How to Shrink Wrap Shoes

When it comes to shipping or storing shoes, few methods are as effective as shrink wrapping. Shrink wrapping protects your shoes from the elements, but it also keeps them together in one cohesive unit. In this article, we will show you how to shrink wrap shoes. So please keep reading for our easy step-by-step guide!

Many of us have seen shrink-wrapped shoes before. It is a great way to stay organized and keep your items safe during shipping or storage. Shrink wrapping shoes is a skill that almost anyone can learn. So if you want to do some severe shipping or storage, shrink wrapping your shoes may be the way to go!

How to Shrink Wrap Shoes

Summary: Shrinking wrapping shoes is an easy and effective way to protect them during shipping or storage. First, clean your shoes and let them dry completely. Then, cover your shoes with shrink-wrap film, making sure to leave a small opening for air to escape. Use a heat gun to apply heat to the shrink-wrap film until it shrinks and tightly wraps around the shoes. Finally, use a pair of scissors to trim excess shrink-wrap film from around the shoes.

Why Shrink Wrap Shoes?

Shrink wrapping your shoes is a great way to prevent damage and keep the footwear in good condition. Shrink wrapping is also an excellent way to promote your brand as it makes customers want to buy more of your products.

Prevent Mold from Growing on Your Shoes

Ever have a pair of shoes sitting for some time, then after you take them out, you notice some nasty black or green mold has sprouted on the bottom. Not only does this make your shoe stink, but if you’ve been walking around with those sneakers. Preventing decay from growing on your shoes before it gets really bad is one of the best reasons to shrink wrap your shoes.

Prevent Smell from Forming

If you have a pair of shoes that don’t fit quite right, all you do is wear them around the house. Unfortunately, these are probably the type of shoes that don’t ever get washed because they aren’t worn outside, so they tend to smell pretty funky. Prevent smelly sneakers without washing them by shrink-wrapping them before storing them for extended periods.

Protect Your Shoes From Outside Elements

Have you ever had a pair of shoes that got soaked because somebody left the door open in the rain, or maybe it rained and snowed on your favorite boots? These types of weather can damage your footwear because water tends to soften up materials like suede and leather.

Keep those shoes perfectly preserved by shrink-wrapping them when they get wet to reduce the damage and keep water penetrating the fabric.

Keep Water Penetrating the Fabric

Protect Your Investment

Shrink wrapping your shoes is an excellent way of protecting what you paid for. First off, it’s an investment no matter what you bought if you bought on purpose and not on impulse. But also, because there are so many fakes out there that will look identical to the real deal until someone takes a closer look at specific features like stitching or logos. Shrink wrapping can help protect your footwear from these trying circumstances, but our advice would be to buy something that looks more legit than knock-off brands in the first place!

A Detailed Guide on How to Shrink Wrap Shoes

Method 1:  Using an Impulse Sealer and Heat Gun

Materials Needed:

  • Impulse sealer
  • Heat gun capable of a temperature at least 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • An ironing board or flat surface, and iron for pressing the shrink wrap as it cools.
  • Detergent for cleaning the shoes.
  • A dry, clean towel.
  • Shrink wrap, available at hardware stores.

Ensure that your shoes are free from dirt and dust before starting this process. Then, clean them with a gentle detergent and dry them thoroughly with a towel before proceeding.

Start by checking the underside of the tongue on your shoes for any tags or logos, which you must remove first if they have been sewn on.  A seam ripper is an excellent tool for quickly eliminating these tags.  

A Piece of Advice: 

Before shrinking the plastic onto your shoes, you should run over it once with an iron on low heat to seal the edges together so that no air can escape as you shrink it down.

Step 1: 

Place the shoes on an ironing board or a flat surface, and place a dry towel under them to protect your work area.  Then, using your impulse sealer, carefully run over the top of the wrap just enough to begin sealing the edges together.

Step 2: 

Flip your shoes over to sit upright with the soles facing up.  Place one end of the shrink wrap at about an inch from where you wish to start stopping, and then cut it off evenly using scissors or a knife.

Flip Your Shoes

Step 3: 

Fold this piece back onto itself, creating a double layer for shrink wrapping later on.

Step 4: 

Now position yourself above your shoes with the heat gun in your dominant hand and the iron in your other hand.  Shoot a short burst of hot air onto both sides of the wrap at about 6 to 8 inches away, then pull down on the shrink wrap with one hand while pressing down quickly with your iron just behind it. 

Keep doing this until you’ve reached the end of where you wish to shrink, then let go and press it tightly with your iron to be as flat as possible.

Step 5: 

Continue shrinking as you work around each shoe, making sure that no part of them is exposed.  Go over each area two or three times to be safe from gaps forming between pieces of plastic which can cause some pretty odd-looking results.  Be careful to avoid the shoelaces, so you miss them on fire!

Step 6: 

After shrinking, run over the area again with your iron just for good measure.  It should now look something like this:

Method 2: Using Hairdryer and Scissors

Materials Needed:

  • Ironing board or flat surface
  • Hairdryer, pointy scissors.
  • Shrink wrap,
  • A pair of sharp scissors.

In this method, you will shrink wrap your shoes as you would in Method 1; however, instead of using an impulse sealer and a heat gun, you will be using only a hairdryer and some pointy scissors.  This is an excellent way for those on a budget who do not have access to an impulse sealer!

