There’s no better feeling than buying a new pair of shoes. But there’s nothing worse than getting blisters from those same shoes. While people often say that you can’t have beauty without pain, we disagree. This guide on how to break in shoes fast will help you enjoy your shoes, without suffering from shoe bites or other unpleasantness.
Whether you’re looking to soften your shoes, stop them from rubbing or prevent blisters, this guide will give you some tips and tricks to help protect your feet.
How to Break in New Shoes
As shoe lovers, we know as soon as you get new shoes, you can’t wait to show them off. But your feet might need some time to get used to the new shoes and vice versa.
How Long Does it Take to Break In New Shoes?
The period of time it takes to break in your shoes generally depends on the type of shoe and the material it is made from. It can take between 3 and 4 weeks to get your shoes broken in.
Quick Tips For Breaking in Shoes
If you’re looking for a quick solution, here are some fast and straightforward solutions for breaking your shoes in. For more detail, read the rest of the post.
- Wear them around the house
- Put them in the freezer
- Leave them in the sun for a bit to get them heated
- Massage your shoes to stretch out specific areas
- Buy some gel pads, inner soles, or shoe cushions to put inside your shoes
This post will cover:
- How to break in heels
- How to break in sandals
- How to break in sneakers
- How to break in leather shoes
The Best Way to Break in Shoes
Once you’ve unboxed your new shoes, it's time to make sure that you break them in before they start to break you. Different types of shoes require different methods for breaking them in, so we’ve broken them down for you.
Wear Your Shoes Around the House
If you’re curious about how to break in heels, the best way to get them ready to go out is wearing them around the house. This way, you can take them off before they start hurting, preventing blisters while still giving your feet time to get used to them.
Wear Socks
Another method for breaking in shoes is wearing them with socks. While this may seem logical for leather shoes and sneakers, it's also a great way to help break in sandals and heels. The socks will help stretch them out a little. And they’ll give them time to mould to the shape of your foot.
If you’re wondering how to break in sandals, this is a great way to get them comfy before you take them out. Make sure you choose a sock that is neither too thick nor too thin. However, if you need to break in shoes like sneakers or leather footwear, choose a slightly thicker sock.
Move Your Shoes Around
Bending and twisting your shoes can also help break them in and reduce stiffness. Be gentle when you do this, but make sure to get them moving. A gentle massage can help soften the material, making it less hard on your feet.
Apply Heat
Heating your new shoes can also be useful. You can either leave them in the sun for a bit or use a hairdryer. But make sure to not do this for too long. Otherwise, you could overheat them.
Curious about how to break in leather shoes? This technique is excellent for softening them.
Freeze Them
You could even go in the opposite direction and freeze your new shoes. Using a freezer bag in your shoes can help to stretch out your shoes. You can also put your shoes in the freezer if you want to get rid of shoe odours.
Use Shoe Cushions, Plasters and Inserts
If you can figure out where your shoes are hurting you, you can pad those areas. This will help break your shoes in and protect your feet simultaneously.
Inserts can also keep your shoes from biting your feet. These can prevent sliding, friction and keep your foot cosy. Want to know how to break in sneakers? Inserts are one of the best ways.
You could also use moleskin, plasters or bandages to cover the most sensitive parts of your feet.
If your shoes are too big, you can use shoe cushions to make your shoes smaller.
Try Some Deodorant
Adding deodorant to your foot can be a good way to keep your foot from slipping in your shoes. This will reduce friction, which will help reduce potential blisters. Just rub the deodorant under your feet.
Final Thoughts on Breaking in New Shoes
There’s more than just one way to break in a pair of shoes. And with these tips, you can even break them in without wearing them.
Which of these tips have you tried? Leave a comment below and let us know.
Structured data as JSON-LD Markup Add the script block below to the head section of your html: