Put your shoes in the microwave on high for no longer than 30 seconds. The heat from the microwave will make the fabric more malleable to your feet. Make sure there are no metal pieces in the shoes before putting them in the microwave.
Common Questions About Drying Your Shoes
It's generally not a good idea to dry your athletic shoes in the oven or microwave, since the heat can damage the adhesive holding your shoes together.
Apply a little heat
Put on a thick pair of socks with the shoes, then aim your blow dryer at the tight spots, using medium heat to soften the shoe until it fits comfortably. It usually takes a couple of minutes to stretch the shoe a little more (just keep the hair dryer's nozzle moving to avoid damaging the leather).
Shoe stretchers work, but they are not working miracles. Therefore, you should be patient in the process. Do the stretching once, wear the shoes along with a pair of thick socks, and walk around for several hours. Come back and stretch them again if the pair is still tight.
A common question is “How long do you leave a shoe stretcher in?” We recommend leaving the shoe stretcher in your shoe for at least 6 to 8 hours. Anything less will not give sufficient time for the material to set in its new stretched form.
How long do I need to stretch my shoes with ice, and do I need to repeat it every time I wear them? Leave the shoes in the freezer for 6-8 hours or overnight. Repeat as needed for a perfect fit.
Method 1: Stretch with a blowdryer.
You can speed up the stretching process for leather shoes using thick socks and a blowdryer. The heat loosens up the leather, so it can mold to your foot. Instructions: Cover your feet with one or two pair of socks (The thicker, the better!)
Insert the shoes in the microwave for no longer than 30 minutes. Then take the shoes out of the microwave and put them on while they are still hot. Walk and jog for 1 minute by wearing them. After 1 minute, they start to cool down, open them and put them back in the microwave for 20 seconds.
Exposing shoes to extreme heat will alter the shape of the shoe, making them “not your shoes anymore. Fit is so important.” You should also keep shoes away from any major heat source like a wood stove or a space heater for the same reason. Similarly, you should never leave shoes in a hot car.
They won't work miracles. Stretching won't increase shoes by a whole size. But they work well for making small adjustments that can make a big difference to how your feet feel. So if your new shoes are way too small, don't mess about with shoe stretchers: just return them & get your money back.
The experts agree the limit here is up to one full size. Stretching too much, especially all at once, could damage the integrity of the boot and make it more likely to wear down over time, especially in winter.
The Ziploc Bag Trick. A good way to stretch out your sneakers overnight is by getting a Ziploc bags, filling them with water, and stuffing them inside of your shoes. You'll then put your shoes in the freezer overnight, where the water will freeze, causing it to expand and open up your shoes some more.
Stuff your shoes with newspaper
Make sure the newspaper is just slightly wet, but make sure it's not soaking. Water can damage the inner sole, Victoria explains. Stuff each shoe with enough paper until it is sufficiently full and slightly stretching. Let the paper dry and remove before the next time you wear.
Vaseline is extremely effective in reducing friction between the back of your feet and your shoe. The trick is simple. Just apply generously on the affected area. Let it dry for 2 minutes before slipping your feet in!
Apply Vaseline to the shoe.
Let the shoes sit overnight. After allowing the shoes to sit and soften, wipe them down with a dry cloth to remove any excess Vaseline. If your shoes have not as soft as you'd like after a single coat, repeat the process again until your shoes are as soft as you want them to be.