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Nothing lasts forever in this world. And we have to come to terms with this. But all deep philosophy goes to hell when you find accordion dents on shoes or sneakers that are dear to both your heart and your wallet. But they are practically inevitable. Especially if the shoes are made of genuine leather. There are two options here: be offended by the vicissitudes of fate and send the well-worn couple to the “dacha” box, or try to rectify the situation. Yes, not everything is so hopeless: one little trick will help restore your shoes to a neat appearance.
Troubles happen. Dents on shoes too. High-risk groups include shoes made of thick leather and sneakers. The latter, due to their flexibility and the position of the foot inside, are especially prone to the appearance of an “accordion” from the toe to the laces. This phenomenon has two sides: on the one hand, the shoes become softer; on the other hand, dents greatly spoil the aesthetics. But there is a way to fix the situation.
All you need is:
1. Iron with steam supply;
2. Cardboard and paper;
3. Small towels;
4. Ironing board and lining fabric (you can use a towel);
5. Water.
Step 1
Roll paper and cardboard into tight rolls. Show artistic flair: the more the design resembles a foot, the better the folds will straighten out. If you saved a shoebox with cardboard mold liners, be sure to use them.
Step 2
Place the finished inserts in the shoes directly under the area of greatest accumulation of folds.
In general, sneakers should be as padded as possible, because this will help smooth out all the wrinkles on the skin.
Step 3
Step 4
Place your shoes on the ironing board, first laying an additional layer of fabric under them.
Cover the top of each sneaker or shoe with a small towel.
Step 5
Turn on the iron and carefully iron each wrinkled sock through the layer of fabric. Imagine ironing very wrinkled clothes. Use steam - it will also help soften the skin and even out its surface.
Step 6
Allow the “experimental subjects” to cool thoroughly without removing the towels.
And in about an hour you can evaluate the result. The look of the shoes will definitely improve, so you can continue to wear them without embarrassment. As the famous poem says, do not part with your loved ones!
And here you can learn another technique for shoe resuscitation: the French way to erase scratches from patent leather shoes.
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Leather shoes are always at the peak of popularity and price. This material is breathable, durable, lightweight in hot weather and warm in cold weather. But often unsightly folds and creases appear on your favorite pair of shoes. This significantly spoils the appearance of the shoes and your mood. How to remove creases from leather shoes? How to straighten, smooth and level out dents? There are several simple ways to solve this problem, which we will consider in this article.
Rules for using leather shoes
But everyone knows one simple truth: it is easier to prevent a problem than to eliminate it. So first, let's figure out what can be done to prevent such problems:
- Buy shoes or boots, carefully selecting them according to your feet.
- Use shoes only for the occasions for which they are intended. Wonderful leather shoes will not let you down if you suddenly get caught in the rain, but you should not rely on water-repellent impregnations and pull your car out of a puddle in these same shoes.
Important! If you like to wear expensive shoes made of delicate leather, then you should have a spare pair in different places (at work, at the dacha, in the car). Dress shoes are not intended for regular walks through puddles.
- You need to take off and put on your shoes carefully and carefully. Use a special horn for this. Before removing or putting on your shoes, unfasten all clasps and fastenings.
- Try to have several pairs of shoes in your wardrobe for one season. There should be at least two pairs in a sock, maybe more, but not less, so that the shoes can rest. The thing is that during the day moisture accumulates in your shoes, which does not have time to dry completely overnight, and in the morning you put on already wet shoes that are not able to warm you.
Important! Wet skin stretches much more. Wearing the same pair every day deforms it and leads to the formation of unsightly folds and creases.
Rules of care
You must not only wear your shoes correctly, but also devote some time to caring for the materials so that you don’t have to think about how to remove creases from leather shoes. All these procedures can be brought to automaticity, instilled in yourself as a useful habit, then for you it will be something completely natural, and not a routine daily duty.
So, to avoid wrinkles on your shoes, follow these recommendations:
- If you have expensive dress shoes, then when you are not wearing them, it is better to insert lasts into them. They will absorb moisture accumulated in the skin and straighten out creases formed during wear.
Important! It is better to use blocks made of cedar, beech, or mahogany, since wood types absorb moisture best. You can use a cheaper method - stuff your shoes with paper. In this case, the paper must be changed periodically.
- Clean your boots as soon as you get home. Don't let dirt and dust soak in.
- After cleaning, the shoes must be dried thoroughly. Nourishing and protective products should be applied to completely dry skin. Drying should be carried out in a well-ventilated area, with a cool place being preferable to a dry and hot place.
Important! Never dry your shoes near heaters or in direct sunlight.
- Shoes should be stored in boxes or in special shoe bags. Only well-dried products can be stored for storage.
- Do not wear a wet or poorly dried pair of shoes. At best, your shoes will stretch, at worst, they will become deformed, and you will get blisters or a cold.
- Do not wash leather shoes by immersing them entirely in water. If you still don’t know how to do it correctly so as not to damage the material, you have an excellent opportunity to correct this defect. Follow the link, which describes in detail all the possible options for washing leather shoes.
- Do not use silicone sponges when caring for leather products. Silicone does not care for your leather shoes or protect them from anything. It simply creates a short-lived shine on the surface, and a few minutes after going outside, this shine is replaced by a film of dirt and dust. The fact is that silicone, like a magnet, attracts dust particles to itself.
Important! Also avoid cleaning products that contain acids or harsh soaps. These substances can age the leather and cause creases in your shoes, leaving you wondering how to fix the problem.
