When your new Doc Martens start to show creases after wearing them for a few days, does it look good? Well, it’s definitely not.
The truth is you can’t ignore creases in your leather shoes, especially when it comes to full-grain leather boots like Doc Martens.
So, you might be looking for how to get creases out of Doc Martens. Well, worry not, I can help you with this.
I’ve gathered 4 easy and effective methods that can help you to remove the wrinkles from your favorite Doc Martens. Moreover, I’ve got some tips that can prevent the creases in Doc Martens and other leather shoes in the long run.
So, without any further delay, let’s explore the exact thing that you’ve been looking for. Let’s jump in.
Why is My Doc Martens Creasing?
When people first notice their boots are creasing, they feel worried. A few questions pop up in their mind, do Doc Martens crease? Or maybe, why is your Doc Martens creasing?
Well, let me enlighten you. Doc Martens are made from full-grain leather and it makes them stand out among the others. The truth is, full-grain leather shoes are supposed to crease over time.
The best part is using full-grain leather in Doc Martens, they feel softer and form themselves for a snug fit. Also, the comfort it’ll provide over time is insane.
The creasing starts to appear while we’re walking. The ball of the feet acts as a pivot joint when you turn your feet to walk. As a result, the leather used in our shoes becomes bent, compressed and your shoe starts to crease.
However, maybe it doesn’t look good when your shoe is creasing but it’s necessary. If your shoes don’t crease they’ll become stiff and uncomfortable for your feet eventually.
Not only the construction material is responsible for the creasing that occurs in Doc Martens. There are other reasons too that may cause creasing. Here you go:
- Poor fitting is one of the major reasons behind creasing since it tends to bend so much. If you use even the premium leather shoes like Doc Martens it’ll take longer to show up the crease.
The truth is, premium quality leathers are also prone to creasing when you apply more stress.
- If the boots are too loose on your feet, they’ll develop creasing earlier.
- Low-quality leather is another reason for creasing. Although high-quality leather takes longer to show the creasing, the low-quality leather creases even faster.
- If you don’t care where you store your boots, it might be a reason for creasing. Store your boot properly to avoid creasing.
- Constructing the boots with one layer of leather can also cause creasing.
- The design of your boots can also be liable for creasing. If the boots are full or semi-cap toe in shape, they might develop creasing.
How to Get Creases Out of Doc Martens?
Creasing is an unavoidable headache to any show owner. Whether you wear a premium boot like Doc Martens or any other random boot, it’ll bother you. I mean it doesn’t look good.
However, I can help you out to get rid of this problem. I’ve got some easy methods to get creases out of Doc Martens. So, without any further delay let’s check them out.
Method 1: Using Iron and Cloth (Also Applicable for Suede and Nubuck Shoes)
Using clothes and iron is one of the effortless methods to get the creases out of your boots. Most importantly, you won’t need to buy anything to perform the job.
What You Need:
- Newspapers
- Cotton clothes
- Cloth Iron
Instructions
- Grab some old newspapers, tear them, make balls, and put them inside your boots. Fill the boots tightly to maintain the shape of your boots, eventually, it’ll help to straighten the creasing.
- Remove the laces from your boots
- Now grab a damped cloth and wrap the creasing section of your boots with it. For suede shoes, try to remove as much water as you can.
- Take your cloth iron, connect it to the power cord, and set the heat to somewhere between 60 to 80 degrees.
- Now iron your boots over the damped cloth. You should be careful and check whether it’s causing any damage. Here, you’re combining heat and moisture which make the leather soft.
- Move the iron continuously and don’t iron in the same area for so long.
- If everything goes right, eventually, you’ll notice the creasing disappears.
Method 2: Using Blow Dryer
Using a blow dryer is another useful solution for removing creasing. However, the problem with this method is it could permanently damage your boots. To avoid any damage, you should be extra careful while doing this.
What You Need:
- Shoe stretcher
- Leather oil
- Leather conditioner
- Blow dryer (you can use a heat gun as well)
Instructions
- First, grab the shoe stretcher and insert it into your boots so that the creases start to stretch.
- Now put a few drops of leather oil and massage gently on your boots.
- Plug in the blow dryer or heat gun, keep it 5 to 6 inches away from your boot and apply heat.
- Move the dryer constantly while applying the heat otherwise, it may cause damage
- When the leather gets hot, apply more leather oil. It’ll help the leather to penetrate the oil and the creases will start to disappear.
