How to Stretch Leather - Ultimate Leather Stretching Guide
Leather is a natural material that becomes soft and stretches over time. You might have noticed that whether it's new leather bags, jackets, or leather shoes, they are a bit stiff and less stretched in the beginning but fits more comfortably after some time of usage. This is due to natural flexibility and pliability but it can take a bit of time before you start to see the difference.
Do not like to wait? No worries! We are here with our ultimate guide on how to stretch leather by yourself. Using these tricks you can stretch out your leather goods in no time for a more comfortable and easy fit.
How does Leather Stretching Work?
Leather is a natural material and stretches with regular usage without using any additional products on them. It has natural flexibility and pliability which makes it soft and stretched with use. Sometimes, when the shoes or clothes fit tight especially when they are new and it becomes a bit uncomfortable to use them. At such times, it makes sense to use different methods to stretch the leather and making it comfortable to wear.
If you decide to stretch your shoes or clothing by yourself, it is advisable to first try anyone method on a sample and if you get the desired results then only practice it on your valuable leather products as no one wants to ruin their favorite leather goodies.
How much can you stretch leather?
Although leather can be stretched, but only to a certain limit. Such as in the case of shoes, you may be able to able to stretch them between 1/4 to 1/2 size from their original size. There is no fixed limit as the quality of leather plays a very important role in its stretch ability.
Another important factor to remember is that the leather will stretch but the seams will not so if you try to stretch it beyond what the seams can take then you might end up ruining your favorite shoes or clothing. Do not expect the leather to stretch continuously as every fabric has a certain limit of flexibility.
Ways to Stretch Leather
Although we still advise getting your leather products stretched by professionals if that is not possible due to any reason or you wish to do some DIY experiment then we have some methods for you. Let's see how to stretch leather using some of the tried and tested methods below.
Method 1 - Rubbing Alcohol
Besides getting drunk, let's see how to stretch leather using alcohol and water. Just combine one part of rubbing alcohol with three parts of water in a spray bottle and mix it well by shaking the bottle. Now, spray this solution on parts of leather that you wish to stretch.
Remember not to submerge the leather goods entirely in the alcohol solution. It only needs to be moistened. Once it is moist enough, start expanding it using your hands from areas where you want to stretch your leather.
For clothing such as leather jackets, put the jacket on and try to stretch and bend the areas where you want the stretch. Wear the leather until the spots where you applied the mixture are dry completely.
For stretching leather shoes, spray the alcohol mixture on the pair of shoes and then wear the shoes with thick socks inside to stretch them out.
Method 2 - Ice
We all know that when water freezes it contracts, and when the ice thaws out it expands. This property of water can also be used for expanding the leather.
For this method, first, place your leather item inside a secure zip plastic bag and carefully seal it shut. For extra security, you can also vacuum seal the bag.
Now place this bag in a larger freezer bag and fill the bag with water before zipping it up. Keep this bag inside the freezer for an hour or two until it freezes completely.
Now, Take the bag out and let it thaw out. The contraction and expansion due to this process help it to stretch naturally. You can repeat the process several times until you get the desired results.
This process involves the risk of your leather item getting filled with water and ruining it so be careful while using this method.
Method 3 - Heat
Heat can open up the pores of the leather and soften it so that it will help you while trying to stretch your leather. You can simply use a hairdryer and blow it on the leather item from a distance of some inches till it becomes warm and softens up.
Try to heat the areas evenly to get the best results. Now, turn off the hairdryer and put on the leather jacket or shoes. Remember to wear thick clothes inside before putting the leather item on and avoid heating it too much to avoid any burns while wearing them.
Now stretch leather items while wearing them by bending and expanding the areas you want to stretch out. For stretching shoes, wear thick socks then put on shoes and try to move your feet inside to stretch leather permanently.
Method 4 - Weight
This method is one of the simplest. You need only a stable source such as a metal bar suspended above some distance from the ground. Now attach one side of the leather item to this source and the other end hanging to any heavyweight thing or simply bags filled with rocks.
Make sure to use the right weight as per the strength of your leather item. Keep the leather hanged like this for about one hour or two and keep checking it every ten minutes to avoid sudden breaking or tearing.
When you get the desired results you can remove the weights. This method works best for things like leather straps and belts.
Method 5 - Professional Products
Leather stretching spray
If all these methods do not suit your leather goods then you can simply go with stretching sprays professionally designed to stretch and loosen up the leather. There is a wide range of stretching sprays available in the market, shoe stores or you can find a good one online also.
Take a leather stretching spray and apply it directly to the leather clothing or shoes to make the leather soft and stretchy. Now put on the leather and keep wearing it to ensure it stretches properly.
If you have applied the spray to something other than clothing, then you will need to hang the leather and put something heavyweight on the other side to stretch the leather.
Leather Conditioners
You can buy a leather conditioner which is easily available in the market or any leather products shop. You can also find good leather conditioners online. Using conditioners is a great way to stretch leather easily and safely at home. It will not just soften the leather but will also work as a leather care product.
Leather conditioners work best for leather furniture such as sofas and chairs. They work great with clothing and shoes as well.
Apply the leather conditioner generously on the goods and let it absorb in the leather. Now, put on the shoes with thick socks and move your feet inside to stretch the shoes or clothing.
For small leather accessories such as wallets and purses, you can apply a conditioner and then stuff it with paper fully to retain the stretch and shape.
Using a Shoes Stretcher
You can also use the professional shoe stretching tools available in the market which stretches the shoes in the right spots to make them more comfortable to wear.
If you do not wish to do it by yourself then you can also take your shoes to professionals who have these shoe stretching machines and they can stretch your leather shoes or boots much effectively.
How to stretch shoulder straps of leather bags?
Do you find the shoulder straps of your newly bought leather shoulder bag short for your needs? You can use one of the below methods to stretch the straps to some extent.
Weigh down the straps
Try the simple trick of hanging one end of shoulder straps to some strong support and the other end with some heavyweight such as bricks, a bag of rocks, heavy books, etc. Let it hang for a few hours and you will find the straps will get longer a bit. Be careful to not use excessive weight than what your leather straps can take.
Warm the leather straps
Put warm water in the basin and submerge the straps in water. Let it rest in the water for 10-15 minutes. Take it out and try to stretch it with your hands or by hanging it with some weight. When the leather straps get dried, treat them with a good leather conditioner to avoid getting them dry and stiff.
Use alcohol and water
Mix one part alcohol with three-part water in a spray bottle and shake it well. Spray this solution on straps generously and stretch the straps using hands or hanging with some weight. When the desired results are achieved, let the straps dry and then treat them with some good conditioner to retain the shape and stretch of the straps.
Conclusion
Besides looking great leather has some amazing qualities such as flexibility and pliability making the leather goods stretch and become more comfortable over time with use. But if you do not wish to wait and want to accelerate the process then you can simply try these methods and get results instantly for a better and comfortable fit.
Although stretching leather at home by yourself is very easy but it does have the risks of ruining your precious leather products due to heat, water, or weight.
Leather products are luxurious and expensive so we always recommend using professionals' help for stretching leather instead of doing it yourself.
