Widen your shoes: With these methods you can do it
If you have leather shoes or sneakers that don't suit you, you can widen them using different methods and adapt them to your feet. We show you 3 ways to widen your shoes.
Leather shoes widen with stretch spray
Of course, you could just break in shoes, but there are alternatives. When purchasing, you can be sure to choose shoes with a short running-in period. We have tested 26 pairs of hiking shoes for you in advance. If you have already bought your shoes, there are several methods for widening them afterwards. For the first method you need a stretch spray for leather shoes.
- Spray the inside and outside of the shoes with stretch spray so that there is a white foam on the shoe.
- Let the spray soak in for a few minutes and then immediately wipe in the shoes extensively to give the leather the right shape.
- The stretch spray makes the shoes more flexible so that you can take the shape of your feet. If the shape of the shoes is not yet optimal, you can repeat the process as often as required.
Shoes widen through a shoe tree
Shoe trees are available in different versions. The normal shoe tree, the screw shoe tree and the shoe stretcher.
- All types of shoe trees help to widen the shoe, with the shoe stretcher being the most effective. You can adjust the height and width to get the best result. So the shoe can be expanded by up to half a shoe size.
- With special shoe stretches, you have the option of only widening your shoes at certain pressing points, for example on the toes.
- As soon as you have inserted the shoe tree into the shoe, you should check regularly whether the shoe has the correct shape. Also pay attention to the seams, as they can tear if they are stretched too much.
Shoes enlarge in the freezer
You can also widen your shoes with home remedies.
- Fill a freezer bag with water and seal it with tape so that as little air as possible remains in it.
- Put the filled freezer bag as deep as possible into the shoe. Now place the shoe in the freezer for a few hours.
- This method uses the water to expand when it freezes, thereby increasing the shape of the shoe.
In the next article we will show you what you can do about squeaky shoes.