How to Get Creases Out of Shoes

Remember when you first bought your sneakers, and they were smooth and spotless? When you pull them out of the closet now, they look less than appealing with their wrinkles and crease marks. Find out how to get creases out of shoes of all types using a few simple techniques.

Your footwear takes the most beating of your apparel, and it seems impossible to prevent them from getting dirty or creases, especially if you wear them daily. The creasing in your shoe is a natural part of wear and tear, and over time, the wrinkles become more noticeable.

Fortunately, there are several ways to get wrinkles out of shoes, whether a leather shoe, suede shoe, dress shoe, or canvas sneaker. Before you replace your creased shoes with new ones, explore a range of tips for removing unsightly creases and restoring the smooth surface of all shoe types.

Ways to Get Creases Out of Shoes

There’s nothing quite like slipping on a new pair of boots or sneakers. However, shoes crease the more you wear them, and how you care for them plays a role in how long they last. Learn what causes shoe creasing, ways to get wrinkles out of your shoes, and how to clean and care for your footwear to ensure it stands the test of time.

What Causes Creases in Shoes?

Fashionable shoes are not cheap, and you take care of them by avoiding puddles and storing them properly. However, you still find wrinkles on the top section of each shoe, and these lines increase over time. What causes shoe creases, and can you prevent them from happening?

Shoe Creases

While it’s possible to alleviate the severity of the creases, unfortunately, shoe creases are inevitable. All sneakers, shoes, and boots crease after you wear them since the natural movement of your feet causes the shoe material to bend and compress, leading to wrinkles and creases.

Understanding Different Shoes before Removing Creases

Shoes are made of different materials, including fabric, canvas, suede, and leather, and the material type plays a role in how easily they crease. It’s essential to understand your shoe type to ensure that you use the proper cleaning and crease treatment method.

The four most common materials in shoes are synthetics, textiles, leather, and suede. Synthetic materials are man-made, while textiles are cotton, polyester, wool, and nylon materials. Leather is the out-facing side of animal hide, and suede is the inner-facing side, and both are vulnerable to water damage.

If you’ve ever owned a leather jacket, you’re probably well aware of how this material turns brittle after losing its natural oils. Due to their nature, leather shoes tend to crease more than canvas and fabric shoes.

Cleaning Your Shoes before Removing Creases

Prior to removing creases from your shoes, it’s a great idea to clean them to remove debris and to clean scuffed shoes so you have a fresh surface to work with. Otherwise, the treatment is not as effective, and it may even cause your footwear to get dirtier. Spot clean your footwear to remove everyday dirt.

The easiest and best way to clean leather shoes is to remove the laces from your shoes and rub each shoe with a damp towel. Start at the top and work your way down to clean the entire surface, and do not saturate the material. Dry the shoes with a soft towel and set them on a shoe rack to air dry.

Removing Creases from Shoes with a Clothes Iron

If you have a clothes iron, removing creases from shoes is easy. This method is safe for any shoe type, and it quickly eliminates a shoe crease, leaving behind a smooth surface. Here is how to get wrinkles out of your shoes with an iron.

Push rags into the front of the shoe to stretch the toe box. Avoid using balls of newspapers since the ink may bleed and cause staining on your shoes. Fill the clothes iron with water and set it between 60 and 80°F.

Set your shoes on a flat surface and cover them with a damp, white towel. Place the iron on the top of the towel and move it in a circular motion to smooth out the creases. Do not let the iron sit too long in one spot to prevent damage to the shoe material. Check for remaining wrinkles as you work, and keep the towel damp until all creases are gone.

How to Get Creases Out of Boots with a Blow Dryer

The simplest way to remove wrinkles from shoes is to apply heat, and a hair dryer or heat gun is the next best tool if you do not have a clothes iron. Discover how to get creases out of boots and shoes with a blow dryer.

Place a cedar shoe tree inside your shoe to prevent the inside from heating during the process. Turn your hairdryer on the low setting, hold it eight to ten inches away from the shoe, and use a sweeping motion to heat the shoe creases.