- Now take a soft, lint-free cloth to clean the excess leather oil
- It’s time to apply the leather conditioner to your boots. Apply the leather conditioner and scrub it evenly. Leave the boots to dry for 5-10 hours.
- After that, rub the boots with a clean cloth to get the shine. And now you’re good to go!
Method 3: Use a Leather Conditioner or a Leather Oil
The methods that we mentioned before requiring heat and you need to be extra cautious to perform the job. On the other hand, this method which is using a leather oil or conditioner is safer and doesn’t require any heat. The overall process is effortless and effective.
The problem is leather conditioner or oil tends to darken the leather. You should use it in a less noticeable part to check before applying it to the whole boots.
What You Need:
- Leather oil
- A soft, clean, lint-free cloth
Instructions
- Take your boots and find out the creases
- Put a few drops of leather oil where the creases appear
- Now gently massage your fingers over the oil to remove the creases
- Stretch the boots and massage repeatedly until the leather oil is completely absorbed
- Grab the cloth and remove the oil stain from your boots
- Lastly, let your shoes dry completely
Recommended Leather Oils
- Boshay nis
To know more about leather oils, check out this post.
Method 4: Using Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is a regular household item that you can use to remove the wrinkles from your boots. This process is effective and doesn’t require too many tools and effort.
Alcohol can soften the leather of your boots and reduce wrinkles. However, using excessive alcohol may dry out your Doc Martens. You should be careful about that.
What You Need:
- Spray bottle
- Rubbing alcohol
- Leather conditioner
- Boot stretcher
- Water
Instructions
- Take the spray bottle and fill it with water and rubbing alcohol (the ratio should be 1:1, for 100ml of water use 100ml of rubbing alcohol)
- Mix the solution and apply it to the creases area
- After spraying, gently rub the areas with your fingers. Make sure you’re covering all the areas.
- Let your boots air dry for 5-10 minutes
- Now apply some leather conditioners especially on the creases and polish well
- Grab the shoe stretcher and adjust the stretch of your leather boots.
How to Prevent Doc Martens from Creasing?
To be very honest, creasing is almost inevitable in full-grain and other leather shoes. However, if you maintain your leather boots or shoes well, you may prevent the creases. Here are a few tips that you can follow to prevent your Doc Martens from creasing:
- Using Shoe Trees
Shoe trees are helpful when it comes to preventing your boots from creasing. The shoe tree provides additional rigidity, tightens the leather, and maintains the shape of your boots.
Most importantly, always try to buy cedar shoe trees. They’re great for absorbing moisture, providing a fresh smell, and keeping your boots free from creasing.
So, when you’re not wearing your boots, use a shoe tree to store them.
- Using Shoe Horn
While you’re wearing boots, you can use a shoe horn to prevent the creases. It’ll help to prevent excessive flex or damage, especially on the back of your Doc Martens when you slip on.
Moreover, don’t rush while you’re putting on your boots. Properly unlace your boots and slip on. If you forcefully insert your feet into the boots, it may cause creasing.
- Take Care of Your Boots
Your skin needs care, doesn’t it? Since our boots are made from animal skins, they need care as well.
Your leather boots can develop creases over time if you don’t take care of them. You can use leather oil or conditioners to moisturize the leather fibers. It’ll keep the leather soft, supple, and most importantly free from creases.
On top of that, you should apply waterproofing sprays on your boots as excessive moisture can cause creasing as well. If you waterproof your boots, they can survive water and tough weather conditions. Also, they become durable.
- Wear the Right Size
If the boots don’t fit well on your foot, there’s a high chance of piling up the creases. When you buy your Doc Martens try them with socks and then pick the perfect size for your foot.
- Walk Properly
Maybe it sounds funny or maybe it doesn’t make sense to you, however, the truth is how you walk, crouch and bend determines whether your boots will crease or not.
If you put too much pressure on your toes or the side of your feet, you should consult a podiatrist. It’s harmful to your feet as well as to your shoes.
Moreover, if you roll your feet forward while bending or crouching then you should keep your feet flat on the ground.
Final Thoughts
Throughout this post, I’ve tried to show you how to get creases out of your Doc Martens. The methods I mentioned here are easy and quick solutions. However, some methods need a heat application where you need to be extra careful to avoid any damage.
Moreover, don’t rush while performing the job, it may cause damage to your favorite pair of Doc Martens. Make sure you go through the process thoroughly and then pick the right method for your boots.
And lastly, we all know prevention is better than cure, so, take the step in the first place to resist developing the creases in your leather boots.