How to Soften Leather Shoes

New leather shoes can cause sore feet, blisters, and other foot problems. Unless you find a way to soften the shoe, this will usually happen. Fortunately, there are ways to soften shoes and make your feet more comfortable.

Table of Contents

Soften shoes with oil

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Wipe the shoe clean before applying anything to the surface of the shoe. You should not apply oil if the shoes have not been cleaned. Use a damp rag to gently wipe away dirt and grit from the surface of the shoe. Wipe again with a dry rag to ensure that the shoes are completely dry and oiled.

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Choose oil. Oil when applied to shoes will restore and condition the skin, making the shoes softer. There are many oils that can soften the skin and prevent or reduce skin stiffness. Mink grease, leather soap, coconut oil and foot balm are all useful when you want to soften your shoes. ^{[1] X Research Sources}^{[2] X Research Sources}

Seek the advice of a skilled shoemaker for the best oil for your shoes.
Olive oil has a great grip, but some say it leaves oily marks and harms the skin. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

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Read product labels for oils intended for leather. ^{[4] X Research Source} Beware of oils containing turpentine, castor oil, mineral oil and other toxic chemicals. ^{[5] X Research Sources} Many ingredients can damage or decompose the skin. Read product labels carefully before purchasing skin oils.

Ask the salesperson at the store where you bought your shoes which oil is best for your shoes.

Apply oil to your shoes. Pour some oil into a clean dish. Wrap two fingers in a clean cloth or torn fabric from the t-shirt. Lightly dip two fingers wrapped in the rag into the oil of your choice. Lift your hand after dipping in the oil to allow the oil to drip onto the plate, then apply the oil to the cleaned shoe surface in gentle circular motions.

After applying a layer of oil on your shoes, let the real oil soak into the shoes.
Depending on the type of shoe, you may need to wait a few hours or a full day before applying a second coat. If you still find your shoes greasy or feel sticky to the touch, continue to wait for the oil to take full effect.
After the oil has soaked, you can test the softness of the shoe. If you want softer, apply another layer in the same way as the first layer and check the softness again. Repeat if necessary.

Soften shoes with alcohol and Vaseline cream

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Buy rubbing alcohol. ^{[6] X Research Sources} Cleaning alcohol (isopropyl) is available in pharmacies and supermarkets. Don’t try to use common alcoholic beverages to soften leather shoes; it just makes your shoes smell of alcohol!

Pour some alcohol into a small dish. The amount of alcohol you need will depend on the style of your shoe. If it’s boots or boots, you’ll need more alcohol than ankle boots. Dip a cotton ball in alcohol and rub it over the entire surface of the shoe. If the shoe has laces, you will also need to remove the laces to apply alcohol to the surface of the tongue and the inside of the shoe. Let the alcohol soak and dry for about 30 minutes. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Apply Vaseline cream to your shoes. ^{[8] X Source of Research} Apply Vaseline cream to the areas where you applied the alcohol. Use a small brush or toothbrush to rub the cream onto the shoes. Apply so that there is only a thin layer of Vaseline on the surface of the shoe. Leave it like that overnight. After letting the shoes soak in the cream and soften, use a dry rag to wipe off the cream.

If you find that the shoes are not as soft as you want after applying a layer of cream, you can repeat the process again until the shoes are as soft as desired. Sometimes you have to apply multiple layers to achieve the desired softness.

Soften your shoes by putting them on your feet

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Put your shoes on and walk around for half a day. ^{[9] X Research Source} One way to soften leather shoes is to wear shoes. Leather shoes will be more flexible if you put them on many times. However, if you wear new shoes all day, you may start to experience foot pain. To reduce your risk of foot pain, you can limit the amount of time you wear your shoes to half a day, then change to a more comfortable pair of shoes.

If your feet start to hurt when you put them on, take them off and change to another pair of shoes, even if you haven’t worn them for half a day.

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Continue wearing shoes for another half day after two days. ^{[10] X Research Source} Two days later, bring your shoes back in half a day. Continue wearing new shoes every other day in half-day increments. Once the shoes are soft enough, you can try them on all day. Continue wearing such shoes as often as you want.

Feet often sweat. If you wear a new pair of shoes for two days in a row, it won’t have time to dry, especially when the shoes are new and snug against the foot.

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Please be patient. The process of softening new shoes takes time. Leather takes a long time to get used to before it can be as soft as you want it to be. ^{[11] X Research Source} Thin leathers like calfskin tend to soften more easily, but if your shoe has a lot of stitches, this phase will take longer. You can speed up the softening process by wearing socks (one or two pairs) when walking around in your shoes.

Advice

When shopping for leather shoes, choose unfinished leather over finished leather for a naturally softer feel.
If you find that one brand’s shoes are constantly squeezing your heels and toes, buy another brand.
Make sure the shoes fit your feet properly. Shoes that are too wide or too tight are uncomfortable.
Have a bandage and ointment ready for the first week of wearing new leather shoes, as this is the time when feet are most susceptible to blisters.
Do not soak shoes in water. The leather will shrink, and you will end up with shoes that are both stiff and tight. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Steps

Soften shoes with oil

Soften shoes with alcohol and Vaseline cream

Soften your shoes by putting them on your feet

Advice

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