What to do if shoes made of leather are too loose? Finding shoes that fit properly is not always as simple as the fairy tales make it seem. Most major shops do not stock smaller shoe sizes, forcing many of us to shop in the children's area or settle for shoes that are too large. Knowing how to shrink shoes, however, saves you the trouble of selecting the correct fit among a variety that you would otherwise be forced to forego. In addition to not being able to locate your size in shops, wearing out your beloved pair of tennis shoes is another incentive to discover techniques to shrink shoes. Each of us has a pair of shoes that are so well-loved and worn that our feet slip inside when we walk. These helpful ways compress worn-in shoes back to their normal size, restoring their original form. To understand more about how to shrink leather shoes, sneakers, and boots, peruse the sage advice we've compiled.
- How to Reduce Shoes' Size
- Excellent Simple Methods to Shrink Shoes
Going to a cobbler to get your shoes repaired is an expensive investment for shoes that were already expensive to purchase. Depending on the kind of footwear, professional modifications are not even a possibility. If the shoe size offered in shops is merely wrong by a half size or a few millimeters, these strategies will work just well. However, anything that surpasses a whole shoe size must be evaluated.
- Determine Which Areas to Reduce
The first stage in the process of downsizing shoes is to decide which sections fit and which do not. After acquiring a new pair of dress shoes, at least a portion of each shoe will likely fit properly. You don't want to run the danger of making well-formed portions of the shoe overly tiny. As a consequence, you divert your attention to decreasing that particular area of the shoe, rather than attempting to conform the whole shoe to your foot. 
To identify what has to be shrunk, try on the shoes and wear them. Should the sneaker's sides be trimmed to prevent slippage when running? Does the toe region need to be shrunk to avoid blisters? Before determining how to adjust your shoes, you should consider the following questions.
- How to Reduce Shoe Size Using Heat
Heat and water are the basic means of reducing the size of shoes. Start by dabbing the part of the shoe that would benefit from being shrunk, taking care not to completely wet the material. Also, avoid getting water into the shoe. You should avoid getting the insoles wet, since this may lead to a musty odor and the growth of mold and mildew. However, if this becomes an issue, we do offer solutions for stinking shoes. After soaking the surface, a hair drier may be used to reduce the size of shoes. Keep the blow dryer six inches away from the shoe's surface to avoid harming the material, particularly with suede or leather footwear. Run the dryer at a temperature of medium heat while turning the regions uniformly until they are totally dry. Test the freshly shrunk boot, and if required, repeat the operation. This approach might also be used to shrink leather gloves if you purchased a pair on sale that are a little too large.
- Place Your Athletic Shoes in the Dryer
If you are seeking to shrink a pair of canvas shoes or if your shoes are damp, you may use a dryer. Depending on the material, drying sneakers in the dryer enables you to put them back on fast, and depending on the material, it may shrink shoes that are slightly too big. 
Although washing vans in a washing machine is not essential, it is quite acceptable to do so. When applying a spot treatment to clean, use a mild laundry detergent or a homemade solution similar to this one. Scrub your running shoes with the lemon juice solution before to placing them in the washing machine. Spritzing them with water is also effective. Try them on after approximately fifteen minutes in the dryer to determine their fit. Utilize Natural Heat to Contract Shoes Similar to the other technique using water and heat, natural heat may also be used to shrink your beloved pair of shoes. Since this method employs more sensitive equipment to dry off boots and shoes, it is safer to use on high heels and other delicate footwear than using a dryer. Utilize a spray bottle to apply water to the regions that need shrinking first. Warm the dress shoe by exposing it to the sunshine. This causes it to naturally contract as it dries. However, do not expose the heels to the sun for too long. These bigger sneakers might lose their color if they are exposed to the sun for too long.
- How to Correctly Shrink Leather Shoes
Except for the dryer approach, it is totally allowed to use heat to shrink leather shoes. After shrinking, you must add a leather conditioner to the process of reducing the size of your leather boots and shoes. This preserves the shoe's great quality by replenishing the oils lost to water and heat. Apply a little quantity of leather conditioner on a clean cloth and rub it along the boot's surface. Pay particular attention to locations that were subjected to extended heat and moisture exposure. 
However, there may be instances in which your leather shoes feel somewhat too small. Stretching leather shoes is as straightforward as contracting them. Frequently, a shoe extender or placing a well-sealed bag of water in your shoes and placing them in the freezer can provide sufficient space for comfort. To fit a broad foot, it is possible to stretch shoes wider or even lengthen them somewhat.
- Other Methods of Shoe Shrinkage
In lieu of modifying the shoes themselves, sometimes the only option to make enormous shoes appear smaller is by reducing the space inside the shoes. This is easily accomplished by wearing thick socks to compensate for the additional space. Not only do these extra-fluffy garments give cushioning for the foot to keep in place, but they also provide an additional barrier against blisters. However, thicker socks cannot be used with formal shoes or loafers. Instead, consider adding inserts to the shoe's sole or heel counter. The first option elevates the foot, allowing less space for sliding between the top of the foot and the top of the shoe. The second reduces heel blisters by permitting the heel to fall out of the shoe less easily while walking.
- Add Decorations to Large Shoes
Altering the shoes significantly is an alternative if socks and insoles are ineffective in making your large shoes feel more comfortable. One option is to secure the shoe with a strap, however this may involve a trip to the cobbler. 
For softer fabrics, such as those used in ballerina slippers, the addition of an elastic band at the heel is also beneficial. This entails attaching a little piece of elastic to the heel's exterior, causing the heel to tighten when the elastic snaps back. Use safety pins to secure the bands in place while stitching to ensure they are the correct size.
- How to Reduce Leather Boot Size
It is essential to realize that some leather boots cannot be changed without the assistance of a cobbler. Utilizing thick socks to fill the extra space is your best option. Generally speaking, patented leather shoes are the sorts of boots that do not change size. For boots made of leather that are susceptible to shrinkage, this next option employs a more severe version of the previous strategies. If you notice that your shoes or boots are dirtier than desired after shrinking, you may question how to clean leather without damaging the material. Use our simple yet efficient leather cleaning formula and conditioner to maintain the leather's integrity. Place the leather boots in a tank of warm water with the soles thoroughly submerged. Put on a pair of damp socks, then pull on the leather boots that are still wet. Maintain the boots on your feet until they are completely dry. As the boots begin to dry, they conform to your feet gradually. The leather may pinch somewhat as it shrinks, therefore the damp socks function as a buffer to prevent this from occurring. Use the following recipe for the finest homemade shoe cleaning to remove any residue, sludge, or filth from the surface of your dry boots. 
Use a tiny, pea-sized drop of leather conditioner to treat the shoe's substance and restore the appropriate amounts of moisture to prevent cracking. Using a DIY shoe polish formula, buff your boots until they seem brand new. After reducing your shoes or boots, test them with ordinary, dry socks and repeat the procedure if necessary. While we have addressed reducing the size of shoes, it is also possible to stretch tennis shoes and other forms of footwear. Several solutions are quite similar. These straightforward procedures enable you to uncover the ideal match you've been seeking for so long. The solution to your shoe-related troubles is closer than you think, regardless of the sort of footwear you buy, since there are so many methods to downsize footwear. Consequently, you may confidently purchase new footwear or repurpose an existing pair using these tactics. Learn how to shrink shoes using inexpensive tools such as a hair dryer and a water spray bottle. Using an elastic band or thick socks, learn how to make shoes seem smaller. To restore worn canvas shoes to their original size, run them in the dryer.