How To Stretch Shoes

Want to learn about how to stretch shoes? Shoes that pinch can cause pain, swelling, and injury to your feet. As you wear your new natural leather shoes, they will conform to your foot and become comfortable. You don’t have to be in pain while breaking in new shoes. If the new leather shoes pinch your feet and cause discomfort, you can learn how to stretch shoes with water, a freezer, and a plastic bag.

To stretch shoes, you will need:

• Zip lock bag
• Water
• Freezer
• Towel or paper towels

1. Fill one zip lock bag ¼ full of water for each shoe. Force most of the air out of the bag and zip it closed.

2. Place the zip lock bag inside the shoe and push the bag all the way forward into the toe.

3. Put the shoes in the freezer overnight. As the water freezes it will expand and stretch the shoe.

4. Remove the shoes from the freezer and let them thaw for 30 minutes. Gently remove the plastic bags from the shoes. If the bag does not come out easily, do not force it, just allow more thawing time.

5. Use a towel or paper towels to dry the shoes completely. Give the shoes time to thaw to room temperature then try them on.

Tips:

This method of stretching shoes by freezing water in a zip lock bags works best on natural leather. Artificial leather shoes may require several attempts to stretch the shoes because the material will shrink back to its original size.

Warnings:

Do not overfill the zip lock bag with water. Stretching the leather too fast and too far may damage the shoe. Stretch the shoes once, walk in the shoes to check the fit, and stretch them a second time. Repeat if necessary.