.
  5. After getting wet and drying, the shoes became very tight.

In order to quickly stretch your shoes at home, you need to follow these recommendations:

  • wear a new pair for a short time. A couple of hours daily will be enough. A radical measure - wearing shoes without taking them off for several hours a day will only harm the foot and shoes;
  • use a bactericidal patch, applying it to the areas of greatest chafing of the skin;
  • softening the back is the most common reason calluses. This can be done with a piece of dry soap or paraffin wax from a candle;
  • To prevent chafing of the feet, use castor oil, which is applied to the back of the shoe with a cotton pad;
  • If home remedies do not help, you can always purchase specialized foams, sprays and other liquids and creams that stretch shoes.

It is advisable to follow all recommendations immediately after purchasing a new pair of shoes.

Unfortunately, sometimes the above steps are not enough. If the shoes are significantly small, then the methods must be more effective and efficient.

General options for any material quality

There are methods to help stretch shoes that will work with any material. They are universal in their action and will stretch shoes made of leather, suede or patent leather.

Freezing

It is contraindicated only for patent leather shoes and summer sandals, where there is a lot of jewelry with rhinestones. To carry it out you need: a freezer, water, a good tight bag. You need to proceed as follows:

  • Pour enough water into the bag so that it fits inside the shoe in cellophane. The bag should fill those places where the shoes press the most;
  • the bag should not allow water to pass through. Moisture that gets onto the inner surface of shoes when they are frozen can be detrimental to the shoes;
  • Place shoes filled with bags of water in the freezer for 6-8 hours. When water freezes, it will expand, and the shoes will stretch accordingly;
  • After the specified time has passed, remove the steam from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature.

Important! It is prohibited to use hot air streams from a hairdryer or fan, or to place shoes near heating radiators and electric heaters.

Wool or terry socks

An easy way to break in shoes if they are too tight and chafing. You need to try on new shoes, walk around in them for a while, to understand in which specific places the pressure is the most. Wear socks made of thick terry cloth or wool. In places of strong friction, you can put additional stretch marks in the form of gel inserts, silicone pads or ordinary rag napkins. Put on your shoes and walk in them without taking them off for 1.5-2 hours. Don't try to widen the shoe too much. Otherwise, it will begin to fall off the leg and will look ugly.

Professional ways

In addition to the above traditional methods, there are also specialized professional ways solving the problem of how to break in new shoes. You can contact the workshop. There, experts in their field will very quickly stretch the shoes, expanding them in those places where necessary, without damaging the pair.

You can also not spend money on the services of specialists, but try to increase the inner surface of your shoes at home yourself, using special shoe cosmetics in the form of foams, gels, sprays, etc. How to proceed in this case?

  1. Buy the necessary funds. For example, stretch foam.
  2. Distribute the light white mass inside the product, paying special attention to the areas of greatest pressure.
  3. Put socks on your feet and put on treated shoes. Wear a pair until the foam dries completely.

The main thing in such a matter as widening shoes is not to overdo it. Do not pull shoes with your hands using maximum effort, use too hot water, as well as creams and other products of unknown origin.

In addition to the universal methods mentioned above, there are methods that are suitable only for a certain type of product. Thus, stretching leather shoes may be contraindicated for a suede pair and vice versa. How to quickly break in shoes depending on the type of material used?

Genuine Leather

Its benefits are no secret to anyone. In addition to the breathable surface, leather shoes does not retain moisture, thereby preventing the appearance of fungus and unpleasant odors. But even leather shoes sometimes have to be walked around and widened. A few simple ways will help with this:

  1. Wet stretch. You need to take a large terry towel, moisten it generously with water and wring it out thoroughly. Wrap a cardboard box with a pair of shoes that require expansion in several layers with a wet towel and leave it like that overnight. Abundant moisture will soften not only the paper on the box, but also the shoes, which you will have to put on and wear for two to three hours. To prevent the pair from shrinking again, the shoes should be stuffed with old newspapers after each use.
  2. Boiling water. Heat the water on the stove until it starts to boil. Pour a small amount of hot liquid into each product for 2-3 minutes, then drain the water. Put on your shoes and wear them for a couple of hours. You can use thick socks; they will expand the pair more significantly.
  3. Alcohol-containing products. IN in this case Both alcohol in its pure form and vodka or cologne are used. Soak a cotton pad in the liquid and wipe the inside of the shoe with it. Put on your shoes and warm socks and walk around the house for several hours.
  4. Glycerol. They coat the inner surface of the shoe with it, after which cloth napkins soaked in warm water and wrung out are applied to the greased areas. Leave the shoes in this form for 6-8 hours, then wear them as in previous methods until the necessary stretching occurs.
  5. A more gentle but time-consuming method is old newspapers or blotting paper, moistened with water. They are placed inside the shoes, tightly filling every millimeter of the pair and left until completely dry. Then they take out the paper and get shoes that are one size larger.

It is forbidden to speed up the drying process with heaters or hair dryers.

Faux leather

Shoes made of such material, in addition to poor physical characteristics in terms of poor air permeability, non-natural material also have another significant drawback - they are very difficult to stretch if necessary. However, there are several proven methods that will help correct the situation:

  1. Shoe polish. They lubricate the outside of the pair. Then the shoes are put on thick socks and worn without taking them off for several hours. For better stretching of the material, the inside of the shoes can be treated with cologne or alcohol.
  2. If the strength of the pair is beyond doubt, then you can wear wet thick socks, on which to put shoes, wear them for several hours.

