Not everybody has the means to walk into the store and choose from different colors, styles, brands, and designs of shoes. Many people across the globe don’t even own a single pair. This is unfortunate because using shoes with the proper fit has several advantages, such as protection from infections, preventing foot issues, and helping relieve pain.

While the brand name may not always matter, the most important thing is that your shoes look clean, new, and decent even after wearing them a lot of times. You don’t want your shoes to have creases that make you feel awkward when people look at them. In fact, they can even lead to foot problems.

Whatever materials are used, shoe creases are unavoidable. Thankfully, you can minimize their occurrences, and the first thing to do is visit a sneaker accessories store.

How to Prevent Shoes from Creasing

Purchase the Right Size

Why would you purchase a pair of shoes that don’t fit you in the first place? Though well-fitted shoes do not mean zero-creases, it is less prominent in an appropriately sized shoe. If your shoes are too big for your size, it’s more than likely to crease due to bending.

No matter how much you love a pair, it’s not just worth it to buy one that’s too large for your size, and then creases and wrinkles appear after a short period of using them. When shopping for a new pair, make sure to get one that correctly fits your feet, or a little space in the toe box is safe.

Consider Using a Shoe Horn to Minimize Heel Creasing

Aside from picking a shoe with a top-quality heel counter, use a shoe horn when wearing shoes. For example, buy tennis shoes with a rigid plastic heel counter to minimize heel creasing. Shoe horn helps you pull on snug shoes easily while sitting or standing. In addition, the horn pulls back the heels of your shoes for easier sliding.

Use Shoe Crease Protectors

Shoe crease protectors (inserts) are one way to lessen creasing. Designed to fit comfortably inside your shoe’s toebox, they provide a semi-rigid flat surface area to the upper materials to keep it flat and in shape. However, be aware because not all inserts in the market do the job well. Also, while these tools will not keep your shoe crease-free, they certainly help lower it.

See here for some info about this product.

Avoid Getting Your Brand New Shoes Wet

Have you noticed when you first wear a new pair of shoes, they’re a bit tight even if they’re your size? Well, this is normal, but as you use them, they will stretch a little and adapt to your foot shape because of the warming effect of your feet. Also, the moisture coming from your foot’s sweat will make the upper materials more flexible. 

As your shoes get dry, they will dry into the shape from the lasting impression of your foot. In a few weeks, your shoes will “wear in,” so it’s a good idea to avoid getting them wet, especially leather shoes, during this “wearing-in period.” This avoids losing your shoes’ shape easily as they dry.

Consider Spraying Your Shoes with Water Repellent Spray

Investing in a sneaker spray will give your shoe many benefits. While it doesn’t make your footwear completely waterproof, it aids in keeping off splashes for easier cleaning. Be careful with suede shoes, though, as some brands cause discoloration.

Spray your shoes every three to six months to help keep them new and give extra protection.

Give Your Shoes a Break

Even your favorite sneakers need a break! It’s recommended to alternate wearing them day by day with other pairs to allow time for your shoes to dry out completely before using them again.

You probably wonder if you can wash shoes in washing machines, especially if they look dirty and not presentable, the answer is yes. But you have to be cautious and follow some safety guidelines.

Keep in Mind

If everything else fails, you may want to try ironing your shoes but with extreme caution. While it doesn’t work for all materials, it’s effective for shoes with leather materials. This is how you do it:

• Before ironing, remove the laces and tightly stuff the shoes with newspapers or plain paper to avoid staining. 
• Heat the iron to a medium-low setting (hot enough for delicate materials).
• Place a clean, colorless damp cloth over the creased area. 
• Iron on top of the cloth to allow the steam to penetrate the upper material. Gently iron for a minute or two until your shoes start to feel warm. Ensure that the cloth is still damp. Otherwise, dampen it further. 
• Leave the damp cloth on the top of your shoes until dry.
• Remove the cloth and moisturize the shoes with Mink oil.