How to Stretch Sneakers

Co-authored by Moe Draper

Last Updated: April 16, 2021 References

If you're going to wear a pair of sneakers—whether to play sports or just to go about your day—you'll want the shoes to feel broken in before you start wearing them for long periods of time. There are a few ways you can stretch out sneakers so they fit your feet comfortably. If you’re in a rush, you can freeze water inside the shoes or stretch them with heat. Or, simply wear them around your home for a few days, use special shoe-stretching inserts, or take the shoes to a cobbler for a professional fix.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Stretching Sneakers Overnight with Ice

1
Fill 2 1 gallon (3.8 L) sealable bags with water. Since water expands when it freezes, you can use it to stretch your shoes out overnight. Fill both sealable bags about 1/2 full to avoid over-stretching your shoe. Seal the bags tightly shut to avoid any leakage.^{[1]
X
Research source}
2
Push the water-filled bags into your sneakers. Put 1 water-filled bag into each sneaker so that the front of the bag is in the very tip of the shoe. If necessary, reach into each shoe with your hand and press the water-filled bag into the front and back of the shoe.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Make sure that the bags are still sealed at this point—a leaky bag would ruin a shoe.
Advertisement
3
Place the sneakers into your freezer and leave them overnight. Set the shoes on a flat surface in the freezer with their tops facing upward. It will take at least 8–10 hours for the bag of ice to freeze. As the ice freezes, it will expand and stretch outward against the insides of the sneakers.^{[3]
X
Research source}
4
Pull the sneakers out of the freezer the next morning. Take the sneakers out of the freezer, remove the bags from inside of the shoes, and try them on. At this point, the sneakers should have stretched enough to fit your feet.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- If you don’t want to freeze your feet, let the sneakers warm up for 20–30 minutes before trying them on.
5
Repeat the process if the sneakers are still too tight. If the shoes still constrict your feet after 1 night in the freezer, freeze them again. Fill 2 more plastic bags with water and make them slightly fuller this time so that they expand more within the shoes. Freeze them overnight, and try the sneakers on again in the morning.^{[5]
X
Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Heating Sneakers to Stretch Them

1
Put on 2 pairs of thick socks and the sneakers. Find a couple of pairs of thick wool socks and put them on over one another. Then, put on the sneakers that you’re planning to stretch. Using socks to make your feet as large as possible will help stretch out the sneakers.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- If the shoes are tight enough that your feet won’t fit in while wearing 2 pairs of socks, just wear 1 pair.
2
Heat the shoes with a hairdryer for 30 seconds at a time. Keep your feet inside the shoes, and use a hair dryer to blow hot air over the outside surfaces of the shoes. Set the hair dryer to medium heat to avoid overheating and potentially damaging your sneakers. Every 30 seconds, switch the air from the hair dryer to the other shoe.^{[7]
X
Research source}
- Keep the hair dryer moving so that it heats all surfaces of the shoe: the toe cap, sides, and heel.
3
Wiggle your toes and feet as you’re heating the sneakers. The heat from the hair dryer will loosen up the fabric of your sneakers. Wiggling your toes and flexing your foot while you’re heating up each shoe will help to stretch the sneakers.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Stretching your sneakers out so they fit comfortably may take up to 2 minutes per shoe.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Stretching Sneakers without Temperature Extremes

1
Wear your sneakers for 4-5 hours at a time around your home. The best way to break a pair of sneakers in is by wearing them around your home. They’ll break in even if you’re just sitting down. The heat and sweat from your feet will soften up the shells of the sneakers and cause the shoes to mold to the shape of your feet.
- Be aware that it can take 5–7 days to break in a pair of shoes. So, if you have a big track meet or other sporting event tomorrow, this may not be the most effective method.
2
Use shoe-stretching inserts when you’re not wearing the sneakers. Shoe-stretching inserts are foot-shaped wooden or plastic objects that widen and exert outward pressure on shoes when they’re pushed inside of the body of the shoe.^{[9]
X
Expert Source

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.} Stretch the sneakers even when they aren’t on your feet by keeping a pair of shoe-stretching inserts inside the sneakers.^{[10]
X
Research source} To use shoe-stretching inserts, place the toe of the insert into the shoe and press the heel into place. This action will expand the front portion of the insert.
- Even if you keep the inserts in around the clock, it’ll take at least 3 days for the shoes to be stretched enough to accommodate your feet.
- Purchase shoe-stretching inserts at a nearby sporting goods store or at a large shoe store.
3
Take your sneakers to a professional cobbler for a faster stretch. Professional cobblers have machines and tools specifically designed to stretch sneakers and other types of running shoes. Drop your sneakers off with the cobbler and explain that you’d like the shoes stretched.^{[11]
X
Expert Source

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.} Expect a 48-hour turnaround time on this procedure, which usually costs about $15 USD.^{[12]
X
Research source}
- If you don’t know whether or not there’s a cobbler nearby, search online for a phrase like “professional cobblers in my area.”

Expert Q&A

Question

Does stretching shoes really work?

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Moe Draper is a Shoe Care and Repair Specialist and the Owner of Detroit Shoe Shine and Shoe Repair. With over 20 years of personal experience, Moe specializes in shoe shining, cosmetic restorations for quality leather goods, and minor/major shoe repair services. Moe and his staff at Detroit Shoe Shine and Repair have over 30 years of combined experience and knowledge.

Moe Draper

Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

To a degree, yes. It's not like you're going to turn a size 6 into a size 10 or anything like that, but you can definitely get shoes to stretch a bit.
Question

How long do you need to stretch shoes with a wooden stretcher?

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Moe Draper is a Shoe Care and Repair Specialist and the Owner of Detroit Shoe Shine and Shoe Repair. With over 20 years of personal experience, Moe specializes in shoe shining, cosmetic restorations for quality leather goods, and minor/major shoe repair services. Moe and his staff at Detroit Shoe Shine and Repair have over 30 years of combined experience and knowledge.

Moe Draper

Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

You have to use the stretcher for at least 3 straight days. On that third day, take the stretchers out and wear them for the remainder of the day.
Question

How can I make sure that my stretched shoes don't shrink back to their original size?

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Moe Draper is a Shoe Care and Repair Specialist and the Owner of Detroit Shoe Shine and Shoe Repair. With over 20 years of personal experience, Moe specializes in shoe shining, cosmetic restorations for quality leather goods, and minor/major shoe repair services. Moe and his staff at Detroit Shoe Shine and Repair have over 30 years of combined experience and knowledge.

Moe Draper

Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

Cedar shoe trees! They're inexpensive, and they really work. Whenever you aren't wearing your shoes, put the shoe trees in.