How to stretch faux leather shoes at home. Life hacks on how to break in shoes that are tight at home: effective ways to quickly stretch new shoes made of natural and artificial leather to size with video Does leatherette stretch?

20.03.2024

Have you carefully chosen, tried on shoes in the store, bought the model you liked, but after a while you noticed that the new thing does not fit well and squeezes your fingers too much? Surely many people are familiar with this situation. If you prefer shoes made from natural materials, then the problem will be solved by itself. After one or two days of wearing, the product will gradually stretch and stop causing discomfort. But this technique does not work with faux leather products. What to do in such a situation? Should I return my purchase to the store? Take your time! There are several effective ways to help stretch new shoes. Let's look at them in more detail.

How to stretch leatherette shoes at home

Firstly, artificial material always needs caution. If you stretch the leatherette too long and intensively, the product will become covered with unsightly cracks. Don't forget that increasing even by one size is not an easy task. Therefore, carefully assess the possible consequences. If you overdo it, your shoes can be completely ruined.

Secondly, products such as Vaseline help make leatherette shoes soft. Just lubricate the product from the inside and leave for two to three hours. Then thoroughly remove the grease, put on your shoes and walk around the apartment for thirty to fifty minutes. Usually this is enough to cope with the task at home. If the procedure does not bring the expected result, you can repeat it once or twice.

Thirdly, a somewhat outdated but still effective way to stretch boots or shoes is newspapers. You need to wet them a little and then push them tightly inside the shoes. Leave it for several hours, wait until it dries completely and only then evaluate the result.

How to stretch shoes a size larger

Shoe stretching pads

Special lasts made of wood or plastic are an excellent way to increase shoe size. It is worth noting that this is a reusable assistant. Once you buy them, you can stretch any sneakers, shoes and other shoes.

To achieve maximum results, it is recommended to use the lasts in parallel with the shoe stretching spray. The procedure is quite simple. Apply the product to the shoes and insert them into the shoe lasts. Make sure your shoes are clean. Leave it like this for a while. Often, according to the instructions, 60-80 minutes are required. Wait until the spray has completely dried, take out the pads and check. Don't worry if you don't achieve the desired result on the first try. The procedure can be repeated 2-3 times until your feet feel comfortable.

Pastes and creams

All kinds of creams and pastes help to break in artificial leather shoes. There is nothing complicated here either. Apply the product to the area that needs to be softened and stretched. Definitely from the inside. We wait a few minutes, put on our shoes and walk around the apartment for about thirty minutes.

Remember that pastes are always applied to cleaned shoe surfaces. Don’t be lazy to spend 10-15 minutes preparing.

Rubbing with soap

To use this method, take alcohol or ordinary laundry soap. What exactly you choose does not matter. The principle of operation is no different.

The inner surface must be thoroughly rubbed with the chosen product, then put on the shoes and wear them around the house for two to three hours. It is noteworthy that the method is also suitable for shoes made of genuine leather.

If desired, you can dissolve laundry soap in water and turn everything into a paste. We also rub the inside of the shoes with the resulting product and leave until completely dry. We wait, remove the remaining paste and wear the shoes for two to three hours.

Household hair dryer

Another effective and easy way to break in shoes is to use a regular home hair dryer. We remember the school physics course - heating an object causes it to increase in size.

Follow the instructions:

Put shoes on your feet (preferably under a thick wool or cotton sock).
Take a hairdryer and gently heat the shoes.

Do not bring the device too close to the surface. We hold the hair dryer until the leatherette warms up normally. Usually two to three minutes are enough. We put away the hairdryer, walk around the room and break in the shoes until the artificial leather hardens.

Freezing

To break in shoes, you can also use the reverse process - freezing. As you know, water, becoming ice, increases in volume. This is what the method is based on.

Of course, the liquid is not poured directly into sneakers or shoes. Fill sealed bags with water. Check carefully to make sure they are not leaking. We close them, put them inside the shoes and put everything in the refrigerator (preferably in the freezer) for twelve to fifteen hours. Practice shows that this method allows you to increase your boots by a whole size!

