Whether you wear sneakers, dress shoes, or any other leather or suede footwear, nothing’s more annoying than discovering creases and wrinkles. There’s no need to worry though—you can get wrinkles out of shoes with many items you probably already have at home. We interviewed leather and shoe care specialist Moe Draper to teach you how to remove creases with or without an iron, as well as how to prevent shoe wrinkles in the first place.
How to Remove Wrinkles from Shoes
Remove the laces and stuff the shoes with a shoe tree or old rags. Set an iron to 60–80 °F (16–27 °C) and place a damp towel over the shoes’ surface. Run the iron over the towel in gentle, circular motions to smooth out the creases. Remove the towel and allow the shoes to dry completely before unstuffing them.
Steps
Removing Creases with an Iron
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Remove the laces from the shoes. The laces of your shoes are likely made of cotton or other fabrics or materials that can easily be burned by a hot iron. Take out the laces so they’re protected and the shoes are easier to stuff and de-wrinkle. [1] X Research source
- Consider washing cotton laces so they’re extra fresh when you replace them after getting the creases out of your shoes.
- Ironing works well to remove wrinkles and creases from leather shoes, sneakers, and suede shoes.
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Stuff the shoes with paper towels, rags, or a shoe tree. Stretching the toe box (the front of the shoe) will tighten the material of your shoes, making it easier to iron and get the wrinkles out of them. Use a shoe tree to stretch out the shoes, or fill the insides of both shoes with enough material to keep them packed tight. [2] X Research source
- Avoid using newspaper or colored paper, as the ink could stain your shoes.
- Use clean towels or rags so you don’t get any dirt on the inside of your sneakers or dress shoes.
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Fill an iron with water and set it between 60–80 °F (16–27 °C). Pour enough water into your iron so that it’s able to steam up when you use it. Set it to a relatively low temperature so it doesn’t singe or damage the material. Let the iron heat up fully before you use it. [3] X Research source
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Dampen a white towel and lay it over the shoe. Use a white towel so the dye from the fabric can’t stain or discolor your shoes. Wet the towel and squeeze out the excess water so that it’s damp but not saturated. Lay the damp towel over the surface of your sneakers or shoes. The water will help protect the surface of your shoes from the heat. [4] X Research source
- If the towel is too wet, it could warp or damage your shoes, especially if they’re suede.
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Iron over the top of the towel to remove the wrinkles. Once your iron has heated completely, place it against the damp towel covering your shoe. Move the iron in a gentle, circular motion to smooth out any creases or wrinkles. Keep the iron moving so it doesn’t sit for too long in one spot, as this could damage the material. Check the shoe every few seconds to make sure there is no scorching or burning. [5] X Research source
- Move the towel as needed to iron out all the wrinkles from the entire surface of both shoes.
- If the towel starts to dry out from the heat, add a little more water to dampen it again. Just make sure it isn’t saturated.
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Remove the damp cloth and let the shoes dry. Once both shoes are ironed, take off the damp towel so the water doesn’t soak into the surface. Allow the shoes to air dry for a few hours until they’re dry to the touch. Leave the shoes stuffed until they cool. [6] X Research source
- If there are still some wrinkles or creases after they dry, repeat the ironing process to smooth them out even more.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do I stop my shoes from creasing when I walk?Moe Draper is a Shoe Care and Repair Specialist and the Owner of Detroit Shoe Shine and Shoe Repair. With over 20 years of personal experience, Moe specializes in shoe shining, cosmetic restorations for quality leather goods, and minor/major shoe repair services. Moe and his staff at Detroit Shoe Shine and Repair have over 30 years of combined experience and knowledge.The most effective ways to stop shoes from creasing is to pay attention to your walk pattern, to not bend down and make creases in them, and to keep shoe trees in the shoes to prevent further creasing when the shoes are not being worn.
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QuestionCan you fix creasing in shoes?Moe Draper is a Shoe Care and Repair Specialist and the Owner of Detroit Shoe Shine and Shoe Repair. With over 20 years of personal experience, Moe specializes in shoe shining, cosmetic restorations for quality leather goods, and minor/major shoe repair services. Moe and his staff at Detroit Shoe Shine and Repair have over 30 years of combined experience and knowledge.Once the creases are there, they are tough to remove if you have not placed plastic or wooden shoe trees in your shoes. Using shoe trees when you first purchase the shoes, prevents gravity from helping the creases to last. Some shoe repair and shoe cobblers are knowledgeable in removing creases from shoes, but it can be a costly process since it requires detailed attention. A more economical way to disguise the creases is by going to your local Bootblack, Shoe Shiner, or shoe care experts that can provide shoe care services to minimize the appearance of creases in quality leather shoes.
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QuestionHow do I stop my leather boots from creasing?Moe Draper is a Shoe Care and Repair Specialist and the Owner of Detroit Shoe Shine and Shoe Repair. With over 20 years of personal experience, Moe specializes in shoe shining, cosmetic restorations for quality leather goods, and minor/major shoe repair services. Moe and his staff at Detroit Shoe Shine and Repair have over 30 years of combined experience and knowledge.To stop leather boots from creasing, a person should purchase plastic or wooden shoe trees in their shoe size and keep them in the boots when they are not wearing them to maintain the original form of the boots. It would also help to make sure that your leather is nourished annually, or more often depending on how often you wear the boots.
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Tips
- You can also take your shoes to a shoe repair specialist to have the wrinkles professionally removed.Thanks
Warnings
- Avoid getting too much moisture on your shoes or you can warp or damage them.Thanks
References
- ↑ https://bootmoodfoot.com/get-creases-out-of-leather-shoes/
- ↑ https://www.bhg.com.au/lifestyle/how-to-remove-creases-from-leather-shoes/
- ↑ https://bootmoodfoot.com/get-creases-out-of-leather-shoes/
- ↑ https://www.firstforwomen.com/beauty/fashion/how-to-get-creases-out-of-shoes-leather-canvas-and-more
- ↑ https://www.bhg.com.au/lifestyle/how-to-remove-creases-from-leather-shoes/
- ↑ https://bootmoodfoot.com/get-creases-out-of-leather-shoes/
- ↑ https://bootmoodfoot.com/get-creases-out-of-leather-shoes/
- ↑ https://www.firstforwomen.com/beauty/fashion/how-to-get-creases-out-of-shoes-leather-canvas-and-more
- ↑ https://bootmoodfoot.com/get-creases-out-of-leather-shoes/
- ↑ Moe Draper. Shoe Care & Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.
- ↑ https://bootmoodfoot.com/get-creases-out-of-leather-shoes/
- ↑ https://www.firstforwomen.com/beauty/fashion/how-to-get-creases-out-of-shoes-leather-canvas-and-more
- ↑ Moe Draper. Shoe Care & Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.
- ↑ https://shoegazing.com/2018/12/09/in-depth-how-shoes-crease/
- ↑ https://www.firstforwomen.com/beauty/fashion/how-to-get-creases-out-of-shoes-leather-canvas-and-more
- ↑ Moe Draper. Shoe Care & Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.
- ↑ https://www.firstforwomen.com/beauty/fashion/how-to-get-creases-out-of-shoes-leather-canvas-and-more