Stretching shoes made of a certain fabric is simple to learn, but suede is considerably trickier. Depending on how much stretch you want and the shape of your foot, there are various techniques to stretch suede shoes. Depending on your needs, we’ll demonstrate the proper method for how to stretch suede shoes.
A luxury and fashionable material is soft suede. Although it seems soft against your feet, it can be challenging to break in these shoes without experiencing pain. Suede is a stretchy type of leather for shoes, yet they also have a tight fit out of the box.
You could unintentionally purchase suede shoes that are too small. In either case, there are numerous simple solutions for uncomfortable new shoes. No matter what kind of shoes you wear, keep reading to discover everything there is to know about extending the material.
In no time, you’ll be able to wear your suede shoes comfortably. Fortunately, most solutions are easy enough to use at home.
Are Suede shoes strengthened?
We have some good news if your new shoes are a little too tight: leather shoes do have some flexibility.
You can definitely go up to a half size because suede has one of the best natural stretches. The maximum stretch is still constrained, so avoid purchasing shoes that are at least a size too small.
Stretching the shoes requires extra caution so as not to harm the suede. You run the risk of damaging the shoes and being unable to return them if you stretch your sneakers excessively at home. In the worst situation, the pair might deform but still won’t stretch far enough to be comfortable to wear.
Look to see if they have a thick lining before you begin the stretch. Shoes made of suede with synthetic linings won’t be as flexible as those made of single-layer leather.
Additionally, stitching can either strengthen the shoe or make it harder to stretch. Stitching may make thin suede more brittle and prone to breaking. Don’t push it too hard or the stitches can come undone.
Easy Techniques for Stretching Suede Shoes
Discover simple methods for stretching suede footwear, such as utilizing a stretching spray for a little amount of stretch or a professional-grade tool for larger projects or suede boots. Find the best approach for your shoes based on your requirements.
Start by cleaning suede shoes with everyday things. As you clean, carefully inspect the interior of the shoe to decide how much stretch the cloth needs. Before expanding suede shoes, make sure to remove any stains. To find out how much they will stretch, examine the soles.
Limitations can be found for women’s high heels, hard plastic or rubber materials, and work boots with heavy soles. Only a quarter to a half shoe size may be added to your pair of shoes.
Make sure to look at the shoe width as well. The limited toe area of flats and high heels calls for specific shoe maintenance. This type of shoe is best for spraying and wearing because a stretcher tool could distort the shape.
Depending on your shoes, choose your stretching technique and gather the supplies. How to stretch shoes correctly is affected by both the style of your shoes and the shape of your feet.
Pair new shoes with thick socks
Wearing a thick pair of socks is the simplest technique to stretch shoes. For those who have bunions or new shoes, this technique works well. The best socks for leather shoes are thick ones. Iterate as necessary.
Frequently put yourself in another person’s shoes
Breaking in new shoes is the easiest technique to naturally stretch suede. Walking around in suede shoes while wearing new shoes won’t hurt them and will help the fabric restructure in a few days.
Utilize a shoe stretching spray
When you need a quick remedy or when your tight shoes almost fit, use a stretcher spray. The best way to extend your shoes is with shoe spray, which is widely available and reasonably priced at most retailers.
Canvas shoes have some extra “give” in the fabric that responds nicely to moisture and pulling out the fibers to meet the foot, so this is a fantastic way to stretch them out.
If you want to protect your suede shoes from damage and discoloration, buy an immediate-use remedy. Spray the interior of your shoes softly. For difficult to reach regions, use a cloth. If your spray says it’s acceptable, coat the outer surface of the shoes.
After spraying the shoes, put them on for a few hours. There is no need to move because the shoes will conform to your feet either way. Try donning a few pairs of thick socks for added stretch. If required, repeat the procedure.
Use a shoe stretcher overnight
Use a stretch tool when a stretch spray is insufficient. Pregnant women may experience large feet at any time because some shoes or people come in two sizes. Stretching tools work best for these problems.