These are general rules, but there are also additional nuances when it comes to the idea of winter boots or boots. And it’s also advisable for you to know this if you don’t want to change a pair of good shoes for a new one every year. Therefore, we devoted a separate article to exactly how to care for leather shoes in winter. Read now!
If the defects are minor
In principle, there is nothing difficult in smoothing the skin on different products, because with proper care this material is soft and flexible. And those same defects appear precisely as a result of coarsening, accordingly - all your actions should initially be aimed at softening, and then at eliminating aesthetic nuances.
How to remove wrinkles from leather shoes if they exist, but are not yet so pronounced? There are several simple, but at the same time, effective solutions:
- If the crease is small, then you can take off your boots or shoes, stuff them tightly with paper, and then lubricate them with shoe polish. If you have light-colored shoes or boots, then use milk.
- To make the wrinkles on your shoes less noticeable, lubricate them well with shoe wax. A thorough painting of your shoes will help even better.
Important! To ensure that the result of repainting your shoes is what you expected, first familiarize yourself with what paint composition is more suitable for leather shoes and from which manufacturer it is better to buy such products.
- You can coat the folds with a large amount of emollient cream so that the skin becomes soft and they do not fray. After 15 minutes, stuff your shoes or boots with paper and lay them on their sides. Leave in this position for several days. Apply cream twice a day. Before removing the paper, remove any remaining cream and polish the surface with wax.
Important! Castor oil and glycerin are also good as a softener.
For large defects
If your favorite pair has severe wrinkles or cracks, then there is a more radical way to remove creases from your favorite shoes. To do this you will need a thick rag and an iron. You can use a microfiber cloth.
What do we have to do:
- Stuff the shoe with paper or rags so that it holds its shape well.
- Wet the rag thoroughly, let the water drain or wring it out so that it is not wet, but well damp.
- Cover the boot with a damp cloth and leave it for a while to moisten the leather a little.
- Set the iron to medium power. Test it on a rag: if it is not damaged, then you can proceed. Iron your boot through a damp cloth.
- After this procedure, the folds should decrease or even disappear completely.
- Dry your shoes without removing the padding.
- If the result does not satisfy you, the procedure can be repeated.
Almost any shoe defect can be fixed at home. And so that possible troubles do not take you by surprise, find out how to repair shoes with your own hands.
During operation, any thing gradually wears out and loses its original appearance. And you really want your favorite shoes to always look perfect and last a long time. The most common reasons that negatively affect the appearance of shoes are wrinkles and creases. These are natural factors that appear during wear. Today we have prepared several ways to help delay their appearance.
1. First, you must always keep your shoes clean and use them for their intended purpose. You should not wear your favorite suede model in rainy weather.
2. If you do get your leather shoes wet, you need to dry them at room temperature, stuffing them with paper or using a special shoe. This is necessary so that the shoes retain their shape. It is important not to use heating elements, as the skin may become deformed.
3. Wet leather stretches well, so never wear a wet pair.
4. Buy shoes in the right size.
5. After drying, the surface must be treated with a special cream. It will nourish and moisturize the skin.
6. Do not use silicone products for this. They do not nourish the skin, but only add shine for a short time, and they also attract dust very well.
These simple steps will help prevent creases in your shoes over the long term.
What if a small hall does appear? How can you rehabilitate shoes?
— Use crumpled newspaper for stuffing and shaping. Then carefully lubricate the pair with rich cream. After it is absorbed, repeat the procedure several times. Remove the remaining fatty cream and let the couple “rest” for 24 hours.
— Also, to reduce the appearance of creases, use wax. With its help, the folds will be less noticeable.
To get rid of large creases, you need to put in a little more effort.
1. You should start, as in the previous case, by giving the shape of the shoes using paper.
2. Then you need to take a damp cloth and cover the shoes. Wait until the skin is slightly moisturized.
3. Turn the iron to medium setting and gently iron the leather using a damp cloth.
4. Evaluate the result. Repeat the procedure if necessary.
5. Leave the paper in the shoes until completely dry.
Such manipulations should completely remove folds or significantly reduce them.
How to remove cracks from shoes
There can be many reasons for a crack in a shoe, ranging from improper care to manufacturing defects. The main thing is not to despair and try to fix everything. Using a product called “liquid skin”, you can get rid of even the deepest damage. This product is designed specifically for restoring heavily damaged shoes.
1. Buy a product similar to your shoe color.
2. Clean the shoe and dry it. This way you will prepare your shoes for the main stage.
3. The damaged area must be treated with sandpaper. Here you need to not overdo it, so as not to crack the leather on the shoes even more.
4. After this, degrease the desired area using alcohol.
5. Apply “liquid skin” in an even layer and do not touch for several minutes.
6. If you are not impressed with the result, repeat.
7. Then apply cream.
After this, you will be able to wear your favorite pair of shoes for a long time without even thinking about the damage.
How to remove a scratch on a shoe
To assess the depth of the damage, it is necessary to examine the scratch. When you run your hand over the surface of the shoes, do you feel any roughness? This indicates skin damage.
— If the scratches on your shoes are shallow, you can try to tint them using the appropriate color of shoe polish.
If this action does not bring the expected results, move on to the next stage.
- Heat the wax. Moreover, any one will do, both bee and paraffin. Fill the scratch with it, and after it hardens, remove the excess with a soft cloth.
— Very deep scratches can be removed using “liquid skin” (how to do this is described above).
Everyday careful care will help to avoid many problems and prevent premature damage to your beloved pair. By following simple care rules, you will extend the life of your leather shoes by several seasons.