Set the dryer down and use your fingers to press the shoe material against the shoe tree and smooth out the crease. Repeat these steps until all wrinkles are gone.

How to Get Creases Out of Shoes by Steaming Them

Steam has more uses than getting wrinkles out of curtains, old clothes, and other fabrics. It is perfect for removing a shoe crease since it combines the power of water and heat to soften the material. Steam the surface of your shoes to get rid of creases.

Get a damp towel, place it in a heat-resistant dish, and microwave it for half a minute. Set your shoe on a flat surface and rub the damp cloth over the shoe crease to heat and relax the material.

Insert the shoe tree into the sneaker to press out the wrinkles and hold the shoe’s shape as it cools. It may be necessary to repeat these steps if the crease is deep.

Using Conditioner to Get Creases Out of Leather Shoes

While heat is ideal for removing creases from shoes, there are other ways to remove the wrinkles if you feel uncomfortable heating your shoe’s leather material. You can use conditioner to get a crease out of leather footwear or as a way to get scuffs out of leather shoes and boots.

Apply some leather conditioner to a soft cloth and rub it over the entire surface of your leather boot or shoe, paying particular attention to the creased areas. Massage the conditioner into the leather item with a circular motion, insert a shoe tree to hold the shoe’s shape and push out creases, and let it dry before wearing.

Treating Leather Shoes after Removing Creases

Leather is a durable, natural material that holds up well to daily wear and tear. However, it’s vital to treat your leather footwear after removing creases to ensure the material doesn’t dry and crack or if it makes leather shoes smaller than you need. Loosen leather shoes with a shoe tree if that’s a problem. Here is how to treat leather to help it keep its shine and luster.

Apply either shoe polish or leather oil to a soft cloth and work it into the leather on the women’s or men’s shoe. Start at the shoe top and work down to the soles, working in gentle circles. Let them air dry, and buff the leather and restore its shine with a clean, soft cloth.

Getting Wrinkles Out of Shoes with a Shoe Tree

If you do not have a heat source or are unsure if it’s safe to use on your footwear, a shoe tree works well to smooth wrinkly shoes and boots. How to get creases out of boots with a shoe tree is easy.

Shoe Tree Method

The easiest way to smooth the creases in your shoes if you’re not in a time crunch is to use shoe trees. While this strategy takes longer than others, it’s the safest way to get your footwear looking as clean and smooth as when you bought them.

Use a shoe tree with a rounded edge to prevent scratching the inner lining and insert them into your shoes. Leave the trees in place for at least 24-hours, and check your sneakers for remaining creases.

Use Rubbing Alcohol to Remove Shoe Creases

If the crease in your shoe is mild, rubbing alcohol may remove it from the surface, and it’s also helpful in cleaning away tough stains. In addition, this product is inexpensive, and you may already have a bottle at home.

Combine equal amounts of water and alcohol in a spray bottle and shake it gently to mix. Place your shoe on a towel on a flat surface and spray the solution on the creased areas. Massage the material with your hands to work out the wrinkles, and stuff the inside of the shoe with small towels or a shoe tree.

Using Your Clothes Dryer to Refresh Creased Sneakers

While the clothes dryer is not safe for all materials, it’s generally okay for drying and removing wrinkles from fabric and canvas shoes. However, check the care tag on your footwear before proceeding with this technique.

Spray water on the creases of your shoes and hang the laces on the outside of the door before closing it to prevent them from banging around inside the dryer. Use the lowest heat setting and dry the shoes for ten minutes. Remove the sneakers from the dryer and check them for additional wrinkles. Repeat the steps once more if necessary.

Getting Creases Out of Shoes with Vinegar

While white vinegar is probably the last thing you think of when removing creases from shoes, this liquid helps to soften and break up the crease for a smooth surface. Here is how to get a crease out of your shoe with vinegar.

Mix water and vinegar in a bottle and spray it onto the creased area of your shoe. Use your fingers to massage the liquid into the wrinkle while working the crease out of the material. If that doesn’t work, use a hairdryer to warm the fabric and soften the fine lines.

