We all know that feeling – you have a gorgeous new pair of shoes waiting in their box, but you just can’t bring yourself to wear them, due to the dreaded fear of new shoe discomfort. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way. With a few easy tricks, you can have those leather shoes or boots softened in no time.
Follow our easy steps below and learn how to soften and stretch your leather shoes in a way that will ensure both your feet and the shoes are protected.
1. Wear inside
Wear your shoes at home for at least a week before you wear them outside. This will help soften and stretch the leather to the shape of your feet.
2. Use a leather conditioner
Moisturise your shoes and boots to keep the material strong and supple – this also stops leather shoes from squeaking! Available as a cream or spray and very easy to use, condition once a month to keep the leather feeling super soft.
3. Wear little and often
As with any shoe you’re trying to break in, wear them for short trips at first and then slowly build up. This will help soften then leather to accommodate the shape of your feet. It can take a little more time than some of the other methods though, so some patience is required!
4. Work your shoe
Work or massage the shoe in your hands to replicate the movement of them on your feet. Whilst it can take a bit of elbow grease, it will really help soften up the material as it mimics the effect of wearing them – without the need to walk miles.
5. Stuff with scrap paper
Particularly good if you’re looking to stretch the width of your shoe, stuffing your shoes with newspaper whilst you’re not wearing them can work wonders. The more stretch required, the more paper you should add. Once happy, leave overnight and repeat if required. This is a particularly handy trick if you want to stretch the calf of your leather boot – take the paper all the way to the top and pack it in tightly around the calf to replicate the shape of the leg.
6. Use gentle heat
When using heat to soften your leather, you must be very careful not to damage the material of your shoe. We like to use a hair dryer on a low setting and hold a good 30cm away from the shoe or boot. Wear thick socks as you do this and as the shoe starts to get warm, walk around in them to get the leather stretching. This is a good hack for those looking to stretch the straps of sandals quickly.
7. Steam for softness
As with the above, this needs to be done safely and carefully to avoid any injuries to you or the shoe. Wear gloves to protect your hands and bring your kettle to the boil. Once boiling and steam has started to emerge from the top, hold your shoe or boot over the stream of hot air for around 30 seconds. The mixture of heat and moisture will help soften the leather and make them more pliable.
8. Maintain your shoes
The key to stopping older leather shoes and boots from stiffening up, is to clean your shoes often and once dried, store them on a shelf. For further maintenance advice, check out our how to polish leather shoes guide.
9. Wear thick socks
Wear thick, quality socks or layer up thin pairs of socks. This helps with comfort in addition to stretching the leather material whilst you wear them.
10. Use a shoe stretcher
Don’t get us wrong, we love a good hack. However, a shoe stretcher is also an effective way of stretching and softening those more stubborn leather shoes and boots. Particularly good if you’re looking to stretch patent leather shoes, simply place the stretcher in your shoe or boot and turn the handle until you reach the desired resistance. Leave overnight and repeat until you have the give you are looking for.
So, there we have it, our guide on how to soften and stretch your leather shoes, boots and sandals. Follow the steps in this guide to prevent getting blisters, but if you do fall victim to them then you can find help in treating them here. For more top tips and advice, head over to our blog, or browse our incredible selection of women’s and men’s leather shoes to find your perfect pair.
