Suede leather is taken from the underside of cow, lamb, deer, or goat skin, whichever manufacturers take their leather from for their products. If you have a pair of suede leather shoes, you must already be familiar with its best features, including softness and comfort.
However, the suede shoes betray their purpose of offering good comfort when they feel too tight and suffocating. But we can fix that! Read below for different tips on how to stretch suede shoes wider, so they fit you just right.
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How Can I Stretch Out Suede Boots?
#1 Try the sock method
Wearing thick socks might just be the most convenient way to break in suede boots. You just need to put on your thickest pair of socks, then wear the shoes and walk around the house or the neighborhood for some hours.
Or if you are busy, get in the car and go about with your errands like usual, with the shoes and socks on, of course.
In fact, you can use this same method to break in most leather shoes.
#2 Use a stretch spray for leather shoes
Another effective method to stretch shoes immediately is using a compatible spray solution. There are many products available that help stretch boots made of nubuck leather, canvas, suede, etc. Also, make sure you choose a safe one that allows clean application without staining or discoloration in the process.
Here’s a quick guide that shows how simple it is to fix your tight shoes with a stretch spray:
- Spread a piece of a large newspaper and place your clean suede shoes on it.
- Shake the bottle a little before application.
- Find the areas that feel too tight around your feet and spray the agent there. Make sure to spray both inside and outside the shoes with a generous amount.
- Then, wear a pair of socks, preferably thick ones, and put your shoes on.
- Now, walk around the house for 30 minutes to one hour for the agent to dry and the shoes to stretch.
- If, after that one hour, the shoes still feel too tight at some parts, spray them and wear them again.
#3 Make a DIY shoe stretcher spray (with rubbing alcohol)
Instead of buying the stretch spray, we can actually make one ourselves. Alcohol is among the main ingredients of a stretching solution. Therefore, all we need for this DIY mixture is water, rubbing alcohol, and an empty spray bottle.
Here’re the quick steps to stretch suede boots that are too small with home ingredients:
- Step 1: Place your shoes on a clean platform.
- Step 2: Create the stretching agent by mixing water and rubbing alcohol in a ratio of 1:1.
- Step 3: Pour the mixture into the spray bottle and shake it.
- Step 4: Apply the solution onto the tight shoe parts, both inside and outside.
- Step 5: Now, put on one of your clean and thick pairs of socks to wear the shoes and walk for an hour or so. You can also run and make bending movements if you want to stretch heels wider.
#4 Use a shoe stretcher
A shoe stretcher should be of good use for a long time, since it’s applicable for different types of footwear, including tennis shoes, flat shoes, sneakers, etc. So, there is no need to worry if it works on your suede leather shoes.
Besides, as a professional stretching tool, the piece can handle issues that other methods might not have the power to. So, if your shoes are tight to the point that it hurts, it is best to get a shoe stretcher. It is also advisable to use this tool to stretch suede heels for wide feet.
Before getting into how we can use the shoe stretcher, make sure you pick a good one, preferably a two-way design.
Also, a stretcher can work the best when used with a stretch spray. Here’re the steps you should follow:
- Step 1: Place your clean suede shoes on a large piece of newspaper.
- Step 2: Apply the store-bought stretch spray or your DIY rubbing alcohol mixture onto the shoes, both inside and outside the areas that need stretching.
- Follow the instructions for handling the shoe stretcher. Typically, you will have to insert it inside the shoe, then turn its handle and adjust it for the stretcher to fit.
- Step 3: With the shoe stretcher sitting inside your shoes, twist the handle to widen your shoes. You can do this same motion several times despite the resistance force.
- Step 4: Then, after a day or so, loosen the stretcher a little by twisting the handle back, then take it out.
- Step 5: You can wear the shoes and walk around to see if they fit. If not, you can repeat the same process until the shoes are comfortable to wear.
#5 Make your own shoe stretcher
Without a shoe stretcher, we might have to find a cheap and available alternative. So, how about stretching your pair with newspaper pieces? It’s doable; I once used a newspaper to loosen my boots to fit calves.
Indeed, you need a DIY stretch spray with rubbing alcohol to make the task easier. Just spray the tight areas of the shoes, inside and out, with the mixture of rubbing alcohol and water (in the 1:1 ratio).
Then, ball the newspaper and stuff it inside your shoes until it is full and stretched. You can leave the piece there for a day or so, then take the newspaper out and try wearing your shoes around the house.
How Do You Stretch Suede Shoes With a Hair Dryer?
There are suggestions to spread the heat from the hair dryer to stretch the shoes. However, with leather materials, this method can be risky as heat might damage the fibers.
So, to be safe, you should use a leather conditioner to help in the process. Just lather your pair with the oil or cream used to soften leather shoes. Then, use the dryer to blow the parts that require stretching for a minute.
Do not set the heat too high or direct it towards the shoes for too long. Be careful, and you will be able to stretch the pair without damaging it.
Conclusion
That’s essentially how to stretch suede shoes wider. You can combine different methods if your shoes are super tight and hurting you too badly. Indeed, the first advice that we want to give you, no matter how obvious it is, is to purchase a well-fitted pair.
Hopefully, you can solve the too-tight shoe issues and wear your pair with confidence and comfort. Feel free to share the article with those who face the same troubles. Thank you for reading!
This is Edward Manning, the editor in chief of Construction Informer. Quite a bit of my time is spent researching the market and interviewing experts in the field so that I can give you reliable information.