Suede shoes

This material never goes out of trend. But breaking in such shoes requires a careful approach, since the risk of ruining a pair increases. The following methods will help:

  1. A layer of socks and hot air. You need to put a few thin socks on your foot, put on a shoe and warm it up with air from a hairdryer, holding the hot streams on the folds. If it works, then you need to move your toes and all your feet. 10 minutes after the start of “warming up”, remove the hairdryer and carry the product around the room for several minutes. After this, repeat the drying procedure with a hairdryer.
  2. Beer- definitely an unusual component for something like shoe widening, but no less effective. Soak cotton pads in the intoxicating drink and wipe the inner surface of the product, stopping in those places where the fingers and skin experience the greatest pressure. Wear a pair in socks for several hours.

The elastic structure of suede material can stretch out if you work too hard, and the shoes will become unsightly.

Patent leather shoes

Shoes made from this material, despite their external beauty, have increased rigidity. Walking in a pair that presses will be very painful, so measures should be taken before injury to the skin of the feet occurs.

It is important to understand that the risk of harm patent leather shoes very high, so stretching methods should be used with extreme caution:

  1. Castor oil or any other fatty substance (vaseline, baby cream). Apply the product to the inner surface of the shoe with a cotton pad. You can also process the outside of the product. Leave the shoes like this for several hours. Put on thick socks, put on shoes, and walk for 10-15 minutes. This time is enough to notice a positive result.
  2. Alcohol-containing products. They are applied to the inner surface of the shoe, which is then put on a warm sock and worn without taking it off for several hours.

If you don’t succeed in widening your shoes the first time, don’t get upset and give up. Perhaps the product requires a different approach or repetition of the same method.

Every year we buy shoes. Beautiful shoes, sandals or boots fit perfectly during fitting. But when we come home, we often encounter a situation where this piece of clothing turns out to be not very comfortable. And it becomes a shame that the perfect shoes have become a little tight and squeeze your feet. There will be ways to help you cope with the current situation at home without special effort. After reading them, you will learn how to break in tight shoes made of natural or artificial leather, suede, quickly and efficiently.

In order not to bring back to the store a new thing that turns out to be slightly too small, you can try stretching it. And how to do this, read in this article.

Let us immediately note that there is no need to be upset. To prevent wearing new shoes from becoming torture, use the following recommendations:

  • If you immediately put on a pair of new shoes, then you are guaranteed an evening with blisters. To avoid this, try to remove tight shoes in several stages. If possible, wear a newly purchased pair of shoes every day for 1-2 hours;
  • If walking around the house doesn't work, try another method. In this situation, a trip to a shoe workshop will save you, where, at your request, the master will stretch your shoes, boots or sandals to the desired size;
  • At home, you can also stretch a tight pair using special stretchers. This is a spray or foam. They are available for sale in almost any store. It is necessary to apply these products in those places where the shoes are tight. After which you need to put on a pair and walk around in it for a while.

Traditional methods

There are also traditional methods How to break in tight shoes. In our time, they remain relevant.

Simple and cheap method using newspapers

As the name suggests, you will need a newspaper to distribute shoes at home. This method is considered the most economical and is suitable for shoes made of natural and artificial leather.

We take newspapers and tear them into small pieces. We wet everything with water. Then with this material we fill the entire space of the shoes, which turned out to be tight. It is important to place more newspapers inside to make the result more effective. After the manipulations have been done, you need to put the new thing away from the batteries. It is necessary to leave the products in this state until their contents dry.

This method takes about 2 days. However, you will be satisfied with the result. All that will be needed next is to take out the newspapers (by then the shoes should also be dry) and enjoy trying them on.

Stretch your shoes using vodka

This method is usually used by those who are afraid of harming leather products. There is an opinion that the previous method can dry it out even more. Therefore, if you chose this option for reinsurance, then you will need vodka. Or better yet, alcohol. These products can quickly and effectively soften leather products at home.

It is not difficult to break in tight shoes using alcohol. It is enough to moisten the inside of the places where the shoes are too tight. Then, putting on thick socks, put on your shoes. It is necessary to walk until the alcohol evaporates. And this, as a rule, happens quite quickly.

But it is worth remembering that the flammable liquid should only be applied to the inside of the shoe. If it suddenly gets on the outside, the leather product may be damaged.

It is also not recommended to try this method on shoes made of artificial leather, fabric and suede. For products made from such materials, it is better to use beer. Breaking in tight shoes follows the same principle, but more a long period. It is best to carry out the procedure over several days in a row.

Stretch shoes using boiling water

If you don’t have a special product or alcohol at hand, one of the folk “recipes” will help you break in tight shoes. Following it, you can make your shoes comfortable to wear using boiling water.

It is enough to simply pour boiling water into the products and, after draining it, immediately put them on. When the shoes are dry, they will perfectly follow the shape of your feet, as the boiling water will steam the skin.

This option will be excellent for leather shoes. However, it is unlikely to be suitable for shoes made of suede or artificial leather. For them, it is better to purchase stretchers in the form of foam or spray.

How to stretch boots

Regarding larger items, such as boots or boots, you can break them in by following the methods indicated above. For those who have little free time, and tight boots need to be stretched quite quickly, the option of taking the products to a workshop remains relevant.

At home, you can make leather boots comfortable if you use an option using alcohol. Or you can resort to another folk “remedy”, in which stretching tight boots can be done using a hairdryer. But this will also require a stretcher in the form of a cream. It should be applied in those places where the shoes are tight, after warming them well with a hairdryer. After this, wearing a thick sock, you need to wear the boots for 20-30 minutes. And when the products have cooled, you will need to repeat the procedure. Repeat until wearing the product becomes comfortable.

The main thing after such procedures is to properly treat wardrobe items. To prevent leather boots from deteriorating, it is better to lubricate them with a special cream or a small amount of castor oil.

This way, you will get comfortable boots and maintain their appearance.

To achieve the desired effect and wear tight shoes at home, you need to choose the most suitable option. However, it is best to initially purchase comfortable shoes. The following recommendations will help you with this: