Imagine getting blisters every time you put on a new pair of shoes. This happens quite often, doesn't it?
I love to walk my dogs around the neighborhood and catch up with friends at the community park for evening walks. On one lovely summer day, I decided to put on my brand new pair of shoes and took the dogs out as usual.
In my hurried state, I forgot how uncomfortable the backs of new shoes tend to be! Within 10 minutes, I was hobbling back home with bruised feet to get into my old shoes. Now, I know that new shoes are a snug fit for the first few days and rub on the back of my feet.
And, I was aware that the friction of the tough material against bare skin causes chafing and wounds. Apart from this occasion, I usually have a lot of tricks that I use to soften the stiff parts of shoes. Hi! I'm Stacy, and today I decided to share all the tips I learned about softening shoes.
So if you are curious, read on to find out how to soften the back of new shoes.
8 Tips To Soften The Back Of New Shoes
1. Wear Socks
The first and easiest tip to help stretch out your shoes is to wear a pair of socks for the first 3 or 4 days. Although this method takes a few days to get the shoe softer, I often use it because socks prevent chafing the back of my heel and ankles.
If you are an impatient walker like me, this is the simplest way to soften your new shoes in under a week. However, some of y'all might find it too sweaty for summers. No worries, I've got a list of other options.
2. Rubbing Alcohol
Another trick I have tried in the past is softening the shoe with an alcohol solution. All you have to do is take equal parts of rubbing alcohol and water and spray it on the tighter parts of the shoe.
However, ensure that the back portion is saturated with the solution; otherwise, the shoe won't stretch much. After this, wear the pair of shoes and walk around in them for about 15 minutes, and they should soften up a bit.
3. Shoe Stretch Sprays
There are specialized products available to soften and stretch the material of the shoe for a comfortable fit. You can use shoe stretch sprays if you want quick results. With this product, you need to spray the inside of the shoe and wear socks and then the shoe.
Next, walk around a bit to soften it and remove the shoes to check if another round of spray is required. The good thing is, this product is readily available in shoe shops or online stores.
4. Freeze The Back Of Shoes
I found out about this trick while visiting my friend Jacob. When I opened his refrigerator, I was shocked to find a pair of sneakers right next to the icebox. Then he explained that freezing is an effective and quick method to soften new shoes.
Essentially, he placed two plastic bags full of water into the shoes, then chucked them in the freezer. The reasoning is that water expands when frozen, so it stretches the shoe along with it. Anyway, after the water turned to ice, he removed the shoe and swore that it softened significantly.
5. Apply Oils
Did you know that applying oils works well for softening and leather shoes? It definitely does, and people choose to use glycerine and castor oil since they are cheaper and easy to find.
All you have to do is take a spare soft towel and rub the oil on the surface of the shoe. When the oils are absorbed into the leather, it makes the shoe softer and easy to stretch. After resting it overnight, you can wear the shoe the following day without trouble.
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6. Rub With Soap
Believe it or not, washing new shoes with lukewarm water and soap can soften them effectively. Generally, I use any old liquid soap and soak the shoes for a while in soapy water. After 10 minutes or so, I wring the soaked shoes and gently rub the back portion to flex the material.
Next, I rinse with water and leave them to dry under ample sunlight on the porch. Doing this loosens the shoe, and after drying the shoe will be softer to wear. To protect your hands from the soap, you can choose to wear rubber gloves.
7. Use A Hair Dryer
Another effective way to soften shoes is by applying heat to the back portion by using a hairdryer. Hold one shoe at a time and blow hot air from the highest setting into the inside of the shoe. Stop the airflow and pull the shoe with both hands to stretch it. You can repeat this till it feels more flexible to stretch.
8. Special Products
Apart from these home solutions, some people opt for professional products, but they can get quite expensive. You'll find products like shoe conditioners, shoe stretchers, and foams in shops or online. There's also the option to use products that prevent heels from blistering due to stiff shoes like silicone heel plasters and foot strips.
Final Thoughts
Coming back to my new shoes, I used a few of the methods mentioned here to make them easier to use. I tried a combination of the socks and hairdryer trick to get the backs soft within two days.Â
Basically, I heated the shoes with hot air from the dryer and wore them with socks for a few hours in the house. I repeated the same process on day two, and they turned soft and comfortable enough to wear for my regular walks in the park.
So, these were a few ways to soften the back of shoes for increased comfort in walking. I know that these tips have helped me vastly and I hope it was helpful for you too.
That was all for today, see you next time!