How to Soften Stiff Leather Shoes: 5 Tested Powerful Methods(DIY)

Last updated on June 2nd, 2024 at 08:45 pm

Leather is a pliable material that you can use for a long time with a little care. Neither today nor tomorrow the process of making leather is going on since 7000 years ago.

This industry is too big in the world right now beyond thinking. Leather is very important also in the world of fashion and sports.

Not just leather shoes, but also jackets, belts, wallets, bands, gloves, and many more. There is nothing in the world that will not deteriorate. According to the research of Researchgate, comfort is the second key aspect of purchasing footwear after shoe soles. And we all know a soft shoe brings maximum comfort to its wearer.

Leather loses its strength and durability over time. Sometimes it becomes stiff due to several reasons. You can feel the material very hard by wearing or touching it.

Some reasons such as different weather conditions. Also, there are different fake leather materials that are sold saying real leather and these shoes wear out very quickly, so the knowledge of the right material is also necessary to avoid it.

First, you must know different grades of leather materials according to their specialty. Then we will move further to the answer to today’s question of how to soften stiff leather shoes.

Let’s get started,

---

Types of Leather According to its Grade

When it comes to softening leather, it is important to consider types because different types of leather need different strategies and products to achieve great results. Mainly we can see three types of grades of leather.

• Full Grain Leather
• Top-grain Leather
• Suede Leather

If you recognize its grade well, it will be very easy to buy the best products or materials according to your use.

Full-Grain Leather

Full-grain leather contains complete protein and useful elements. So its softness, toughness, and strength are very high.  It means full-grain leather shoes are the best for long-term uses as it does not lose their softness over a short period of time.

Top-Grain Leather

Top grain means it is the topmost layer. It is removed and polished properly, then there is no protein and vitamin left in it, so softness is reduced.

Also, its toughness and strength are greatly reduced than full-grain leather.

This does not mean that top-grain leather does not make good products. It is available at a lower cost than full-grain leather. But I will recommend full-grain leather first, after that, I will recommend this.

Now you must have come to know which grade of leather would be right for you.

Suede Leather

Suede leather is sensitive as compared to top-grain and full-grain leather because it is the most oily or fatty part of the hide. This is why this type of leather needs more care.

It greatly repels water but after some time when you use it, it loses its properties. So, water is not a great option to clean these types of shoes.

Mostly oily substances or suede cleaner or softener is a good option.

---

Real VS Fake Leather Shoes

Fake leather is something that is made from artificial products. Like PU and PVC leather. PU leather is made from polyurethane and PVC leather is made from petroleum products.

These shoes look real but when you follow five easy steps, you can recognize whether real or not.

• First, look closely at the shoe material, the surface of real leather material looks smooth but irregular because it has pours. Whereas fake leather’s surface is always regular and shiny.
• Touch the material how does it feel? because real leather feels like you are touching a fabric, smooth as well as strong. When you bend the material, it will look shinier than normal. But you will notice no changes with the fake one.
• You can stretch real leather to some extent but in case faux leather you won’t. The best way to check stretchability is by mild heating the material for a few seconds.
• Whenever you apply excessive liquid conditioner on real leather shoes that will absorb maximum liquid and after some seconds shoes will look perfectly polished. Fake leather does not have absorbing properties so after some seconds of applying, patches may be noticed.
• However, you can smell it if you don’t have any problem. Real leather smells like bit sweet but fake leather smells like plastic or chemicals.

---

Why My Leather Shoe is Stiff

Everything in the world, if it is given a little care, will last for a long time. Similarly, you can take care of leather shoes by not being a little careless.

On the other hand, there are some other reasons also, like

Climate Impact

Climate plays a big role in making leather shoes stiff. Whenever there is less moisture in the climate like in winter and shoes are outside, due to lack of moisture, the material gets hard and stiff.

To avoid it always keep your shoes inside an air-tight container or wrapper. You can also find shoe crates or boxes in the market and keep shoes inside them, that would be a good idea!

In winter try to always condition shoes with a good quality conditioner on regular basis. Either you are wearing it or not.

---

Stay Away from Chemicals

If you are investing a high amount in leather shoes then always choose a good quality cleaner or conditioner, it means not a high-cost product but a product with good customer reviews or by any professional’s recommendation.

These are made up of petroleum products but for high profit, some companies are using some harmful chemicals which are not only making shoes stiff but also peeling problems noticed.

