How To Get Creases Out Of Leather Boots [in 4 Effective ways]

Knowing the appropriate shoe crease removal method is very necessary if you own high quality leather boots.

Leather boots have been ruling in my shoe closet for almost a decade. Being a shoe-aholic, from Wedge boots to leather Combat boots, I like to add different types of boots in my shoe collection.

But maintaining these boots especially the leather ones can be a bit hassles because after two to three months walking around in them the leather boots will naturally get creased.

Most of my leather boots got creased but following a few steps I made them look new again. In this post, I will share how to get creases out of leather boots.

If you are planning to remove creases from leather shoes then let’s get started.

Quick Navigation show

Why does leather boots crease?

Whether you own a $30,000 Christian Louboutin boots or a $30 normal store brought boots, leather will develop creases eventually.

There are certain reasons why leather boots get creased out. Some of the reasons are stated below:

Bad fitting shoes:

People tend to buy shoes or boots larger than their actual shoe size so that they can wear it for a longer time. But don’t ever do this, always

try to buy the snug fit boots because the larger the size of your boots, the leather has more room to bend and crease as you’re flexing your foot.

This is one of the main reasons why leather boots get creases.

Improper storage:

Storing the boots without box. If you place something heavy on top of the boots, it will develop pressure spots leaving your boots all creased

out.

Leather quality:

As I told earlier whatever the quality of your boot is, it will crease over time. But yes the cheaper one will get creased after 3-4 of usage and the

high-quality leather boots may crease prominently.

Adjustable feet:

Crease line forms where you repeatedly crook your foot. Where your toes meet your foot tends to do most of the work when you walk. As a result,

creases may form along that line of movement.

Now that you know the causes of your creased shoes, you can easily save your boots from getting affected.

But before that, you check out why are Lucchese Boots So Expensive.

How to get creases out of leather shoes?

Thankfully you can restore your creased leather boots with some easy techniques. You can remove fine creases on your leather boots altogether, but for big & wide creases, you can only make them less noticeable.

So, here’s how to remove creases from leather shoes:

1. The Iron method to uncrease shoes and boots

Sounds a bit weird ironing your boots, right? But it is really effective to make your boots crease-free.

Firstly, take a shoe tree or a bunch of newspapers and pack it inside the boots so that it can hold its shape. If your boots have any laces, take it off.

Take a towel soak it in cold water and wring it out. Place the damp towel over the place where it is creased.
Now heat your iron to 60-80°F.
Place the hot iron over the damp towel. The steam from the damp towel will soften and pull out the leather. Lift the iron regularly to prevent burning.

Keep the towel on the boots while it cools down.
Remove the towel and air dry the boots.

Check the shoe label if there is any before applying the iron method because heat or moisture may damage some leather.

2. Using a Steamer uncrease shoes

how to get creases out of leather shoes without iron?

Simple, you will need to steamer to uncrease shoes or boots.

Here’s how to take creases out of shoes by using a Steamer:

Follow the same technique as the iron method. Firstly, jam-pack the boots with newspaper.
Take off the shoelaces
When using a steamer use a dry towel rather than a damp towel and place it over the creased area.
Place the steamer over the towel and run it over the affected area. Continuously move the steamer so that the steam can be distributed evenly and prevent burning.
Let the towel cool down.
Keep the boots for air drying.

This technique is mostly preferred over the iron method as it moves easily over the rounded shape of the boots.

But before that, go through our epic guide how to Break-In Cowboy Boots.

3. Massage with leather oil

If you don’t want to use any sort of heat then massaging leather oil will be the best option to get rid of creases from your boots.

Here’s how to get creases out of leather shoes by using leather oil:

Drop 2-3 drops of leather oil on the crease. You can easily find the leather oil in any footwear stores.
Rub-down the oil into the leather while stretching it out.
After the oil is absorbed place the boots on the tree to reshape it.

The oil massage technique will work only when the creases are fresh, old creases might not work.

3. Using a blow dryer or heat gun:

You can get wrinkles out of leather shoes by using a blow dryer or heat gun.

Here’s how to uncrease leather shoes by blow dryer:

Insert the shoe tree or pack newspaper inside the boots
Heat the leather 3-5 inches away with a dryer or heat gun, distributing the heat evenly.
Once the leather is quite hot, shape it with your fingers by rubbing it down into the shoe tree to make the creases smooth out.
Repeat the process if you still see any creases, but don’t overheat, this might cause in losing the actual shape of the boots.

Not all leathers can be heated some can turn into black color. It’s better not to use this method on light-colored leather boots.

Prevent leather boots from creasing:

It’s very important to know how to prevent leather boots or shoes creasing than how to remove it.

Here’s solution for how to fix creases in shoes:

Always keep your boots in the shoe box. This will prevent any crease to take place.
Use a shoe tree to maintain the shape of the boots or newspaper will also do the work.
Frequently clean your boots. Cleaning weekly will prevent any build-up of dirt or soil.
Keep your boots from direct sunlight. Otherwise, sunlight will fade your boot’s color. Excessive exposure to sunlight can make your leather boots too dry and crack.

Follow our other guide to know Are Tactical Boots Slip-Resistant.

Frequent Asking Questions

Does steam damage leather?

The biggest benefit of steam cleaning is that it destroys bacteria. Aiming to steam clean on your own can means, if you make any mistake and damage the leather then there is no going back. If the temperature is not correct, if the steamer is held in one place for a longer period, if the steamer is very close to the boots then your leather can pull out and become crinkled.

Are creases in leather shoes normal?

Despite its unattractive image, leather shoe creasing is completely normal. It may not look appealing, but a certain amount of creasing is normal in any shoe. Over time, creasing can get unpleasant (as the shoe erodes and bends more) and can become ugly.