Soften your child’s new school shoes with these easy tricks
Back to school can be a bit uncomfortable for young kids, especially the ones that are just starting school, as having to wear school shoes is not a norm and they tend to be a bit hard.
POLOKWANE – Local cobbler and shoe fixer, Joe Malesela gave Review advice on how to make shoes softer and more comfortable to walk in. These tips can also be used for leather shoes bought by an adult and not just for school shoes.
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“Leather shoes are always very hard when they’re brand new and they will sometimes give you blisters at the back of your foot when you wear them for the first time or in the first few weeks of school. To soften shoes, parents are advised to use coconut oil or saddle soap (A proprietary compound used for cleaning, conditioning and protecting leather, usually used on leather footwear, saddles, and other items of horse tack.), he expalined.
Using a piece of cloth, rub some of the coconut oil or saddle soap on the shoes once a day, including the inside of the back of the shoe. He adds that one should not add a lot so that it’s not visible on the shoe.
“Let the oil or soap absorb first before wearing them. Combine this with wearing two pairs of socks inside. Wear a thin pair of socks and a thick pair of socks over that (two pairs of socks). Repeat that for a few weeks until the shoes go softer,” he added.
Joe also suggests rubbing alcohol and vaseline on the shoe once a day. “Shoe softening should preferably be done over the weekend or immediately after school so that you give the shoes enough time for the products to soak in. You’ll soon be walking normally,” he concluded.
