How to Stretch Leather Sandals

Co-authored by Trent Potter

Last Updated: June 17, 2021 References

If you have new leather sandals that you'd like to wear, there are lots of ways to stretch them out so they're nice and comfortable. To stretch the leather quickly, try heating up the sandals with a hair dryer or spraying them with water before walking around in them while they cool or dry. Doing things like freezing your sandals with plastic bags full of water or using a shoe stretcher overnight will stretch them out effectively too.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Wearing Your Sandals to Stretch Them

1
Stretch your sandals in slowly by wearing them for short periods of time. Put them on to run a quick errand, take your dog outside, or even just to walk around the house. Wearing them for small amounts of time will begin to stretch them without you getting blisters from wearing them for too long.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Trent Potter
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 22 April 2021.}^{[2]
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- If your sandals start to hurt your feet, it’s time to take them off.
2
Spray sandals with water to stretch them quickly as you walk around. Use a spray bottle to dampen the leather, spraying a fine layer of water onto the straps and heels.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Trent Potter
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 22 April 2021.} Wear the sandals around for at least 30 minutes as they dry and adjust to the shape of your feet.^{[4]
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- Spray a small area of your shoe with water first to test the leather, making sure it won’t become discolored. Let it dry completely before deciding to spray the whole shoe.
- Dampening your sandals will make them more shapeable, and as you wear them, they'll dry to stretch against your feet.
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3
Wear thick socks while walking in the sandals to stretch them at home. Either put on a pair of super thick socks made of a material like wool, or wear several pairs of socks to create extra padding.^{[5]
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Expert Source

Trent Potter
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 22 April 2021.} Put on your leather sandals over the socks and wear the shoes around the house. Walk around as much as possible so that the leather begins to stretch.^{[6]
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- You can stretch the leather even as you're sitting down, flexing your feet all around without even walking.
- The extra padding of the socks will help them stretch out faster.
4
Dunk your shoes in water to stretch them through the drying process. Fill a container with water and submerge your leather sandals in them fully. Use a towel to pat the sandals, soaking up the excess water. Walk around in the sandals as they’re wet, letting them dry naturally on your feet.^{[7]
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- Test a spot on your shoe before dunking the entire shoe in the water to make sure the water won’t alter the color of your sandals.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Stretching Sandals Using Objects

1
Heat the leather with a hair dryer to make the leather more supple. Put on several layers of socks to protect your feet. Strap on the leather sandals and turn your hair dryer on medium. Move the hair dryer over the leather, heating it up in all the spots that need to be stretched. After you’re done heating the leather, continue wearing the sandals, flexing and moving your feet as much as possible until they’ve completely cooled off.^{[8]
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- Heating up the leather causes it to stretch out and become more flexible.
- Be careful about metal details on your sandals, as these will heat up the most and could burn you if you touch them.
- Heat the leather for 30 seconds to a minute at a time, moving the hair dryer’s nozzle back and forth so you don’t heat a certain spot for too long.
- Add a leather conditioner to your sandals after using a hair dryer if desired to help prevent the leather from drying out due to the heat.
2
Use a spoon to soften the leather straps and heels. Rub the curved edge of the spoon along the inside of the straps on your sandals. Continue working the spoon into the leather for several minutes, rubbing all the different areas that need to be stretched.^{[9]
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- Rub the spoon against the leather quickly to create enough friction for the leather to become warm. The friction and heat are what cause the leather to stretch.
3
Purchase a shoe stretcher to stretch the sandals easily. It helps if you put bulky socks over the shoe stretcher so it will stretch out the leather straps of your sandals. Put your sandals on the shoe stretcher and leave them there overnight. Try on the shoes in the morning to see how much they’ve stretched.^{[10]
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- Shoe stretchers will stretch out your sandals by pushing against the areas you'd like to stretch out.
- Leave the sandals on the shoe stretcher when you’re not wearing them so they continue stretching.
- You can find a shoe stretcher at a shoe store or big box store near you, as well as online.
4
Fill plastic bags with water and freeze them in the sandals. Open a plastic freezer bag and fill it most of the way with water, sealing it tightly once you’re finished. Place the plastic bag full of water in the leather sandal so it fills out the shoe as if you’re wearing it. Do the same thing with the other sandal, and place both of them in the freezer. Let them freeze overnight.^{[11]
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- Let the shoes thaw for 20 minutes before wearing them.
- Do this as many times as needed until the leather is stretched comfortably.
- Because water expands as it freezes, your sandals will be stretched out by the bags inside your shoes.
5
Dampen newspaper to target certain areas of your sandals. Dampen a newspaper by spraying it with water or blotting it with a wet washcloth or paper towel. Scrunch up the newspaper and put it in your sandal, shaping it to your shoe so that the areas you’d like stretched are being pushed out by the newspaper. Leave the newspaper there to dry.^{[12]
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- Make sure the newspaper is only damp and not dripping wet to avoid damaging your shoes.