Did you buy a pair of high-heeled shoes? They are certainly beautiful and trendy. You can't wait to put them on, but there is a small problem: they are stiff and walking in them is very uncomfortable. New shoes, including high-heeled ones, usually need to be softened. Find out how to do it with these helpful tips.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Gradually Soften High Heeled Shoes
Step 1. Wear them throughout the day
The first step in softening a new pair of shoes is pretty simple: wear them frequently. The more often you wear them, the easier it will be to widen them and adapt them to your feet.
- Going out in a new pair of high-heeled shoes can lead to discomfort and potential dangers. To ward off them, start bringing them indoors. You can put them on for watching television, folding laundry, or making dinner.
- You can also take them to work. If you work in the office, put them on while you sit at your desk for a couple of hours.
- Once you start to feel comfortable and are able to walk short distances without difficulty, take them off. Put them on to buy something on the fly at the supermarket or to go to the bank.
Step 2. Put on your socks before putting them on
It's considered a misstep in the fashion world, but putting on socks before putting on a new pair of high-heeled shoes will help soften them. Of course, you don't have to do this before exiting. You can carry them when you are at home or sitting in front of your desk at work.
- To make the socks fit your shoes, they must not be too thin (they will not be effective), but not too thick (they will make your shoes too wide, so when you put them on without socks, they will slip off you). A classic pair of socks will do.
- Repeat this procedure for a few days: you will notice that you do not even have a blister and that the shoes will have softened, they will have molded themselves according to the shape of your foot.
Step 3. Bend and twist them
You can make them less rigid by bending and twisting them. As you bend them up and down, apply gentle pressure. Twist them on both sides. Do not do it too vigorously or quickly, or you risk deforming them by force. This could damage the shoe or weaken it in places that should remain solid.
Step 4. Try using heat
It is effective for softening various materials and making them more pliable. Carefully heat the shoes with a hair dryer or heater for about a couple of minutes. Observe the reaction to heat, as certain materials cannot tolerate it for extended periods of time. Fold and twist the shoes until they are warm. Alternatively, wait for them to cool and wear them together with a pair of socks to stretch them out.
Step 5. Always keep the shape of the shoes
When not worn, they naturally shrink. Since your work doesn't have to be in vain, keep the shape of your footwear when storing it. You can stuff them with crumpled paper and stick a shoe tree stick in them (you probably found it in the box when you bought it). You can also use a shoe expander, a device that has the same shape as the inside of the shoes. Alternatively, you can simply use rags.
Step 6. Before storing your shoes, put bags containing silica gel in them
Did you find white sachets containing transparent balls in the shoe box? This is silica gel, which absorbs moisture and prevents shoes from shrinking. Keep them instead of throwing them away and put them in your shoes before putting them away. If necessary, go to a shoe store for more.
Method 2 of 2: Quick Remedies to Soften High-Heeled Shoes
Step 1. Slip a peeled potato into your shoes
It may seem unusual and a little disgusting, but it is an effective way to spread them out quickly. Choose two potatoes that are large enough: after you put them in your shoes, they should swell them.
- Peel the potatoes before adding them. This way the water they contain will soften the inside of the shoes, helping to stretch them more easily.
- Leave the potatoes in your shoes overnight or for at least eight hours. In this way, after taking them off, the shoes will keep their new shape. Make sure you clean them to get rid of any residue.
Step 2. Roughen the soles of the shoes
It is important that they have some friction on the bottom. If they are not slippery, walking on them will be much easier and safer. New shoes tend to have a smooth sole that becomes rough when rubbed. Speed up the process by scrubbing it with a piece of sandpaper for a minute or two, or until the bottom is visibly rougher.
Step 3. Moisten the inside of the shoes to spread them out
Water can accelerate the process, in fact it allows the internal material of the footwear to be shaped according to the shape of the feet. Take a damp cloth and massage it on the affected area. Put your shoes on while still wet and wait for at least an hour. You can also moisten a pair of socks and then wear the shoes for the same amount of time.
Step 4. Put a bag of water in your shoes and put them in the freezer
Water expands when it freezes, so it's an ideal method for softening shoes. You will need a one-liter freezer bag. For lack of anything else, you can also use smaller envelopes.
- Fill the bag halfway. Squeeze it to remove excess air and close it. Gently toss it from hand to hand to make sure it is closed tightly and doesn't leak.
- Insert it gently into the shoe - you should fill all the empty space up to the toes. Depending on the size of the shoe, more than one bag may be required. Make sure you slip it in where the shoe feels too tight.
- Put the shoes in the freezer and leave them until the water has completely frozen. At this point, you can try them out. They should have widened. If they still feel too tight, repeat the process.
Step 5. Cover the parts of the feet that are compressed by the shoes with protective blister patches
At this point, dip your feet in the water and then put your shoes on for a few hours. These handy patches can be cut to fit your foot better. One side is sticky, while the other is soft. It protects the areas of your feet that hurt when you wear heels, places where blisters can usually form. Moistening the patch before putting on your shoes will help the inside mold faster to the shape of your foot.
- Cut out the patches. You should get pieces large enough to cover the parts of your feet that hurt when you wear new shoes. Stick the patch to your skin.
- Then, for maximum comfort, soak your feet in warm water for a few minutes. The patch will expand. The additional cushion that will form will further protect the feet. Since the patch material will be moist, it will help soften the inside of the shoes, making them more pliable and moldable to the shape of the feet.
Step 6. Use products specially designed to widen the shoes
If softening them is a constant struggle, you might want to invest in a spray and a shoe expander. Just spray the product on the inside of the shoes, then put on the shoeshine and let it work overnight. The next morning the shoes should be looser.
Step 7. Use a shoe spreading machine
If the attempts made so far have not been successful or you don't have time to try different DIY methods, contact a shoemaker to fix them quickly. An expert has specific machinery. The techniques are the same as those used for home remedies, namely pressure and heat.
Advice
- Stick the patch to your feet. While it seems like a good idea to attach it to the shoes themselves, so that you can leave it in place and use it multiple times, it will eventually come off and you will end up with bad residue in your footwear.
- There are many products that can help you make a shoe more comfortable, even after you have softened it. They are available in shoe stores, hypermarkets and well-stocked supermarkets. They include gel pads for the forefoot, heel pads (to reduce irritation on the back of the shoe) and rough pads to glue on the smooth soles, ensuring better friction.
- In some cases, it is impossible to find the perfect shoe size. However, since they will widen as you wear them, you may prefer to buy tighter rather than looser footwear.
Warnings
- Don't buy shoes one size down just to make your feet look smaller. This can cause sore feet, blisters, calluses, and bunion.
- Don't buy stilettos because they have more space in the heel area. With a wobbly heel, you are more likely to get hurt, like spraining an ankle. High shoes should have a comfortable and secure ankle strap.
- It is not at all a good idea to leave the house wearing new high-heeled shoes. Going dancing can probably seem effective at softening them, but it will do more harm than good. The constant friction between your skin and shoes can cause painful blisters, so you won't be able to put them on for some time.
