How to Fix Leather Shoes Peeling: A 4 Step Easy Guide

Last updated on July 29th, 2024 at 01:11 pm

Imagine one day morning after waking up and when you are ready to go to the office you notice your shoes are totally damaged due to peeling off. It is clear you won’t like it, right?

When I was starting my career, one day in the interview hall I noticed on my left shoe, above the stitch area, was peeling and when I put my hand on it more layers started coming out.

I can remember that day my entire interview went wrong while hiding that. That was a really bad day! but today is a good day for you.

According to Statista leather footwear market in the United States increasing annually by 3.03% which means you can imagine how many people are facing and will face peeling issues with their shoes.

Today you will get a complete solution of how to fix leather shoes peeling with step by step guide. But, before we move to fix the problem you should understand why shoe peeling happened and at last how to prevent this.

So, sit tight, and Let’s start,

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Why are My Leather Shoes Peeling

1. Not Using Shoes

It may be a big reason for inviting different issues to your shoe if you are not using it for a long time. If the shoe is lying in a place for a long time, the peeling problem appears in it due to the bacteria or due to weather conditions misbalance.

Because of the temperature difference where you are keeping your shoe, the shoe fabric gets affected and then the peeling process starts.

Also, it is quite obvious that if you are not using the shoe that means you also not cleaning it or polishing it regularly so, the situation gets out of control at last.

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2. Too Much Moisture

Basically, when leather absorbs water, it makes the fabric soft. If you are keeping shoes in a place where there is water or in moist weather (like in the rainy season) then the shoe starts getting damaged gradually.

If your leather shoe is not water absorbent then water can severely damage the surface if not cleaned for some weeks or months. 

Also, shoe peeling can be seen not only from the outside but also from the inside, and somewhere the reason is also moisture which is due to sweating. Now because the inner part of the shoe is softer, hence the damage happens quickly.

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3. Bad Quality Products

How many of you agree with me that this can be a problem?

Always make sure when you are using any product like a polish, wax, color kit anything makes research on the internet or you can take advice from an expert.

For example, shoe polish is made up of different petroleum products like Naptha and different types of wax that makes the leather long-lasting by nourishing the fabrics.

But at the same time, there are some products available in the market in which they are using harsh chemicals that can easily ruin your shoes in some months.

If you want a good product suggestion you can ask in the comment section we will love to suggest it.

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4. Cut or Tear

If ever the outer layer of the shoe is cut due to the rub of any sharp object, then peeling may start there.

The leather is nothing just a combination of different layers and the top layer is well known for making the shoe rigid and giving long life. If somehow this layer is cut then the inner soft layers can easily come out one by one.

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5. Not Adapting the Right Way to Clean

1. This is a common mistake most people do. Whenever you clean the shoe with any watery solution, make sure to dry every part of the shoe with mild sunlight or a hair dryer.

If you do not do this, then the water softens the leather of the shoe, and then peeling becomes inevitable by friction with any object.

Due to this problem, people also notice wrinkles on the shoe which again leads to peeling. One of the major reasons for this wrinkling is the shrinkage of the leather or because the feet and shoes are bent while sitting.

2. On the other hand if you do not apply water to the shoe when cleaning, then it would cause two problems,

One is that the stain does not come out from the shoe properly and second, the leather becomes very stiff without moisture. In both cases, the shoe peeling may be noticed. 

You May Also Read: How to Clean Leather Shoes

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6. Not Using a Proper Shoe Storage

A complete air-tight shoe storage or rack eliminates the risk of peeling on the shoes because no worries about the outside environment if it is moist or dry. Also, it avoids the direct impact of the sunlight.

For extra safety of moisture, you can put 3 to 4 sachets of silica gel inside the storage.

On the other hand, shoe storage maintains the shoe in a proper position without twisting it. But make sure to put the storage or rack inside a room where there is no impact of humidity.

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How to Fix Leather Shoes Peeling

Step 1: Cleaning and Setup

1. There is no doubt that after doing this process, the place becomes a little dirty. So, choose a clean workspace where you can perform this.

2. Now arrange initial supplies like a clean cloth and brush, water and soap, emery paper, leather color, white paper, or white tape.

3. Firstly, before you start you need to clean the shoe with soap and water and remove the dust finely and make the shoe dry completely.

4. Now check the issue if it is a minor or major problem. Minor means you will notice wrinkles and minor peeling while a worse situation means the whole affected area is peeled out.

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Step 2: Rub It  

1. Now take the emery paper and rub the area properly to remove the peeled parts. Also, keep in mind the area near the peeled part may be affected, so rub there lightly to clean well.

2. You need to smooth that affected area to perform the next step.

3. Now there are two ways by which you can fix the problem so, choose it according to your issue.

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Step 3: Fix the Minor Issues

1. This solution is best for those who notice small patches of peeling and also it is suggested for formal, casual shoes made up of patent leather, genuine leather, and non-leather materials.

2. Now take the white paper or tape and wrap it around the unaffected areas.

3. Take the color same as the shoe and with the help of a coloring brush paint the affected areas. Make it welly dry.

4. Remove the paper tape and boom! It is gone.

PROS OF THIS PROCESS	CONS OF THIS PROCESS
In this way, you can hide the issue completely, and also it is unnoticeable.	Not a permanent solution because after some months the same problem can happen in the other areas of the shoe.
Fast solution.	After some time the color may disappear due to applying water or other solution to the shoe for cleaning.
Also good for non-leather shoes.

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Step 4: Time for Major Issues

This solution is best for pure leather and suede leather shoe users. If you are noticing large peelings on the shoe then it is a major issue.

A good thing about the pure leather shoe is it is a combination of different layers. So, when you are removing the peelings with emery paper then rub the whole shoe finely except the shoe sole.

This way the upper shiny layer will come out. Now you can apply the shoe conditioner and can use it like new.

In this case, you may face one issue as the shining layer is absent whose work is not to absorb excess water, which can trouble you because the inner layer is more water absorbent.

PROS OF THIS PROCESS	CONS OF THIS PROCESS
A permanent solution.	Time-taking process.
Best for pure and suede leather shoes.	Not good for patent leather or non-leather shoes.

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Final Thoughts on How to Fix Leather Shoes Peeling

As you know there are several layers of leather. So, when people notice some layers are coming out and look bad they go for a new one. But, I will not recommend this.

Peeling in shoes can be noticeable after some months or years depending on your uses and care. Buying a new shoe after noticing some minor issue is not a great idea.

If you really want a solution then try out the steps I discussed in this article. But after that, you have to keep in mind all those things that would start this issue again which I told you earlier.

However, if you have more than one pair of shoes then you can alternate both.

Please give your valuable comments if you feel this piece of content is helpful for you or for your friends and families.

Thanks for reading……………

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FAQ on How to Fix Leather Shoes Peeling