Comments on How to Stretch Shoes

This trick has worked for me on many occasions, I have very broad feet. To get my shoes to fit from the beginning, I warm them up where I wish them to stretch with the hair drier, then with the handle of the broom I apply pressure. What a difference this makes!

This trick has worked for me on many occasions, I have very broad feet. To get my shoes to fit from the beginning, I warm them up where I wish them to stretch with the hair drier, then with the handle of the broom I apply pressure. What a difference this makes!

I bought a size 4 pair of wee jun loafers many years ago for $5.00. The problem was I wore a size 6. For one week I stuffed them with heavy duty socks and sprayed them with silicone. I also wore heavy socks and wore them for a few days, still spraying every inch inside and out heavily and constantly with silicone. They fit perfectly and looked as new as the day I got them. Now that my size has changed from 6 to 6.5, I find that I have many brand new shoes never worn, and so I spray them with silicone, wear them with socks for the day and they are perfect. I actually found a couple of pairs to have stretched too much. I am now trying to figure out if I can use silicone to soften leather on clogs.

When you get your new high heels, invest in a set of heel cushions as these will prevent blisters while breaking in your new shoes.

When you get your new high heels, invest in a set of heel cushions as these will prevent blisters while breaking in your new shoes.

To make new cowboy boots fit your feet: Get the boots wet inside and out, then put them on and wear them until they are dry.

To make new cowboy boots fit your feet: Get the boots wet inside and out, then put them on and wear them until they are dry.

When putting your leather shoes away for any length of time, be sure the leather is clean and recently oiled. Place a shoe tree (which can be purchased for as little as $5 a pair) in the shoe to keep it from collapsing. If you don't have a shoe tree, stuff the shoe with clean socks, packing paper or bubble wrap.

Put some Ziplock freezer bags in your shoes and fill them with water. Throw them in the freezer overnight.

Put some Ziplock freezer bags in your shoes and fill them with water. Throw them in the freezer overnight.

My Mom would pour about an eighth of a cup of alcohol in the shoe and then slide her foot into it after she would stuff the shoe with crumpled newspaper.

Most shoe stores will have carpeting. Make sure that you walk around wearing the shoe on a hard surface that does not have carpeting so that you can feel the cushioning of the shoe. Since carpets already have cushioning to them, it's a good idea to get a feel for the shoe on a hard surface.

Buy one half or one size larger than a perfect fit! Now you have room for one (or more) of the wide variety of comfortable, but thick, inserts that are available at supermarkets and drugstores, etc.

This sounds amazingly simple, but if a pair of shoes don't fit you, take them back to the store. My wife used to continuously buy a size smaller than I wear. It took some exchanging to have her remember the right size. If the length is OK, but the width of the shoe doesn't match your feet, consider going to a specialized store. Stretching a shoe may damage it severely: leather can tear, seams may dislodge, glue can give way. Buy the right size is tip #1.

Place a plastic bag in the shoe and fill the bag with water. Place the shoe in the freezer. When the ice expands the shoe will stretch as well. You might not want to try this with more delicate shoes.

My Mom would pour about an eighth of a cup of alcohol in the shoe and then slide her foot into it after she would stuff the shoe with crumpled newspaper.

Most shoe stores will have carpeting. Make sure that you walk around wearing the shoe on a hard surface that does not have carpeting so that you can feel the cushioning of the shoe. Since carpets already have cushioning to them, it's a good idea to get a feel for the shoe on a hard surface.