Fill a plastic bag with oatmeal, rice, or any other grain that will swell up when it gets wet. Add just enough water to cover the grains, then seal the bag and place it into the shoe, working it down into the toe box. Leave the bag in place overnight, then remove it and try your shoes on!
Wear thick socks and heat the shoes with a hair dryer for a fast stretch. Put on thick cotton socks, then slip your feet into your shoes. Set your hair dryer to medium heat and blast each shoe for about 30 seconds, moving the nozzle around as you do so.
Stretching shoes lengthwise is also possible, but if you're using DIY methods at home, I'd advise never trying to stretch them more than a half size up. What is this? Thankfully, most shoes can easily be stretched out to achieve some toe-wiggling room!
Another easy way to make those tight shoes roomier is with wet newspaper. Scrunch wet newspaper into your shoes and leave to dry. The paper will expand as it does, and your shoes should have more give.
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.
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.
Apply ice to reduce pain and swelling. Keep your painful foot elevated as much as possible. Reduce your activity until you feel better. Wear shoes that fit your feet and are right for the activity you are doing.
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.
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.
Shoes will typically stretch all on their own as you wear them. Leather shoes, whether it be men's dress shoes or women's heels, will fit over time. But if they are too tight and uncomfortable to wear in, try some of these easy hacks to stretch your shoes up to half a size or so to accommodate your feet.
All you need is a thick pair of sports socks, the shoes, and a hair dryer. Use the hair dryer to blow warm air into the shoes first, then stuff your feet in the shoe. Blow more hot air onto the shoes, then walk around until the shoes are cold. After they cool down, the shoes will be broken in to in no time!
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.
Ice can be just as effective as heat for fixing a tight pair of shoes. Partially fill a sandwich bag with water and place it in the area where the shoe is snug. Put the shoe in the freezer. As the water freezes into ice, it'll expand and help stretch the shoe out.
Use the Wet-Leather Trick
The ultimate cost-effective way to stretch leather boots is to soak them in warm water for up to an hour, until they are drenched. Once your boots are wet, wear them until they are dry. This will help them stretch to the shape of your feet.
If you did buy shoes that are too snug, there are some at-home tips you can follow to stretch shoes for a more comfortable fit. In general, stretching your shoes can add a quarter- to a half-size in space, David Mesquita, owner of The Leather Spa, a leather repair boutique in New York City, tells SELF.
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.
Pinched Toe or Tight Heel
If you've bought a pair of shoes or boots that are a bit too tight, a cobbler can stretch them out with a stretching machine. The best part is that a cobbler doesn't need to stretch the entire shoe; if only one part is hurting you, they can stretch just that spot.