How to Get Wrinkles Out of Shoes

Co-authored by Moe Draper

Last Updated: November 25, 2022 References

Whether they’re your fresh kicks or your fancy dress shoes, having creases and wrinkles in your shoes can really put a damper on your style. Luckily, it’s actually pretty easy to get those pesky wrinkles out of leather and suede. With a little bit of heat, patience, and the right products, you can restore your shoes to their original crisp and clean status. For fabric and canvas shoes, give them a good washing and drying to clean them and remove wrinkles.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Ironing Your Shoes

1
Use an iron to de-wrinkle leather shoes, sneakers, and suede shoes. Over time, the leather in your shoes and sneakers can crease and develop wrinkles and the heat from an iron can relax the material and smooth out the wrinkles. Choose an iron for a gentle way to get wrinkles out of your shoes.^{[1]
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- The wrinkles that form in the patent leather of sneakers and shiny dress shoes can be ironed out as well.
2
Remove the laces from the shoes. The laces of your shoes are made out of cotton, fabric, or another material that can easily get burned by a hot iron. Take out the laces so they’re protected and so the shoes are easier to stuff and de-wrinkle.^{[2]
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- Consider washing cotton laces so they’re extra fresh when you replace the after getting the wrinkles out of your shoes.
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3
Stuff the shoes with paper towels, rags, or a shoe tree.^{[3]
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Expert Source

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.} Stretching the toe box, which is 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 and stretch out the shoes or fill the insides of both shoes with enough material to keep them packed tight.^{[4]
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- Avoid using newspaper or colored paper or the ink could stain your shoes.
- Use clean towels or rags so you don’t get any dirt on the inside of your sneakers.
4
Fill an iron with water and set it between 60–80 °F (16–27 °C). Pour enough water into your iron so 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.^{[5]
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5
Dampen a white towel and lay it over the surface of the sneaker. Use a white towel so there isn’t a chance the dye in the fabric could stain or discolor your shoes. Wet the towel and squeeze out the excess water so it’s damp, but not saturated. Lay the damp towel over the surface of your shoes.^{[6]
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- The water serves to protect the surface of your shoes from the heat.
- If the towel is too wet, it could warp or damage your shoes, especially if they're suede.
6
Iron over the top of the damp towel to remove the wrinkles. Place your iron against the damp towel covering your shoe. Move the iron in a gentle, circular motion to smooth out any creases or wrinkles.^{[7]
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- Keep the iron moving so it doesn’t sit for too long in 1 spot, which could damage the material.
7
Move the towel around to iron out all of the wrinkles from both shoes. Check the shoe to see where you need to iron out wrinkles. Place the damp towel back over it to protect the material and use your iron to smooth out the surface until the shoe is fully ironed. Then, iron out the wrinkles in your other shoe so they’re both smooth and wrinkle-free.^{[8]
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- If the towel starts to dry out from the heat, add a little more water to dampen it again. But make sure it isn’t saturated!
8
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.^{[9]
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- If there are still some wrinkles or creases after they dry, you can repeat the ironing process to smooth them out even more.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Trying Other Methods

1
Apply leather oil to smooth out newer creases. Prevent wrinkles and creases from setting in and getting worse by smoothing them out with leather oil as soon as you notice them.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.} Add a few drops of high-quality leather oil onto the crease and gently rub it into the leather with a dry soft cloth to massage the material. Use your hands to stretch out the leather as you massage the oil into it.^{[11]
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- Creases and wrinkles are natural, especially as your break in your leather shoes. But you can minimize their appearance by maintaining and massaging the leather with oil.
- Look for leather oil at your local shoe shop or leather goods store. You can also it online.
EXPERT TIP

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
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.

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

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 will help keep them crease-free for longer.

Some shoe repair people and cobblers are knowledgeable in removing creases from shoes, but getting this done professional 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. While this won't get rid of the creases completely, it can help to minimize the appearance of creases in quality leather shoes.
2
Use rubbing alcohol and a shoe stretcher for older creases. Mix together equal parts water and rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle. Spray the solution onto the crease and gently work into the leather with your hands. Slide shoe stretchers into the shoes and expand them to stretch out the creases until the shoes dry.^{[12]
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- You can leave the stretchers in the shoes until you’re ready to wear them.
3
Insert a pair of shoe trees and use a blow dryer for deep creases. Slide a pair of shoe trees into your leather shoes and expand them to stretch out the creases. Hold a blow dryer about 5–6 inches (13–15 cm) away from the surface of the shoes on low heat. Keep the blow dryer moving to gently heat them up and loosen the leather and get rid of the creases.^{[13]
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- Avoid keeping the blow dryer in one spot or you could warp the leather.
- Move the blow dryer back and forth over both shoes.
4
Store your shoes with a shoe tree inside to prevent creases.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
Expert Interview. 5 April 2021.} Whenever you aren’t wearing your leather shoes, insert a shoe tree inside. Expand the tree enough to tighten the leather so there aren’t any wrinkles or creases. Store your shoes with the shoe tree inside until you’re ready to wear them so they stay wrinkle-free.^{[15]
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Expert Q&A

Question

How do I stop my shoes from creasing when I walk?

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
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.

Moe Draper

Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

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.
Question

Can you fix creasing in shoes?

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
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.

Moe Draper

Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

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.
Question

How do I stop my leather boots from creasing?

Moe Draper
Shoe Care & Repair Specialist
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.

Moe Draper

Shoe Care & Repair Specialist

Expert Answer

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.