Step 1:

Place your shoes onto an ironing board or on a flat surface covered with a towel, then place the dry towel underneath them on the floor. 

Using your hairdryer set at the hottest temperature it has, slowly moves it closer to your shoe from about 10 inches away while simultaneously pulling up on the shrink wrap so that it forms into cups around each shoe as you go.  Go over the area two or three times to be safe, and let it cool down before moving on to the next step.

Step 2:

Fold up a piece of shrink wrap so that you have a double thickness at one end, then slide this under your shoe near where you would like to stop wrapping. Then, cut off the excess with scissors.  Cutting from the folded side will help minimize fraying when finished.

Repeat steps 1-2 until you have wrapped each shoe fully in shrink wrap plastic!

You Can Check It Out to Do Shoes Shrink In The Dryer?

Advantages 

This method takes significantly less time than an impulse sealer and heat gun, is much cheaper overall and can work for those who don’t have access to either.  This is especially good for those on a budget or who only wraps shoes 1-2 at a time.

Disadvantages

This method does not come out quite as nice, and it will take much longer to complete each shoe.  It can also be dangerous if you get too close with your hairdryer while the plastic is shrinking around the shoe because it could cause bad burns – so please use caution!

These methods will help in how to shrink wrap shoes.

How Can I Protect My Shoe From Shrinking?

Chemicals Like Gasoline and Bleach

Shoe shrink is a process that can happen to leather or suede shoes over time. The shoe’s original shape becomes distorted by bonding the materials in the rubber soles with the outside surface of your shoes.

One way to avoid this problem is to try and keep your shoes as dry as possible, and don’t expose them to any chemicals like gasoline and bleach, which will accelerate the issues even more.

How often you should think about using a spray product that protects them from moisture and other damage. You can also pay attention to what types of surfaces you’re walking on, such as if there is asphalt or a different kind of oil-based material where you walk regularly.

You should consider those things when choosing how often to clean your shoes and how to care for them daily.

You can also pay attention to what types of surfaces you’re walking on, such as if there is asphalt or a different kind of oil-based material where you walk regularly. You should consider those things when choosing how often to clean your shoes and how to care for them daily.

You Can Check it Out to Clean Nfinity Cheer Shoes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Best Way to Shrink Wrap?

There are a few different ways to shrink wrap, but the most common is using an air-tight seal. To shrink wrap a product, you will need the following supplies:

-Shrink wrap

-Airtight sealer

-Printer or copier

-Non-toxic (pH neutral) liquid detergent

-Permanent marker or pen

-Clean rags or paper towels

Here’s how to shrink wrap a product:

  1. Obtain the product you would like to shrink wrap. Make sure that it is clean and free of any dust or dirt.
  2. Place the product on a clean surface, away from any dents or tears.
  3. Place the shrinkwrap around the product, making sure that the edges are pressed firmly against the product.
  4. Cut off any excess shrinkwrap with a permanent marker or pen.
  5. Carefully remove the shrinkwrap from around the product and discard it.
  6. Wash your hands thoroughly before proceeding.

Is It Good to Saran Wrap Shoes?

Saran wrap is a versatile and popular household item that has many uses, but it may not be the best option for shoes. In fact, some experts warn against using Saran wrap to protect footwear because it can cause damage or create an environmental disaster if disposed of improperly. Instead, they recommend either wrapping your shoes in wax paper or store them in a dry location away from direct sunlight.

Why Do People Shrink Wrap Sneakers?

There are a few different ways to shrink wrap, but the most common is using an air-tight seal. To shrink wrap a product, you will need the following supplies:

-Shrink wrap

-Airtight sealer

-Printer or copier

-Non-toxic (pH neutral) liquid detergent

-Permanent marker or pen

-Clean rags or paper towels

Here’s how to shrink wrap a product:

  1. Obtain the product you would like to shrink wrap. Make sure that it is clean and free of any dust or dirt.
  2. Place the product on a clean surface, away from any dents or tears.
  3. Place the shrinkwrap around the product, making sure that the edges are pressed firmly against the product.
  4. Cut off any excess shrinkwrap with a permanent marker or pen.
  5. Carefully remove the shrinkwrap from around the product and discard it.
  6. Wash your hands thoroughly before proceeding.

Can You Vinyl Wrap a Shoe?

Yes, it is possible to vinyl wrap a shoe. However, be sure to contact the manufacturer of the shoe before you do this in order to ensure that your wrapping will fit correctly and without any issues. Also, make sure that you use a high-quality adhesive and avoid using too much pressure when applying the vinyl.

Conclusion

Shoe shrink wrapping is the perfect way to keep your shoes in excellent condition and looking new for as long as possible. It’s also a great way to protect them from dust, dirt, and other debris when you’re not wearing them. By following these simple methods, you can learn how to shrink wrap shoes like a pro in no time at all!

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Jennifer Branett

I am Jennifer, a passionate blogger since 2016. I like to write informative articles to help peoples in my free time. I am a family person. I have two kids who keep me busy all the time. I always try to give importance to my family. Sometimes it becomes challenging for me to maintain the time along with my family. But I never lose hope. I hope my articles are helping you in some way. If so, You can give me a thumbs up to my inbox, which means a lot to me. Thank you. You can email me at jennifer@tenreviewed.com

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