How to Get Wrinkles Out of Shoes with Soapy Water

Good old soap and water often work if you don’t have the time or patience to apply heat and other solutions to your shoes. While it may not be sufficient for deep creases, it effectively removes fine lines, giving the shoe a smooth finish.

Start by stuffing the shoe with a small towel or balled-up socks to press the crease lines from the material. Pour warm water into a container or bowl, add a squirt of liquid dish soap, and dip the edge of a washcloth into the soapy solution.

Rub the wet cloth gently on the wrinkles of your shoe to work them out of the material, and let your shoe air dry before removing the towel from inside.

Getting Creases Out of a Suede Shoe

Suede shoes are a type of leather from the underside of the animal skin, and the material has a smooth and soft surface. They are not as durable as leather materials and require special treatment when removing creases. Here is how to get a crease out of a suede shoe.

Set your suede shoe on a flat surface and stuff the inside with paper towels. Lay a clean towel over the area with creases and carefully iron your shoe. Use the lowest heat setting, keep the iron moving to prevent scorching, and check the shoe for wrinkles after 15 seconds. Brush your shoe with a suede brush to soften the surface.

Remove Creases from Shoes with a Shoe Stretcher

Sometimes, a shoe stretcher is all you need to get creases out of your shoes. It loosens and stretches the material back to its original shape while removing lines and wrinkles. Use this tool to restore your shoes’ appearance.

Place the front part of the shoe tree inside each shoe, squeeze the two front sides of the tree to reduce the width, and insert it a little further. Compress the springs and place the back section inside the shoe, and apply a shoe stretcher spray as directed. The tree stretches out the fabric to remove and prevent permanent creases.

How to Use Crease Protectors to Prevent Shoe Wrinkles

Crease protectors are handy gadgets designed to keep the shape of your shoe to prevent leather shoes from creasing. They add structure to the front of the shoe and are available at most stores.

Shoe Crease Protectors

A sneaker shield or shoe crease protector is a durable item that you slip into the toe box of your shoe. It is designed to maintain the shoe’s appearance and prevent creases as you walk. Loosen the laces on your sneaker and insert the crease protector into the upper toe area as directed.

Ways to Prevent Creases in Shoes

The ideal way to keep your new shoes looking their best is to take steps to keep them wrinkle and crease-free. Here are several tips to help prevent creases in shoes and ensure your footwear always looks its best.

How you walk plays a role in shoe creases. Avoid toe walking, which is the habit of walking on the balls of your feet rather than your heels. Other ways to prevent shoes from creasing and keep them with a fresh, out-of-the-box look are to install sneaker shields inside your shoes while wearing them and use shoe trees when you are not.

The Dos and Don’ts of Shoe Care

Shoes go through a lot from the time you buy them until they retire, and knowing how to maintain them properly helps them perform better and look good. Learn how to care for your footwear and what to avoid to keep your shoes in tip-top shape.

Shoe Care

Keep your shoes away from moisture, which causes bacteria and mildew growth. If your footwear gets wet, dry with a towel, stuff them with paper towels or balls of tissue paper to absorb dampness, and set them on a shoe rack to air dry.

Keep your footwear out of direct sunlight when storing them to prevent the material from fading and cracking. If storing your sneakers in a box, use cardboard instead of plastic to allow air circulation. Keep a shoe horn, shoe polish, and other shoe-related items together during storage.

If you have leather or suede shoes, use a leather cleaner, leather conditioner, and suede brush to maintain the natural material. Use a shoe tree as needed to keep the shoe size and prevent creases. Shake baking soda inside your sneakers when not in use to absorb odors.

Cleaning your shoes to remove everyday dirt is one thing, but restoring their smooth surface is a little more tricky. Fortunately, there are simple ways to remove these creases, whether they are faux leather, patent leather dress shoes, or a canvas sneaker.

Now that you know how to get creases out of shoes to maintain their stylish appearance, we’d love it if you’d share our shoe crease removing guide and shoe-care tips with your family and friends on Facebook and Pinterest.