Even if you spend a lot of money on high-quality leather shoes to wear to formal events like weddings and parties, those shoes will eventually start to look creased and untidy no matter how careful you are.
Creasing is a natural part of leather shoes, especially after prolonged wear, poor storage, or care. Full-grain, top-grain, genuine leather, even nubuck and suede are all fair game.
But, is it possible to fix leather shoes that have creases? Simply put, yes. A high-quality shoe conditioner and a low-heat iron can work wonders on leather footwear that has been creased.
Our 8-step procedure is as follows:
In addition, if you want to make a more eco-friendly fashion choice, try ironing out the wrinkles in your leather shoes instead of buying brand new ones. You'll need the following items to revive your leather shoes and smooth out their wrinkled appearance:
- Super-plush, lint-free washcloth
- Set your iron to a low temperature.
- Newspapers
- Soap for cleaning leather
- Oil for leather
- Shoe tree
Removing creases from leather footwear, especially when resorting to heat, is a challenging task. Excessive or careless use of heat when working with leather can damage or even scorch the material.
When Does Leather Start to Creasing?
Everyday leather shoes will naturally wear down; however, the most common cause of creases in leather shoes is the repeated bending of the shoe at a single area (where the toes meet the foot), especially over a prolonged period of time.
Having shoes that are too big or too small is another common cause of leather shoes becoming wrinkled. Leather shoes that are a perfect fit will have fewer wrinkles than those that are too big.
Without some sort of internal support, like newspapers, shoe trees, or other materials, leather shoes can become creased or wrinkled if they are stored improperly.
Given the high price of genuine leather footwear, removing wrinkles from an existing pair of shoes is a more practical and economical option.
Removing the creases and polishing your leather shoes will make them look like new and have you looking your best at any formal event. Alright, so let's get going.
To first clean leather shoes, use a soapy water mixture.
Preventing creases in leather shoes begins with a thorough cleaning. Use a shoe brush to remove any grit, grime, or dust that has settled into your footwear.
Following this, wipe the upper of your shoe down with a leather soap solution or saddle soap and a clean, lint-free cloth to remove any scuffs or stubborn dirt.
Consider the Pink Miracle Shoe Cleaner, which is made specifically for leather and can be used with saddle soap, plastic containers, and other all-natural products.
Fiebing's White Saddle Soap is the best option for those who want genuine saddle soap. To keep dirt and debris from embedding themselves into the leather of your shoes, use one of these solutions.
You should use a leather soap solution to gently clean both shoes, and then wipe them down with a soft, dry cloth to remove any remaining soap residue.
The Shoelaces Must Be Taken Off
Remove the laces from both of your shoes after cleaning them with a leather soap solution and drying them off. You can now easily reach the folds. Please put away your shoelaces for the time being.
Stuff Newspapers Inside Your Shoes
When you take out the laces of both shoes, you can stretch the leather by inserting newspaper inside. By doing so, you can create an in-shoe shape that's more familiar to your foot while also smoothing out any wrinkles.
While shoe trees are useful for preventing creases in leather shoes, we do not recommend using them to remove creases. Their hard surface can make it difficult to stretch out the areas where creases have formed.
Make sure you only put down as many newspapers as you need to smooth out the creases. If you overstuff your shoes with newspapers, the leather will stretch and lose its shape.
4. Cover your shoes with a damp cloth.
This is the most important stage, so make sure you follow the instructions closely. You can clean your leather shoes by placing a damp washcloth or lint-free cloth on them. Leather can be damaged by prolonged exposure to water, so it's important that the cloth is only slightly damp.
To prevent any accidental dye transfer from the cloth to the leather shoes, we advise using a white cloth for the process. If you try to skip this step, your leather shoes may get burned or melted from the iron's heat instead of having the creases removed.
Five, Low-Heat-Iron-Setting Boots
After ironing the crease slowly and lightly on a low heat setting after placing a damp cloth on your creased leather shoes, you can wear them again with pride. When you press a damp cloth with a hot iron, steam will rise from the fabric.
As the leather is exposed to the hot steam, it relaxes and stretches, allowing the wrinkles to disappear. You need to be careful, though, not to let the iron rest in one place for too long. Move quickly from one creased area of the leather shoe to another, giving each area about three seconds of your time as you go around the entire exterior.
Because scorching the leather could ruin the item, you should use the iron carefully. It may take several passes to remove deep creases, so keep the cloth damp to speed up the process.
Heavy creasing calls for special attention, and caution should be taken to keep from scalding one's hands. Repeat the process with a freshly dampened cloth until you achieve the desired effect.
Six, Treat Leather Shoes with Conditioner
In order to keep your leather shoes from becoming brittle as a result of the drying effects of steam and moisture, it is important to regularly replenish the leather with the appropriate oils. To keep your leather shoes from creasing or cracking further, use a leather conditioner to replenish the leather's natural oils.
After the inside and outside of your shoes have dried thoroughly, use a dry cloth to apply a leather conditioner. To treat leather properly, all you need is a good conditioner. We highly suggest the KIWI Shoe Conditioning Oil if you're looking for advice.
To prevent further wear, polish and treat the entire surface, but pay special attention to the spots where creases and scuffs have already appeared.
Seven, tie your shoes again
To check the final result after removing creases and conditioning your leather shoes, you should reinsert the shoelaces.
8- Put Shoes Away Properly
Store your leather shoes in a cool, dry, and shady area to extend their life and keep them looking great for years to come. Your leather shoes should be stored in a clean, dry shoebox with shoe trees.
Shoes that use shoe trees to stretch and absorb moisture can keep their original form for longer. Don't let your leather shoes dry in the sun, as doing so can cause permanent damage.
How to Remove Creases from Leather Shoes: Essential Advice
You should be pleased with the results if you followed our instructions for removing creases from leather shoes. We'd also like to give you some advice on how to get the most out of this process and how to stop wrinkles from forming in the first place.
- Avoid Creases by Properly Storing Your Leather Shoes - Unlike fabric shoes, leather footwear is less pliable and more prone to developing creases if not stored correctly. For this reason, when storing leather shoes, we advise using shoe trees or newspapers.
- When cleaning or conditioning your leather shoes, make sure to only use products that are safe for use around the feet. The porous nature of leather means that it readily absorbs the odors, oils, and other substances of which it comes in contact.
- You should always use a damp cloth between the iron and the leather when trying to remove creases from leather shoes. Shoes made of leather can be ruined by using an iron on a higher setting than the recommended low one.