Purchase a suede-specific shoe stretcher from a nearby retailer. Most fabrics can be expanded as needed in length or width. The toe box and heels are additionally extended with a professional-grade stretcher. For vinyl shoes, nevertheless, they are ineffective.
Spray your shoes with a store-bought stretching agent to stretch them up to the full half size. Place the tool inside your shoe and tighten by turning the handle a few times.
Turn the stretcher three or four more times until it feels snug, then let them sit. After around 24 to 48 hours, remove the tool.
These utilities are also available separately. Buy two so you can stretch both pairs of shoes at once. Otherwise, it takes many days to stretch.
Shoes made of stretch suede and rubbing alcohol
Rubber alcohol is a simple alternative. With a cotton cloth, rub the alcohol straight onto your shoes, or make a spray to apply the solution.
In a spray bottle, combine rubbing alcohol and water in an equal ratio. Spray the mixture on the part of your shoes that needs stretching after thoroughly combining the ingredients in the bottle.
Walk about while wearing your shoes and thick socks to stretch them. To compress the material, run or move repeatedly.
If you have a stain on your suede jacket, shoes, or boots, as well as your pocketbook, alcohol may also be helpful. Avoid spreading the stain by dabbing some alcohol on it as a suede jacket cleaning.
Invest in a suede brush if you’re seeking for a more natural suede cleaner. Often, removing a dried stain completely only requires brushing it away.
Using a hair dryer to warm the shoes
Follow the instructions on the bottle when applying a leather shoe conditioner to the shoes. For a few minutes, pass a blow dryer back and forth over the shoes.
Always apply a leather shoe conditioner to prevent damage from the heat. The stitching weakens as a result of too much heat.
Purchase movable shoe trees
With adjustable shoe trees, a vintage specialty item found in shoe repair shops, stretch a pair of suede shoes. Online retailers sell four-way shoe trees that increase a shoe’s width and length for both men’s and women’s shoes.
To extend the shoes till you reach your objective, turn the shoe tree’s handle for about 8 to 12 hours. For robust shoes, use rubbing alcohol or a stretching spray. Additionally, toe box-specific plugs designed to treat bunions are a possibility.
Ask a Cobbler for Assistance
If none of the aforementioned solutions work for you, a skilled cobbler or shoemaker may be able to assist. They can readily extend the shoes because they have access to expert equipment. When dealing with expensive or fragile shoes, consulting a professional is especially beneficial.
How to Stretch Suede Shoes at Home using Heat or Cold
Beware of DIY methods that call for utilizing extremely high or low temperatures to stretch suede shoes. Both temperatures do not suit the real suede fabric well. Additionally, they are not ideal for use with pricey shoes.
Some methods recommend filling plastic bags with water and placing them inside the shoes before freezing them to stretch the shoes. They’re partially correct because a blow dryer or a pair of thick socks can be used to loosen leather shoes.
However, since suede is a special kind of shoe leather, avoid using leather stretch tips for suede. Shoes made of conventional leather won’t expand as much. The materials also need different maintenance.
Shoe suede may be torn if placed in the freezer. Similar to how using a blow dryer without a conditioner could cause damage to the cloth,
How to Get Rid of Bunions and Painful Blisters
Stretching shoes wider could be beneficial if you have new shoes or suffer from a foot condition like blisters or bunions. After the blisters have healed, properly wash them with soapy water.
Dry them gently while protecting them with Band-Aids. If your blisters are still open, make an effort to keep the area tidy and covered. Neosporin, a topical antibiotic, is beneficial.
These are the most straightforward methods for stretching suede shoes at home. Never try these techniques on anything that isn’t suede or leather, just to be safe. When trying to stretch shoes more than half a size or for pricey shoes, avoid using them.
Conclusion
In essence, that is how to make suede shoes wider. If your shoes are excessively tight and causing you too much pain, you can combine many techniques. The first piece of advise we want to provide you is to buy a pair that is well-fitted, no matter how obvious it may seem.
Hopefully you can find a solution to the uncomfortable too-tight shoe problem so you can wear your pair with assurance. Please feel free to forward this post to anyone who are having similar issues. I appreciate you reading. See more useful articles in our website ICadshoecombiner.
