Shoes are an important part of the items you require when you go out. They come in different styles as well as sizes. Whether you prefer shoes with laces or without, heeled shoes or not, the casual flip-flops or the sporty sneakers, there are many functions of shoes. Shoes are worn to provide comfort and keep the feet safe.
Usually, when one buys any shoes, they need to be worn in a little to be comfortable. This happens even if the shoe fits you perfectly in the shop. There are various reasons as to why this happens but for now, we will focus on the solution. As the brand new shoes found in shops have not been worn continuously, they are less flexible and may even bite your feet. It takes time to make new shoes soften up. But, if you want to speed up the process, you have arrived at the right article.
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There are many remedies available to soften the back of your new shoes. Some work and quite a few do not. To save you the hassle of sorting out the ones that do the job and those that do not, we have mentioned the following tips comprehensively:
1. Use Insoles and Socks
Insoles help to create a softer footing for your shoes. Your feet will feel comfortable when you walk around the place. These socks also give you an elevated footing. You can also get customized insoles that fit your size and style of the shoe perfectly. If you add on socks too, the combination of the two will make your shoes roomier. Furthermore, insoles help to better your posture as well.
All you need to do is to put some insoles (preferably customized ones) in your shoes, wear some socks and strut around. The more you walk, the sooner you will be able to break into your new shoes. Insoles are made of a very soft material. It adjusts according to your feet and even shapes itself. This way the shoes that you have bought, get soft in the right areas providing maximum comfort.
Different types of insoles work for different shoe types. Some require a thicker insole such as sneakers or trainers. Others need a thinner one such as sandals etc. For this, you need to consult with an expert in shoes and insoles.
2. Wear Thick Padded Socks
If you wear thick padded socks on your feet, you will not feel the bottom of the shoe. These socks help to break in the shoe quite quickly. All you need to do is slip them on, wear shoes, and do a lot of walking. Thick padded socks help to increase space from all sides. This is because they are thicker than normal socks. This way when you wear the shoes without the socks, your shoe will be better ventilated and be more spacious than before.
This tip is best for athletes and marathon runners as thick padded socks work well with joggers and trainers. They keep the foot safe from getting sore as well as blisters. These socks also help to alleviate the pain that may be caused during strenuous exercise.
Thick padded socks are available in various padding levels. You need to choose the right kind as wearing too thick or too thin socks may not have a desirable effect. All in all, thick padding socks have been clinically tested and proven to make one’s shoe more comfortable.
3. Put Wooden Inserts Inside the Shoes
Wooden inserts although may seem like an ancient way to make shoes wider, but it is still in use today. All that needs to be done is for a wooden insert to be placed inside the shoe. It is not only made for the back-end or the heel of the shoe, rather the toe area can be made roomier as well.
As wooden inserts are firm and do not bend when pressure is applied, they keep the shoe in a stretched position for a long time. This way the new shoes are broken into at a faster rate.
Buying wooden inserts may be on the pricier side, but they are an important aspect of keeping the shoes in shape. This makes your shoes last longer. Wooden inserts need to be customized often to fit your shoe shape and size. They are easily available for purchase on different websites and at shops.
Apart from making your shoes softer, these also make polishing really easy. These wooden inserts are made for shoes for formal wear especially. They help to keep your shoe ventilated even when not in use.
4. Try Shoe Stretch Spray
Shoe stretch sprays are used particularly for leather shoes. The shoe stretch spray can be made at home and can also be store-bought. It is available in shoe shops and shoe repair shops too. Although leather shoes tend to stretch out with excessive use, if you want to speed up the process this is the best way to do so.
Leather shoes increase in size when they are wet. But there are certain disadvantages to wearing these shoes with wet feet. The downsides include the shoe losing its shape and shine. This is where the shoe stretch spray comes into play. T makes the leather moist but not too moist. It also contains a conditioner that maintains its shine.
All you need to do is spray the interior of the shoe with this spray, wear socks and walk around in your new leather shoes. The spray can be used for many kinds of leather and for boots for women too. If used alone, the spray can increase the size up to one-half size but if combined with the wooden insert this can be stretched up to one and a half sizes.