You May Also Read: How to Fix Leather Shoes Peeling

---

How to Soften Stiff Leather Shoes

Let’s understand it in two types,

But, before you start any of the methods make sure to clean the shoe with water and a cloth to remove specks of dust. Now make the shoe dry for some hours and then follow the steps below.

Type 1: If the Leather Shoe is a Bit Stiff

Method -1 Using Water and Petroleum Jelly

This is such a process that in this your leather shoe will work flexibly and semi-waterproof.

Required Supplies

• Petroleum jelly
• Hair Dryer
• Water

First, remove the laces of the shoes. Wet your fingers in water and rub it on the top of the leather shoe. Clean the excess water with a help of a cloth. We applied water because if there is invisible dust left in the shoes, it will come out.

Now our shoe is ready to apply petroleum jelly. Now take out that jelly with the help of your finger and apply it on the shoe. Leave the shoe for some hours after applying the jelly well.

After four to five hours, you will see that a thin layer of petroleum jelly has formed on the top of the shoe. Now we must dry the shoe by keeping the hair dryer on the medium and from five inches away. See, the layer of petroleum jelly that was sitting on the top of the shoe must be melting slowly.

Now rub a little hard where the melt is happening. This process may take some time, so you have to take it easy. After this melting process is over, the shoes have to be left for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, take a damp cloth and wipe the shoes from all sides. and your shoe must have become soft.

---

Method -2 Wear New Shoes Quickly to Soften the Leather from the Inside

This is such a way that when you buy a new shoe, it is clean because it has come direct from a manufacturing unit and no one has used it. You also notice the shoe is a bit stiff because no polishing, conditioning, and wearing for a long time until a customer buys it. So, after some days of using and caring the material gets soft.

Now wear the shoe without using socks. Your feet may be a little sore, so walk for two to three hours with the shoes on. Then the next day use shoes for two to three hours. By doing this every day for seven days, the shoe will become slightly flexible and soft.

But make sure to use a leather conditioner before wearing the shoe.

---

Type 2: If the shoe is too Stiff

Whenever you see a bit stiff then the above two methods are best applicable, but if the shoe is too stiff that means harming your feet then,

Method -3 Using a Shoe Stretcher with Plastic Knob

Required Supplies

• You have to buy a wooden shoe stretcher which also has a knob on it. As there is a finger in your feet, there is a knob to shape it.
• Leather conditioner

This knob is to be applied on the upper part of the same shoe stretcher with a cloth. Need to apply a little more leather conditioner. Take it and fit it inside the shoe, hold the wedging handle and tighten it by turning the lengthening wheel.

Leave it like this for 24 hours. By doing this, the vamp of the shoe will absorb the moisture inside it. That’s why it demands to apply more conditioner. You will get result 100% by Doing this.

---

Method 4: Best Oil to Soften Leather Shoes

Required Supplies

• A hairdryer.
• Olive oil to heat. I can say also that using mink oil, neatsfoot oil, coconut oil, and dubbin cream also works well for soft shoes.
• Hand Gloves

First, wear hand gloves to avoid mess, after that, the oil has to be heated. Make sure to maintain the oil temperature not too hot and not too cold. This must be applied well in the upper part of the shoe.

After that, the hair dryer must be set to medium heat (100 Degrees Fahrenheit) and dry the shoe properly from a safe distance.

After one day or two, you will notice the softness of the material.

---

Method -5 Use Saddle Soap

Here are 2 reasons to use saddle soap. There is fat and wax inside it that helps to keep the shoes protected from stiffness, giving softness and smoothness.

Apply saddle soap with a horsehair brush properly to the surface and keep it for some hours. You are done.

---

Final Thoughts on How to Soften Stiff Leather Shoes

All the steps mentioned above are very effective. Just give it some time and do the process comfortably. If methods are not done correctly, then there are chances of the shoe getting damaged.

Think a little, we must notice that when we use any oil on our body, our skin looks a little shiny and feels soft. Similarly, when we use any oily ingredients on leather it will feel soft and shiny.

So, here we are not doing anything new, we are just nourishing the leather fabrics from the inside to make it soft.

You can also follow these steps to soften old unused leather shoes. You should take care of leather shoes in the same way as you take care of your body.

Don’t let the shoe dry for a long time. Apply some petroleum jelly or leather conditioner. It improves the durability of leather.

I hope that the concept of how to soften stiff leather shoes must have been clear. If so then do not forget to comment below.

Thank you for reading this……………

---

FAQs on How to Soften Stiff Leather Shoes