How to use shoe stretching sprays correctly?

We have already identified several effective ways to stretch your shoes. If you prefer to work with sprays, it is important to follow a few guidelines. This will help you wear your shoes in without damaging them.

Among the advantages of sprays, we note that they effectively cope with the task and do not leave any marks on artificial leather. The product is sprayed from the inside onto the area that is rubbing the leg. When working, consider the following points:

The spray is an excellent tool for slightly stretching shoes. If you want to increase it by 1 or even 2 sizes, then, of course, he will not cope with this task.
Always shake the can well before applying the spray.
Spray only on problem areas.
We put on and stretch the shoes immediately after applying the product.

Don't forget about the simplest safety precautions. Wear protective gloves when handling aerosols. The room must be properly ventilated. Keep the product as far away from open flames as possible. Keep aerosols out of the hands of small children.

When should you go to a shoe repair shop for shoe stretching?

Above are methods for stretching shoes that are suitable for home use. This way you can make the shoes comfortable yourself. But you can always turn to experienced professionals for help. They have extensive experience in this field and have the necessary tools and materials available. In addition, the work performed is provided with a long-term guarantee.

When should you contact qualified specialists:

you need to seriously stretch your boots (a size or more);
you need to increase shoes made from delicate materials;
attempts to stretch shoes at home were unsuccessful.

In any case, a visit to a specialist is an almost 100% solution to the problem.

Sometimes when trying on shoes, they feel comfortable and fit all parameters. But with further wear, discomfort begins to be felt. If an item is made of genuine leather, it is easier to stretch it than its artificial counterpart. But this can be done in any case, only for leatherette it will require more effort and care. Let's look at how to stretch leatherette shoes at home.

Artificial leather is often called artificial leather (leatherette). It is made from scraps of genuine leather. They are crushed and mixed with water until a semi-liquid fibrous mass is obtained, from which sheets are created. They are pressed, resulting in material of varying thicknesses. Sheets can be painted in any colors. Modern manufacturing methods involve coating the surface of the finished artificial leather with polyvinyl chloride or polyurethane. They give the material strength.

There are several types of leatherette for shoes, differing in the components they contain:

Granitol (leatherette). The material is also called nitro artificial leather. Dermantine shoes are based on fabric with a special nitrocellulose layer;
Vinyl leather. Made from thermoplastic polymer. The material is resistant to solvents, acids, alkalis. But it does not tolerate low temperatures well;
Fat. It consists of several layers of fabric coated with special chemicals that create a film. You can create any pattern on it;
Stretch leather (stretch vinyl). This is a cotton material covered with an artificial polymer with elastane. This coating provides additional stretch;
Nitrocellulose. It is made from long-staple cotton with wood cellulose impurities;
Polyurethane. A synthetic material that is considered a rubber substitute. In comparison, polyurethane is more durable.

Each type of leatherette requires special care. Therefore, when stretching the product, you need to take into account the characteristics of the material.

Stretching methods

The question often arises after purchasing whether it is possible to stretch shoes made of artificial leather if they are too tight. Before you start stretching, you need to consider some nuances. In order for the item to take the shape of a leg, you need to perform the procedure several times. It is important to make sure that the material used to make the shoes is of high quality. The methods considered are not suitable for varnish coating, because it may crack. To prevent calluses from appearing when worn in, you should carefully treat the back of the product with paraffin.

When treating with heat, cover the surface of the shoes with a scarf to avoid damaging the material.

Heat treatment is quite effective. To stretch faux leather shoes at home, you will need:

Put on warm socks, try putting new shoes on top;
Using a hairdryer, slowly heat the problem areas. To prevent damage to the item, set the temperature to medium;
Walk around a bit.

If a hairdryer is not available, heat treatment is used. Hold the shoes over the steam and walk around in them.