5. Use a Hair Drier
Although this method may seem unusual, it is highly effective. As you must know, heating an object causes it to increase in size. This same mechanism comes into play with the shoes. A hairdryer is used for usually leather-based shoes. The steps to do this are very simple.
First, slip on some socks. Then put on your shoes and stretch out your toes as much as you can. After this, use a hairdryer to warm up the shoe from all sides. Wait for the leather to cool down before removing your feet from inside. Take off your socks and walk around in the shoes a bit. If they are soft and comfortable enough, you are good to go. If not, repeat the process until you get the desired outcome.
To increase the effect, you can spray a little water before blasting hairdryer as well. Thicker socks can be used to make it roomier too.
6. By Freezing
This tip involves the freezing mechanism of water. Water when frozen tends to expand. Using this method will help you to increase the size of your shoe. All you need to do is fill two bags of water about one-quarter of the way. Each bag is for a single shoe. Then place this bag of water in the shoe and chuck the pair into a freezer. Check up on the bag to make sure it is freezing. Once the water freezes, it will expand the size of the shoe too. Wear the shoes to check if the expansion of the shoe is soft enough. If it is not, repeat the procedure until it is.
Avoid using this method if the bags are dripping water out. Some shoes even take up the water. For shoes like this, the whole shoe can be made wet as well. This may increase the size of the shoe though you should wait for it to thaw out before trying them out for size.
7. Using Oils
Using oil for stretching out your shoe can help to maintain your shoes for a longer period as well. Oils are one of the best methods used for leather shoes. Glycerin and castor oil are the ones that should be used. This is because they contain high-fat content.
The process is quite easy to go through. Take some oil and rub it on the shoes. The oil will get soaked into the leather and make it soft. This way when you wear these shoes, they can stretch to any extent that you want. The shoes will also become more comfortable and airy this way.
Apart from being used to soften the shoes, oils also add to the lustre of the shoe. This helps the shoe to look brand new even after long-term usage.
8. Alcohol
Alcohol works just like the shoe stretch spray. You can use ordinary rubbing alcohol for this purpose. There are various ways to make use of alcohol for the stretching function. The first way is to put on socks, wear the shoes, stretch your toes and spray alcohol all around the shoe. This will help the alcohol to soak in and increase the overall size to fit your feet particularly. The second method is to soak the socks with alcohol and wear them while wearing shoes. Roam around in these till all the alcohol evaporates. This will increase the shoe size from the interior.
This method is the best shoes made out of canvas and may not be suitable for formal styles. There are certain precautions that need to be kept in mind. The alcohol that you use should be fast drying. This is because if it is not it may destroy the quality of the shoe or create marks on the surface of it. It is always a good idea to test it out first.
9. Kerosene
Kerosene is a type of fuel that performs this function as well. If you have got kerosene at hand, then you can make your uncomfortable shoes softer and your small tight shoes, stretched out and roomier.
Before using kerosene, you should dip the shoes into a common table vinegar solution for a while. This needs to be done from the inner part as well for maximum result. Then kerosene needs to be applied as a coating. This combination makes the leather softer. You can wear these shoes with socks on to create wider shoes or even leave them out and the mixture will do its job.
We know you are thinking about the smell of the vinegar. That will air out after being left in the open air for a few hours.
10. Perform Soap Rubbing
The common soap can be used for a variety of different functions. One of these is softening the leather. Yes, soap can be used on leather shoes to stretch them out, provide more flexibility and even make the shoe soft.
It is quite easy to use this as all you need to do is use a softened soap on the inner portion of the back of your shoes. This way it will keep your feet from getting blisters or chaffing. The soft leather that will be present as a result of this soap rubbing will provide a comfortable usage of your new leather shoes.
After rubbing soap on the shoes and making the leather soft, roam around in these or place rolls of socks to stretch the shoe to the desired amount. Repeat the process until they fit you perfectly.
All these methods have been tried out and are bound to work. For maximum result, use these tips in combination as each does its part. Settling into new shoes has never been easier than this. The methods described above are mainly for leather shoes, as those require being worn out and maintained more than other types.