How to Stretch Your Shoes

Finding the perfect pair of shoes is a great experience. There's nothing quite like finding a pair of shoes that look fantastic with that special outfit, or a pair of shoes in the latest style at a great price. However, getting them home and realizing that they are too tight is a big disappointment.

Or, perhaps shoes that once fit are now tighter on your feet because of growing or swollen feet. Whatever the reason, you don't need to part with shoes you love just because they aren't quite roomy enough. There are several simple ways to stretch them out and make them completely wearable.


Wear Them at Home First
Before you attempt to wear too-tight shoes for long periods of time, such as to work or to a party, they need to be made a little more comfortable. Try wearing them around the house, starting with short amounts of time. Wear them until they become very uncomfortable, and then take them off to give your feet a break. Wearing them this way several times will help loosen up the material and stretch the shoes out. You can even try wearing thick socks, even more than one pair, with the shoes to speed up the process. When the shoes are loose enough that you can wear them comfortably at home, then it's time to wear them out and about.

Try Freezing Them
Water expands as it freezes. Put this knowledge to use by filling your shoes with sealed plastic bags full of water, and then placing the shoes in the freezer. When the water freezes, remove the shoes from the freezer and take the bags of water out of the shoes. You may need to let the water thaw before you can do this. Try the shoes on; if they aren't quite loose enough, try another round of freezing.

Be careful with this method. You will need to make sure that the bags are sealed properly so that the water does not leak into your shoes. This is a better option for shoes that can get wet without sustaining damage, such as canvas. In addition, some materials will tend to shrink back to their original size, such as faux leather; shoes like this may require several rounds of freezing. Also keep in mind that this method will take several hours each time.


Use Heat to Stretch Your Shoes
Heating shoes that are too small is another method that often works to stretch them out. One way to do this is by putting on a pair of thick socks and then wearing the shoes you want to stretch. Then, use a hair dryer on the high setting to aim heated air at the areas of the shoes you want to stretch. Move your feet around inside the shoes as you do this, bending your toes back and forth and flexing your foot. This can stretch shoes to anywhere from a half to a whole size larger. This is a good method for leather, as it is unlikely to shrink back to its original size.


Use a Tool Designed to Stretch Shoes
You can maximize the effectiveness of this method by spraying shoes first with a shoe-stretching spray. Follow the manufacturer's instructions on the spray, as they work to soften the shoe prior to stretching. Make sure not to use this spray on shoes that have dyes that may bleed if they get wet; liquid stretching solutions are good options for leather, suede, nubuck, and some synthetic materials. Incidentally, liquid stretching solution can also be used to stretch leather items besides shoes - the thigh area of a pair of leather pants, for example.

Using a liquid stretching spray can be effective on its own; the moisture works to stretch the shoes out quickly as you walk around in them. Or, you can combine this method with a shoe stretcher. Insert the shoe stretcher into the shoe. Shoe stretchers typically have knobs you can turn to crank them open wider, stretching the shoe out as you do.

Try stretching in small increments to avoid overstretching. Stretch a little and then try the shoes on before stretching more. You can also try leaving a shoe stretcher or a shoe tree inside your shoes when you are not wearing them; this will prevent them from shrinking back to their original size. Using liquid stretching solution with this method reduces the likelihood of the shoe tearing.


Hire a Professional
When home methods fail, or if you just prefer the convenience, take the shoes to a professional shoe repair shop. These shops often have stretching machines that apply heat and/or pressure to areas of the shoes that need to be stretched. Professionals can usually target the length, width, toe, or instep of the shoes for focused stretching. You can have the shaft of a boot enlarged or even have specific points on most any shoe stretched to accommodate bunions or corns and relieve pain.

Be aware that you may have to leave your shoes at the shop for a day or so. A professional should also be able to advise you on the safest method for your specific shoes. For instance, some shoes do not react well to heat and may fall apart (this is why many shoes should not be placed in the dryer).