You can use the opposite method - exposure to cold. You need to proceed as follows:

Fill a plastic bag with water, put it in tight shoes, and put it in the freezer;
Wait until the liquid freezes and remove the shoes from the freezer.

Exposure to low temperatures is suitable for autumn or winter options. The material on summer ballet shoes may crack, especially if the quality of the product is poor.

Spring attachments help stretch low-top shoes

Water has properties that help stretch leatherette:

Wet the product from the inside. Place dampened paper tightly inside to remove excess moisture;
Take out the paper, put on your shoes and walk around until it dries;
To achieve the correct shape, you will need to repeat the procedure several times.

Note: If you don’t want to walk in wet shoes, you can leave the paper in them until they dry.

Alcohol is often used to stretch shoes, as it has a softening effect on leatherette. You can use products containing alcohol (vodka, cologne), as well as vinegar.

Carefully treat the specific area causing discomfort;
Walk until dry;
Repeat several times.

It is important to ensure that alcohol-containing products do not come into contact with the external part of the product. Otherwise, stains will appear on it or the color will deteriorate.

Simple physics will help stretch uncomfortable, tight shoes

You can apply castor oil or Vaseline oil to the product. Then put on your socks and walk around. This should soften the material.

Laundry soap has been helping in solving everyday problems for many years. Shoes stretch due to its softening effect. Let's look at how to wear leatherette shoes, which are too tight, at home:

Pass the soap through a grater. Mix with water to form a paste;
Apply inside the product and wait up to six hours. The item should not dry completely;
Remove the mixture with a washcloth or sponge;
Put shoes on your feet with socks.

Important: To maintain the effect after stretching, fill the product with paper and leave overnight.

Potatoes are also used for this purpose:

Peel several small tubers and wash;
Wrap in paper and put in narrow shoes. As the fruit dries, the shoes will stretch;
Wipe the inside of the product with a damp cloth.

You can use the "cowboy method". With its help, you can pull out low shoes or boots at the lifting point. Let's look at how to wear faux leather shoes:

Pour grain (millet, oats) into shoes that crush, pour in water;
Wait a quarter of an hour until it swells. During this period, the liquid will be absorbed into the grain, due to which it will increase, stretching the shoes;
Remove the grains and walk for an hour.

For breaking in, they also use cotton fabric, previously dipped in hot water. You can wet your socks with beer or boiling water and then walk around in your shoes.

There are store-bought products that will help you cope with this task. You can purchase special wooden or plastic blocks. They will allow you to stretch leatherette shoes in length or width. Use of the pads requires careful handling as the material may develop cracks. They are also used for storing and drying products.

Types of shoe lasts

If there is a risk that the last will cause damage to your shoes, you can purchase foam or paste at the store. Apply it to the product and leave for several hours. After this, the discomfort when wearing it will go away. The products contain chemicals that affect artificial leather.

To get results quickly, you should use sprays and creams. These products will make the leatherette more pliable. Sprays do not leave marks on the surface of shoes. The product will need to be sprayed onto the area that is rubbing. It is important to consider the following nuances when using:

Sprays will help stretch the shoes a little. This method is not suitable for increasing shoes by a size or more;
The can must be shaken before application;
Apply only to problem areas;
Shoes should be put on immediately after application.

Salton Promo is considered an effective spray. It should be used for natural leather, but it is also suitable for leatherette. It must be sprayed inside the shoes. It not only stretches the boots, but also makes them even more comfortable to wear.

When choosing a spray, pay attention to what materials it affects

When working with sprays, you must follow safety rules. Wear protective gloves and ventilate the room. Do not spray near open flames. It is necessary to keep products away from children.

Advice: If there is no result from the above methods, you can contact a workshop. Specialists will lengthen or stretch the shoe width using a professional last.

The methods listed above will help you stretch an unnatural product yourself at home. If there is no effect, you can turn to professionals. In this case, the result will be guaranteed.

