Finding a pair of shoes that fit your style can be difficult. Luckily, when you buy a shoe that's a little too big or your favorite shoe is slipping because it's been worn too many times, you can shrink it to fit back into your foot. To shrink leather, suede, and canvas shoes, wet and heat to shrink. To make tough shoes, such as high heels, formal or smart-casual shoes, sneakers, and boots fit better, you can add inserts.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Shrink Leather, Suede and Canvas Shoes
Step 1. Put on shoes to check which areas need to be reduced
Put on your shoes, stand straight on the floor, and try walking. Check the area of the shoe that doesn't touch the foot and determine which areas need to be reduced to make the shoe fit better on the foot.
- If you buy shoes that fit your foot, you may not need to shrink the entire shoe. You can concentrate on shrinking the areas one by one.
- For example, you might want to make the sides of your canvas shoes smaller so your feet don't slip outward when you walk.
Step 2. Water the area you want to repair until it's damp, but not soaking wet
Dip your fingers in cold water and apply it to the shoes. Continue until the cloth is damp, but not soaking wet. Apply water to the most stretchy areas.
- Do not allow water to wet the insole of the shoe as this can cause unpleasant odors, tearing, or discoloration.
- For leather or suede shoes, apply water to the upper toe of the shoe, which is usually the easiest to stretch.
- Applying water and heat to shoes, such as high-heeled leather shoes, quilted leather sneakers, or large shoes, such as boots, will not shrink them. To make it more convenient, you should use inserts.
Step 3. Heat a damp cloth using a hairdryer on medium heat
Hold the hairdryer about 15 cm from the area you are applying the water to. Turn on the hairdryer and select medium heat. Keep turning it on until the cloth feels dry to the touch.
- Do not hold the dryer too close to the fabric. The concentrated heat from the dryer will cause the light canvas to change color.
- For leather and suede, run the dryer continuously on the upper side of the shoe to warm the leather so that the leather shrinks and shrivels. If your leather starts to smell or crack when you warm it up, turn off the dryer and let your shoes dry.
Step 4. Wear it to see if the shoe fits
Once the area you wet is dry, put your shoes back on and stand straight on the floor. Walk a few steps to check if the fabric feels tighter. If so, your shoes have shrunk.
- If it still feels loose, apply more water to the loose area and dry with a hairdryer.
- If it feels too tight, wear thick socks when wearing shoes to stretch the shoes a bit.
- You may have to shrink some areas, such as the sides and top of the tongue, before you feel the results.
Step 5. Use leather conditioner to protect leather and suede shoes
Remove a pea-sized amount of conditioner on a clean cloth. Apply to shoes to restore moisture. Read the packaging to check how long you have to let the conditioner soak into the ingredients before you can apply it.
You can buy leather conditioner at most department stores and shoe stores
Method 2 of 2: Fixing Sneakers, Boots and Formal Shoes for a Better Fit
Step 1. Put on thick socks so that the shoes are more attached on all sides
If you're wearing tennis shoes, boots, or shoes that cover your entire foot, you can fill the excess space with socks. Put on socks or put on two or three pairs of light socks before putting on your shoes.
For high heels or flat ballet shoes, this method is not a good choice because your feet are not covered
Step 2. Place a cushion on the heel if the shoe is too long
Heel pads are usually used to make shoes more comfortable, but you can disguise their use to make high heels or formal shoes fit better on your feet. Remove the protective paper from the back of the pad and place it on the back of the shoe just where the heel meets the shoe.
- The thickness of the pads is usually about 0.5 cm. The cushioning is thin enough that there won't be too much space between the heel and the shoe.
- You can find heel pads at most department stores, pharmacies, and shoe stores.
Step 3. Use the toe pad to fill in the toe area in the shoe
If formal shoes or heels don't fit properly, there may be excess space in the toe area. Peel off the protective paper behind the pads and place it on the insole of the shoe right in the area of your toes.
These pads keep your toes from sliding when you walk. If there is too much room in the toe area, the sole of the foot can slide forward in the shoe so that the heel slips when you walk
Step 4. Add the insole into the shoe to raise the foot
If there is a gap between your foot and the top of the shoe, your foot could pop out of the shoe. To fix this, take the insole of another shoe of the same size and stack it on top of the insole that is already attached to the shoe. Try it on and make sure your foot is touching the top of the shoe.
- If you don't have extra insoles, you can buy them at a convenience store, pharmacy, or shoe store.
- This is a useful method for tennis shoes, boots, formal shoes, and heels because the insole will not be visible from the outside.
