Don’t do this for long periods, but only for, say, 15 to 20 minutes at a time – and feel free to do it in similar shorts spurts throughout the day. Your feet naturally swell as the day goes on. Why do I have to walk in them for ten minutes before heating them up with the blow dryer? Whatever you do, whether they’re athletic shoes, dress shoes, boots, etc., treat them with care as you’re breaking them in, and not just when you’ve started to wear them regularly. The longer you leave your shoes on the stretcher the more they’ll stretch. When you think about buying shoes, most people probably think about getting the most comfortable thing that they can find, as when we are not sleeping, we are most likely on our feet. Shop our official site for 100% Animal-Free footwear. Although all new sneakers will be tight, there are ways to break them in more quickly and to reduce discomfort. Native Shoes | 5,411 followers on LinkedIn. You can also apply a wooden or plastic shoe stretcher after you’ve sprayed your shoes, as well, which say some shoe care experts, is how you can get the best results from your spray. If you don't have a hair drier, try placing your shoes next to an indoor heater, or even directly out in the sun. Shoe stretchers generally work best on shoes made of suede, leather, and natural materials. On Fri Jun 27, 2008 09:49 PM. That’s not to say it’s expensive, however, because a professional shoe stretch shouldn’t cost you more than $20. So, what’s in shoe stretcher spray? Stiff soles can also be a problem with new shoes. Here are six hacks on how to break in your next pair of shoes, that will stop you from taking them off three hours in and/or ending the night with a bloody toe. Again, many shoe experts advise taking it slow at the start by walking around in your new athletic shoes for short periods while building up to all-day use. The heat helps soften the leather. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. The first involves putting on a thick pair of socks and then walking around in your new shoes until they (the shoes) start to stretch and break-in. You can repeat the process if your shoe needs an additional bit of stretching. Spray the area of the shoe that’s giving you the most problems, both in the interior and exterior of the shoe. The alcohol helps to stretch the leather. Then, use a hair dryer to heat your shoes for 2-3 minutes, which will expand the material. There are two methods, actually. DO THE KIND THING. For example, if you run five days a week, you can sub in your new shoes one or two days until you feel that they’re comfortable enough to wear for every run. Well, don't take them back. Having someone with bigger feet break your shoes in is immoral and ineffective. For dance classes: break your dance shoes in! The Remix Project, our first initiative on this journey, recycles your well-loved Native Shoes by giving them new life in projects across the community. 169 were here. As with most shoes, a pair of tennis shoes needs to be broken in before it will prove comfortable to play in. No drama, just go online, shop, click and smile – nothing to it. Cowboys had (and have) many ways to break horses. Turn the metal rod until you feel resistance from the shoe’s material. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. The prospect of having to break in your new shoes can put a dampener on the whole experience, making you want to relegate your new loves straight to the back of the wardrobe. Do not scrub vigorously as this could damage the material. Shoe stretcher can’t work miracles, i.e., they can turn a size 7 into a size 9. Consumers spend millions of dollars each year to have their shoes machine-stretched by a cobbler. Walk around in your shoes until they’re dry. Don't do any heavy walking, or you'll give yourself blisters. I then, "The part that said to wear them around the house helped. we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously, pair of running shoes that doesn’t fit correctly, How to Protect and Care for Your Suede Shoes Like a Pro, 8 Ways to Be Kind to Your Feet After Standing at Work All Day, 2 Super Fast and Easy Methods to Teach Kids Tie Shoelaces, 11 Shoes Every Woman Boss Should Have In Her Closet, 4 Ways How to Lace Dress Shoes Like a Pro in Under 10 Minutes, 9 Easy Ways To How To Break In Shoes (Leather & Other Materials), How to Polish, Shine & Buff Your Shoes or Boots in 6 Simple Steps, 13 Best Water Shoes for Men & Women in Any Water Sport, 13 Best Walking & Running Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis, 10 Absolute Best Indoor Soccer Shoes for Men & Women, 11 Best Shoes With Ankle Support for Men & Women. We provide thorough and well-researched content for anything footwear and feet related. Next, take off the shoe and stretch it manually by bending it upwards and downwards a few times. Wipe the potato dry – excess moisture isn’t good for the inside of your shoe – and stuff it inside your shoe and leave it there overnight. You won’t break your budget paying for a professional’s expertise and you can rest easy while knowing that the task of breaking-in your shoes is – at least in part – in the hands of an expert. You may need to carefully remove a portion of the potato so that it follows the shape of the shoe while still giving the material a little stretch. Your shoes will expand by up to 10% as the ice freezes. From breaking them in gently by wearing them for short periods to blasting them with heat from a blow dryer, there are many methods to get those leather shoes to fit like a glove. You can manually stretch your sneakers by using your hands to bend the heel and toe toward each other. As we discuss in our tips for breaking shoes, go slowly at first by wearing your suede shoes for short periods until they fit most comfortably. To break in a new pair of shoes, wear them for 10 minutes before you take them off and bend them up and down to stretch them. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. There are many other methods people use for breaking in their new shoes, which is a testament to the creative powers of the human mind and how common it is to stretch shoes. You can even find boot stretchers that expand the shaft of the boot, which is ideal for anyone who has thicker calves. So, a shoe that fits great when you try it on in the morning may feel tighter later in the day. In this case, you can add extra support or cushioning: If your heel slips, add back of heel cushions inside the shoe. Double-bagging acts as a safety measure to prevent water from getting inside your shoes. Good luck to you! A great way to avoid issues with your running shoes (while preventing foot issues) is to phase them into your workout routine gradually. making us confused.I even like the tips and warnings. As always, we’d love to hear from you. Better to give your feet some time to become accustomed to them. They could get dirty and then you can't wear them around your house. This article has been viewed 959,834 times. Well done, wikiHow. "Everything in the article was interesting and helpful. A quick way to get blisters from new shoes, as well as leaving you wide open for potentially more serious issues, is to pound the pavement in a pair of running shoes that doesn’t fit correctly. Here are some tips that should help you mold the new shoe to fit your feet. ", walked and flexed my feet. Wear them as little as 10 minutes at a time at the start and build your way up to an hour a day. They can be fixed simply by breaking them in. 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