Leatherette shoes can be stretched using professional equipment

Professional help is needed when:

You need to stretch your shoes a size or more;
The work is carried out with a product made of delicate materials;
I couldn't cope on my own.

In order for artificial leather to serve for a long time, it is necessary to provide it with proper care. It is important to dry and clean the product in a timely manner, use a damp cloth or soap solution for washing. Heating devices should not be used; it is better to dry naturally. After drying, you can treat the surface with baby cream or special shoe polish.

In order not to spoil your feet with uncomfortable shoes or boots, you should be careful when purchasing. It is worth paying attention to quality, size and material.

Leatherette is a practical and relatively cheap material. Today we will learn how to stretch shoes if they are made of artificial leather. For use at home, a special chemical stretcher or a homemade product is suitable. Please share your results in the comments.

Chemical stretchers for artificial leather shoes

No. 1. "Pregrada»

Price – 93 rubles. Spray-stretch for shoes made of leatherette, artificial/natural suede, leather. The product is designed to increase the size and adjust shoes to a person’s foot. Softens tight areas so shoes fit as they should. It’s as easy as shelling pears to apply: spread it from the inside, then pull the shoes on your feet and walk around.

No. 2. "Saphir Oke»

Price – 550 rubles. The stretcher is suitable for absolutely all materials, but it works best on leather and substitutes. Adjusts products to fit in those places where shoes rub and squeeze the most. The fibers are not deformed during use. When the product dries, it does not leave contour marks or stains.

No. 3. "Stretch NIKI LINE»

Price – 450 rubles. Another product that helps to stretch both artificial leather and natural leather shoes. Influenced by the warmth of human feet. The product is ideal for use at home. Before the main application, it is advisable to do a test on the inside of the shoe. The composition is good because it stretches in length and width, and after drying it fixes the fibers.

No. 4. "Stroke Comfort"

Price – 163 rubles. Cheap and excellent stretch for shoes made of various materials. The positive qualities are that the shape and size of the shoes are adjusted fairly quickly. Hard areas are softened, it is possible to stretch only the heel or toe. In addition, the composition does not leave contour lines or stains after drying.

No. 5. "Salamander Shoe Stretch"

Price – 293 rubles. Premium stretch, gentle on shoes made of any material. Suitable for suede, textile, leather products and shoes made on a leatherette basis. Must be used according to manufacturer's recommendations.

Folk remedies for stretching leatherette shoes

Since you can stretch your shoes using homemade products, we recommend using them at home.

No. 1. Newspapers

1. Before stretching your faux leather shoes, wet newspapers and crumple them very tightly. Stuff your shoes and wait for the paper to dry in your home (natural) conditions.

2. Do not speed up the drying process by using a hair dryer or heating radiators. Otherwise, cracks may appear on the leatherette due to sudden expansion of the material.

No. 2. Wet grain/cereal

1. Otherwise, this stretching method is called cowboy stretching. It is suitable for boots, short boots, sneakers and other high-instep items. A grain that swells when combined with water is suitable.

2. Insert bags without holes into your shoes. Pour in the grain, pour water into it and leave for 14 hours to swell. Then remove the grains, put on your shoes and walk around for a couple of hours.

No. 3. Wet socks

1. To understand how to stretch tight shoes, we recommend using thick socks at home. It would be better if they were wool.

2. Soak the socks in warm water and put them on. Pull the shoes tight and fasten all laces/clasps tightly. Wear your shoes until the boot is dry.

No. 4. Castor oil

1. Oil should be used if the shoes are made of dark leatherette. The problem is that stains often appear on a light surface.

2. Generously treat the outside of those parts of the shoes that are very tight. Put on your boots and walk around for a while. Wipe off the remaining castor oil with a napkin.

No. 5. Petrolatum

1. Since you can stretch your shoes with Vaseline, you should use this product. Alternatively, use baby cream.

2. Generously lubricate the inside of your faux leather boots. Leave the product at home for several hours to soak.

3. Remove any remaining composition with a napkin. Wear your shoes for at least 45 minutes. If necessary, repeat the procedure or use another product.

