You could occasionally receive a pair of shoes that are either too tight or too wide if you acquire them via an e-commerce website.
Bunions and blisters are only a few physical ailments that wearing these shoes might result in. What to do if your shoe doesn’t fit?
You’ve landed on the right site! This article will recommend some solutions for stretching or making your footwear smaller.
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
How To Tell If Your Shoe Doesn’t Fit?
Before learning some practical methods to make your shoes fit, it’s best to know the signs of too big or too small footwear.
Signs Of Too Big Shoes
Try-on footwear and a quick store tour are the best ways to determine whether they are too large.
If you are wearing dress footwear or sneakers, the first sign is in their laces.
These shoes are probably too big for you if you must tighten the laces for your feet to be comfy.
Besides, it’s great to use the finger test. The shoes may be too wide for you if you can put one finger or more behind your heel, having your toes reach the tip of your footwear.
Moreover, if your feet move backward and forward when you move, the footwear is excessively long, and you might think about ordering a full-size smaller pair.
The footwear, nevertheless, is massive for you if your feet slide from left to right.
Signs Of Too Small Shoes
Your footwear is probably too tight if your toes don’t face forward, seem crowded, and overlap one another.
Each toe has room to spread out when footwear fits correctly, and your toes are pointed straight ahead rather than to the sides.
Below are a few symptoms of having too-small sneakers, in case you are unaware of discomforts:
Blisters
If it’s not for an infection, allergy, or sunburn, blisters in the foot may result from friction between your skin and the footwear material.
Your footwear is tight if fluid-filled areas have started to emerge on your feet.
Bruised Toenails
The impact causes bruising under the toes. Stomping your toes on a stair might lead to an effect.
The impact may strike the toe box’s edge repeatedly, hurting your toenails.
Hot Foot
Your feet may swell and experience burning sensations due to friction caused by too-tight footwear.
Calluses
A callus is a rough, dry skin region on the foot’s sole. If this area deals with excessive pressure or friction, your skin will thicken and develop as a callus.
Corns
Like calluses, corns are relatively stiff and swollen bumps that form due to too much pressure or friction on this area.
They frequently show up on the upper end or in between toes. Touching them may cause discomfort.
What To Do If Your Shoe Doesn’t Fit?
Below are the most effective techniques to deal with too big or too small shoes. Let’s keep reading!
Solutions For Too Big Shoes
Wear Several Pairs Of Socks
Wearing numerous socks is perhaps one of the most traditional ways to mend too-big footwear.
Extra space within the footwear can be filled with many pairs of thick socks, which can also serve as a cushion.
This method might make your sneakers fit smaller and give you more excellent stability.
Nevertheless, whether you choose to wear more or fewer socks depends on your local environment and the season.
For instance, this strategy will benefit you if you stay somewhere cold or have frigid winters.
However, keep an eye out for sweaty feet. Don’t forget to clean the footwear if it begins to smell.
Grip Socks
Grip socks are presumably familiar to you and are frequently used for exercise classes or walking on wood or tile floors.
However, some people might not have considered putting these socks in their oversized shoes.
The grips intended to prevent skidding on floors may also prevent slippage inside your wide sneakers.
These accessories are a great choice if you do not want to wear many pairs of socks or your footwear in summer.
Stuffing Shoes
You may buy liners or insoles, typically made to take up space inside your shoes.
Otherwise, you can insert other things such as toilet paper, cotton balls, newspaper, or rags.
Some toe fillers are also an option; they are more comfortable and durable than other stuffing materials.
Use Shoe Inserts
When the footwear is too big, shoe inserts are one of the most popular solutions many people use.
These inserts do more than take up more space inside your footwear; they also offer your feet a little support.
Use Ball-Of-Foot Cushions
Some people may not feel at ease adding a complete insert to their shoes’ soles, while others may find it overly small since their footwear is not that large.
In these situations, a ball of foot cushion will be helpful. Usually, the purpose of these cushions is to be placed inside the footwear, towards the foot area’s ball.
They will provide the utmost comfort while offering better fitting.
Many people select these cushions rather than shoe inserts as these items are more comfortable.
Utilize Heel Strips
Another effective method for making large sneakers smaller is to add cushions. The pads stated previously are similar to these cushions.
Nevertheless, unlike the previous one, they are often placed over the heel.
Always put on your footwear and test it on your toes before adding heel strips to ensure that they are truly comfy.
Use Elastic Bands
This technique will be beneficial to anyone who has some sewing expertise.
All you have to do is sew some solid elastic bands to the interior of the rear of your footwear.
You bring the components closer together when you do this, making your shoes fit more snugly.
Shrink Shoes
If you don’t want to put anything inside your large sneakers, you can consider shrinking them.
With this technique, a small number of materials are essential. Nevertheless, it is crucial to apply extreme caution.
To determine whether your shoes’ materials are suitable for use in water, check their material first. If not, you may damage them.
Solutions For Too Small Shoes
Wear The Shoes And Walk Around House
Try wearing your shoes and walking around your house if they are only slightly uncomfortable.
Give your feet time to rest before attempting this technique, especially if the weather is hot or you’ve been walking a lot during the day.
If it’s a pair of new sneakers, try to only walk on carpeting or rugs, so you may return them in perfect condition if necessary.
Freeze Your Shoes
On shoes made of materials other than leather, this technique works well. Here are some tips when applying this method:
- Pour water into a zip-close bag.
- Put the bag into your shoe.
- Try to position it close to the tight areas.
- Next, overnight-freeze the footwear and bag.
- Your footwear will stretch specifically because the ice forms as the water freezes and expands.
Heat The Shoes
This technique will give your shoes extra flexibility and help them fit your foot if the previous one doesn’t work.
- Put on some thick socks, then snugly tighten your sneakers.
- Try using your hair dryer on the tight parts for 20 – 30 seconds each time.
- To avoid overdrying or burning the leather, select the medium heat mode and constantly move your hair dryer.
- After using this technique, you should treat the shoes with a leather moisturizer or conditioner.
Use Stretching Tools
You can consider investing in an adjustable shoe tree. You may extend a shoe’s length and breadth with this equipment.
You may combine this technique with liquids and a spray for stretching footwear. Sneakers and leather shoes work well.
There are several different sprays and liquids that you can use to stretch leather, cloth, or even vinyl.
You can use these things with the adjustable shoe stretcher to give your footwear the desired stretch.
How To Choose A Pair Of Fit Shoes?
Are you about to purchase a new pair of shoes? Let’s look through the guides below to find the best-suited one!
Measure Your Feet.
The size and form of your feet might change with time. Do not count on the reality that you wear a consistent size.
Adjust Your Footwear To The Bigger Foot.
Ensure you measure both your feet since most people own a bigger foot than the other.
Measure In The Evenings When Your Feet Are At Their Biggest.
Your feet frequently expand and settle slightly during the day.
You should ensure that you feel at ease during the day, not only when you leave your home in the mornings.
Check The Shoe Dimensions
Inspecting your sneakers in depth, width, and space near the shoe’s end would be best.
Always Try On The Shoes
Always test your shoes’ fit, comfort, chafe or rub resistance when you stand and move around. While walking around, your heel should not slide or move.
Final Thoughts
This article has eventually reached the bottom of your headache question: What to do if your shoe doesn’t fit?
Whether your footwear is too tight or too big, you can successfully make it fit with our solutions.
If you know other methods, please comment below to let us know.
Thanks for reading!