What to do if shoes are tight?

Even with a very careful choice of shoes, you may encounter a situation where you put on a new fashionable pair after some time, and it turns out to be small for you. What to do if the shoes are tight, you will learn from this article.

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Stretching shoes - options

Depending on where exactly the shoes are squeezed and how much, it is possible to approach this problem differently:

1. If you don’t have free time or want to get the result as quickly as possible without putting any effort into the process, there’s a way out of the situation, what to do if new shoes are tight, one is to go to a special workshop. Professional shoemakers using special pads, chemical and mechanical means and equipment will be able to stretch the material and it will be more comfortable for the foot. The only drawback of this method is the need to pay for the services of professional masters. We considered this nuance in more detail in the article. “How much does shoe stretching cost in a workshop?”.
2. If you want to correct the situation yourself, here you will find several ways to help, which you will learn about below. But be prepared for the fact that this process is not a second, but can take several days.

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What you need to know about the services of professional shoe makers?

Not every material is subject to stretching. For example, every specialist will undertake to adjust the size and softness of natural leather material. But to fix the situation when small shoes made of artificial or patent leather or fabric material, far from any master can.

Therefore, be prepared for the fact that even if you are determined to pay a certain amount for stretching shoes, you may simply be denied such a service because of the low strength or extreme delicacy of the material. Therefore, if such an incident happens to you quite often, it makes sense to just get the necessary knowledge and skills that will be useful to you when buying the next pair of “little animals”. Read about how to choose the right shoe size.

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What to do if shoes are tight? - Folk ways

Before embarking on an independent stretching of the pair you like, you need to know that you can only expand shoes, boots, sandals or sneakers. It’s impossible to stretch a single pair in length. So what to do if the shoes are small and tight? Let's consider some effective ways.

Skin stretch and softener

Today on sale in shoe and hardware stores you can buy special aerosols, with which you can not only stretch, but also make the material of any shoe much softer. Which brand to give preference to does not really matter, since all of them, basically, have a good reputation for consumer reviews.

Important! Manufacturers of high-quality shoes strongly recommend purchasing exclusively for their products for stretching their products. They operate with this approach in that the products are specially designed for the used composition of the material. All this is nothing more than a regular advertising move aimed at obtaining additional benefits in the form of cash profit from consumers. Therefore, independently decide which manufacturer’s product is more suitable for you at a price.

Application of spray for stretching and softening:

1. Read the instructions for using the specific tool that you purchased.
2. Shake the bottle and spray the composition onto the desired surface. Keep in mind that if you are deciding what to do if your shoes are squeezed from leather, spray should be sprayed onto the outside. If it is necessary to correct the situation with varnished or suede, nubuck shoes, processing can be performed exclusively from the inside.
3. Pull the material slightly with your hands.
4. Leave for a few minutes to soak.
5. Put on and wear for about 10 minutes so that the material takes the desired shape and size of your foot.

Important! For greater efficiency and prevention of rubbing, you can shoe the treated pair not on bare feet. It is better to put on socks. To accelerate the softening, you can additionally gently tap on the material in problem areas with a hammer.

Alcohol solutions and cosmetics

Any alcohol-based product is suitable in order to solve the problem of what to do if new shoes are tight. For this:

1. Take any alcohol-containing product - medical alcohol, vodka, cologne or cosmetic tonic.
2. Pour a small amount of the solution of your choice inside the problem pair.
3. Put products on feet in socks.
4. Moisten the material of the shoes on top.

Important! If the stiff backs of new shoes rub your foot, then soak them with alcohol.

Steam plus moisture

Depending on how high-quality you purchased the products, you can use this method to solve the problem of uncomfortable shoes:

• Heat water in a kettle or pan. It is advisable to boil so that steam liberates liberally.

Important! If you welcome the use of modern technology in everyday life, you probably have a great alternative - a steam cleaner. If not, it's time to think about buying it - believe me, it will save you a lot of time, effort, nerves and help to easily maintain order and cleanliness throughout the house. In our separate article you will find all the useful information about how to choose a steam cleaner and the best models.

• Keep the problematic product on steam by sipping material slightly in different directions.
• Moisten newspapers with water and crush them into lumps.
• Cram a shoe or boot inside.
• Leave it until the paper is completely dry.

A new fitting should be more convenient for you.

Important! Do not try to speed up the process by drying products on radiators. Drying should occur in the most natural conditions - the only way you get the expected result.

Cold

This method is one of the most effective of all possible options for what to do if the shoes are tight. In addition, such a stretching procedure will not take much of your time. Proceed as follows:

1. Take 2 thick plastic bags.
2. Fill them a little with water.
3. Tie the bags and place them inside the products so that the shape of the bag matches the shape of the shoes.
4. Put everything in this form right in the freezer, at night.
5. Take out the products in the morning and wait until the ice melts a little - about 30 minutes.
6. Take out the bags.
7. Try on a pair.

Important! The action of this method is very simple and based on the principle of increasing the volume of water during freezing and thawing. The only caveat to consider is the type of material: this method is not suitable for patent leather shoes, since the skin will crack when cooled.

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Helpful hints:

1. If the shoe is very tight, do not try to fit it to the right size the first time. Stretch in succession, in several steps, so as not to damage the material.
2. To make model shoes more comfortable to wear, if they are a little small, use special silicone linings. They will prevent the material of the shoe from rubbing against the skin of your feet, and in a couple of toes you can remove and wear shoes that will sit well on the foot without unpleasant consequences.
3. New shoes can be pressed a bit until they take the shape of your foot, especially if it is made of genuine leather. Therefore, do not immediately do hard manipulations to stretch. Just protect the problem areas with a band-aid, and in a couple of days the pair will already sit on your legs “like a glove”.
4. To soften the material without stretching it very much, you can use castor oil or fish oil. Just apply a little cleanser for the problem areas of the shoes and rub with a woolen cloth.

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Stock footage

We hope that now, knowing what to do if the shoes are tight, even if your new thing makes you uncomfortable, you will not have panic. You can easily solve such a problem and look irresistible in fashionable shoes.