If you want to stretch your shoes yourself, it's worth considering all possible options. Boots can be treated with purchased products or using traditional methods. Decide what will be best for you.

Probably each of us has encountered such a problem; the shoes we purchased in the store seemed comfortable and suitable in all respects (fullness, width and length), but later began to cause discomfort. A product made of genuine leather is easier to stretch, but with leatherette the situation is more complicated.

If the new thing cannot be returned to the store or you like the shoes so much that you simply don’t want to part with them, the question arises: how to stretch leatherette shoes while maintaining the original appearance. There is a way out - you can do it yourself at home.

Let's look at the most proven and effective methods, but first, it's worth noting some important points. Firstly In order for the shoes to take the shape of the foot, you will need to carry out the procedure several times. Secondly, you need to make sure that it is made of good quality material. Third, it is not recommended to use the following methods for patent leather shoes, as this material cracks when stretched. Lastly, to prevent calluses from forming during wear-in, you can lubricate the heels of your shoes well with regular paraffin.

Heat treatment

Using this procedure, done several times, you can achieve good results. To do this, you need to put woolen socks on your feet and try to put shoes or boots on them.

Using water

Water has sufficient properties to stretch artificial leather products. You just need to wet the shoes inside, put them on your feet and walk until they dry. This is a rather unpleasant method, so you can use damp newspapers that need to be placed tightly in the product. In order for the shoes to take the desired shape, this method will have to be repeated 2-4 times.

Alcohol

Alcohol is often used to solve this problem due to its softening effect on artificial leather. At home, alcohol-containing products such as cologne or vodka are useful.

If the shoes cause discomfort in a particular place, you just need to treat the problem area well and wear it until it dries completely. To achieve results, it is enough to repeat the procedure 2-3 times.

This method has been used for several generations. It is considered effective in stretching shoes due to the composition of laundry soap, which has a softening effect on the material. This procedure is carried out in a certain sequence.

Dilute the soap with water to a paste consistency (for convenience, grate the soap). Apply the resulting paste to the inside of the shoe and leave for 4–6 hours, not allowing it to dry completely. Afterwards, remove the paste with a washcloth and put it on your feet with a cotton sock to completely wear it in.

Store funds

There are products for stretching shoes that can be purchased at the store. One of them, quite simple, is the use of special blocks (they can be made of wood or plastic). With their help, you can adjust not only the length, but also the width of the shoe. And to speed up the process, experts recommend the use of creams and sprays to make the skin more pliable. The main advantage is that the treated shoes do not need to be worn on your feet.

Important! In this case, you need to work with artificial leather extremely carefully, as the material may crack. Special pads are also used for drying and storing shoes.

If you have concerns about using lasts, you can treat your shoes with paste (foam) purchased in a store and walk like this for several hours. The result will pleasantly surprise you: after a while, the shoes will become more comfortable. These products contain chemicals that directly affect the processed material.

Attention! If the above methods do not give the desired result, you can use the services of a repair shop, where, with the help of a professional block, problem areas will be properly corrected.

How to stretch a leatherette jacket

There is also a situation when your favorite leatherette jacket becomes too small, but it is in excellent condition. Let's consider what methods will be useful for solving this problem at home.

Heat treatment

This method is similar to the procedure done with shoes. We heat the product in those places where discomfort is felt using a hairdryer on medium setting. We are trying to put a thick sweater on top. Next you need to wear it for about 30 minutes. If the jacket, treated with heat, does not fit on you, you can ask a friend of a smaller build for help.

Using water

As already mentioned, water is a good helper in this problem. It is necessary to wet the jacket with a warm shower and put it on a warm sweater. To achieve a successful result, you will have to walk for a long time - several hours. To reduce this time, you can stay in a room with high humidity or just take a walk during the rain (just be sure to use an umbrella).

Alcohol

In this case, we treat those areas that require stretching with an alcohol-containing solution. If the jacket does not have a lining, we also process the inside. After this, we wear the jacket until it dries completely. The present odor will gradually dissipate.

This method will be less effective than with shoes, especially for hard leather. This time we will use liquid laundry soap, which is now sold in any hardware store. First you need to make a soap solution at the rate of one part water to four parts soap.

Using a sprayer, apply the prepared solution to the product, both from the outside and from the inside. Next, you need to put on and wear the jacket over the sweater for half an hour. Then remove and treat again with the solution. Continue wearing it until the jacket is completely dry. If soap stains appear afterwards, they can be removed with a damp cloth. To consolidate the result, you can treat the dried jacket with alcohol.

Store funds

Products from the store used to stretch shoes are also good for increasing the size of a jacket. Using foam, we will treat not only the outside, but also the inside of the jacket, of course, if there is no lining. Next, as usual, we dress and wear for about an hour. If after these manipulations the jacket remains tight, the procedure must be repeated.

Important! If the artificial material is quite hard, then it is better to leave the treated jacket to soak for about half an hour.

The most effective of these methods will be the use of chemical sprays and foams for stretching, especially rough leatherette.

Reference! All of the above methods for stretching shoes and jackets are suitable only if you need to stretch the product slightly, otherwise the appearance may be completely ruined.

A new season is coming, and with it the time to buy new shoes. The event is pleasant, but fraught with not very good consequences. For example, some time after purchase, the problem of insufficiently comfortable shoes may arise. After all, after the first fitting, it is very rare that you can fully feel how well the shoe fits. Therefore, advice will be useful to many,

Home fashion show

The simplest method will be when you do not need to use any special means or medications. So, after the next purchase, you just need to wear any shoes at home for a while. After a while, it will be heard on the leg, and the foot will get used to the new shoes. This method will also help you determine how comfortable and practical your new shoes are for long walks. It is worth clarifying that this option is only suitable if the shoes fit in size, but are somewhat uncomfortable, because... just new. Wearing shoes at home will not achieve the desired effect if there is a need to stretch the shoes, for example, a size larger.

Technology to help

A great way to stretch faux leather or suede shoes is to put them in the freezer. But it's not that simple. To do this, you will need water, as well as a sealed plastic bag. The container is placed in the new shoe, filled with water until it fills the void in the middle of the new shoe, and then the whole thing is placed in the freezer until the ice freezes. You can leave a new pair in the refrigerator even overnight. When shoes are removed from the freezer, you should not immediately try to remove the ice from them, as this may tear or scratch the product. You need to leave everything in a warm place for a while, and then remove it without any problems. According to most people, this is a great way to

wet business

Another way to stretch your shoes at home. Newspapers or rags, as well as water, will be useful for this. Prepared paper or pieces of found fabric are moistened with water and placed tightly into new shoes while wet. The method works great, but there is a risk of slightly deforming the shoes if the filler is placed incorrectly.

Another interesting way to stretch faux leather shoes: you need to prepare a special solution. To do this, you need to stock up on alcohol and water. They are mixed in a ratio of 50 to 50. Next, the new shoes are simply rubbed with the prepared solution in those places that require breaking in. You can approach this method in an original way and make a spray rather than a liquid. To do this, the solution is placed in a bottle, and a sprayer is put on instead of a cap. That's all, now all that remains is to spray the shoes and wait for the result. The procedure can be repeated as many times as necessary until the desired result is achieved.

Special equipment

Well, the simplest, but at the same time quite difficult way to stretch faux leather shoes is to use a stretcher. It is worth noting that it is not so difficult to buy it, you just have to look for it. You can also borrow it from a shoe repair specialist. The principle of operation is simple: the stretcher is placed in the shoe and fixed in those places where deformation is necessary. This is a “dry stretch” that can give the shoe the desired shape after just a few days. This method is also great for those who are looking for how to stretch boots or other winter shoes that are difficult to stretch.