Even though they’re awesome, Crocs can be a complete bummer sometimes. They stretch! If you have not faced that situation, well, you’re about to someday. As you keep using Crocs, they’ll stretch at some point in your life.
Sometimes the size itself can be an issue. The roomy fit clogs can sometimes be too big for your feet if you get the size mixed up.
Nevertheless, with some simple techniques like using a hand towel and dryer, you can shrink your crocs in no time. So, keep reading.
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What Are Crocs?
Crocs is basically an American company that has been manufacturing clogs footwear since 2002. The shoes have been so popular ever since that the brand name and clogs have become almost synonymous.
The clogs material almost looks like plastic or rubber, but they are made of a resin called Croslite.
Croslite is derived from a polymer known as EVA, ethyl vinyl acetate.
The polymer is also called “foam rubber,” which is elastic with adequate softness and flexibility and can be processed as thermoplastic as well.
Crocs call their material PCCR that stands for proprietary closed-cell resin.
And this extraordinary material, i.e., petroleum-based foam, is softer like open-cell, waterproof, and robust like closed-cell foam.
That makes the material non-absorbent to water and sweat, making the clogs more hygienic footwear than others.
And the anti-microbial properties save your feet from bacterial inflammation that might occur due to having your shoes on for a prolonged period.
You are likely to experience less odor as well.
And another fantastic thing about the footwear is that it’s washable with soap and water. The waterproof clogs are an ideal choice for the rainy season as well.
Because of all these wonderful features, the extremely lightweight and comfortable crocs are loved by many people worldwide.
However, due to prolonged use, the shoes are likely to lose grip and stretch to some extent. But with some simple tricks, you can reverse the stretching with ease.
Do Crocs Stretch?
Crocs offer comfortable cushioning to your feet when you wear them, and the material’s ability to mold itself to your feet provides excellent support as well. The roomy feet shoes are suitable for preventing show bites and allows your feet to breathe.
While most of the crocs are designed with wide toe boxes, you can find one that offers a secure fit too.
Nevertheless, the flexible material tends to stretch and increase in size after wearing for a long time. So, if you buy a tight pair of clogs, wear for some time, it will stretch gradually.
Again too big clogs can be uncomfortable, especially if you are working in the standing job industry that requires running and walking throughout the day. So, is there any way to fix crocs that are too big? Luckily there is, and we will be unfolding that to you.
Can Crocs Be Shrunken?
It’s not so uncommon for a flexible-fit shoe to get out of shape after some time, and even if you wear them with your thickest socks, the shoes tend to come off.
You may think of the pair as unusable unless you wear them with stuffed cotton inside. But come on, that’s not a practical solution. And you don’t have to do so with your crocs to make them fit again.
The extraordinary closed-cell resin material is very much flexible and shrinks easily due to heat. If the stretching is not so much, you can shrink them by keeping them out in the sun. In some instances, leaving the clogs in a hot car does the trick as well.
Heat causes the foam to loosen up, shrinking them in the process. But too much exposure to heat can cause material damage, and that’s why the manufacturer recommends storing the clogs in cool spaces.
So, if you feel the clogs have become too big, adopt some strategies to get them back in shape.
No, you don’t need any professional to do so; the easy-to-follow steps will take minimum time and effort. Make sure you are careful enough not to cause any material damage.
How to Shrink Crocs That Are Too Big?
Now that you know you can fix your crocs that have gone out of shape, the question remains, how to do so.
You have already learned that heat plays a significant role in the process. Sometimes leaving them in the hot sun tends to shrink the clogs; however, some people don’t find the trick working for them.
This is because not all crocs are made from the same batch of material, so the ‘shrinkability’ and stretchability vary.
Nevertheless, you can follow the steps below to shrink your clogs to some degree.
Get the Things Ready
You only need a dryer and two towels for the process. And by dryer, we mean a cloth dryer. Wet your towels and turn on the dryer.
Make sure you set the timing right; 10-15 minutes should be ideal. Also, don’t set the heat too high; low-medium to medium heat is fine.
If you are wondering why wet the towels, it helps retain some moisture to the flexible foam matrix. Otherwise, you risk your crocs to potential damage due to the high heat.
Put Towels and Crocs Inside the Dryer
Next, place your crocs and towels together inside the dryer. Keep in mind the heat level, and remember to use wet towels. The process might not even work without the wet towels.
Once you place the crocs and towels inside, start the cycle.
Observe the Dryer’s Cycle
Don’t leave the crocs inside your dryer unattended. You need to keep close and observe the cycle. Now, this step is crucial if you don’t want your favorite clogs getting damaged permanently.
It won’t take long. After 5 minutes from starting the cycle, check the crocs to see if they are heated or not. If not, put them back into the dryer and continue the cycle for another 5 minutes.
By this time, your pair should be heated enough to shrink.
Remove the Crocs and Wear
Once the clogs are heated, you shouldn’t keep them inside the dryer any longer. Yes, you have to turn the dryer off, but the residue heat inside has the potential to do damage.
So, please remove them and wait for some time because you don’t want your feet to burn. Again, don’t leave it for long; the cold clogs won’t remold according to feet’ shape.
Wear the warm clogs 4 to 5 minutes after removing them from the dryer, and you will notice a difference as they shrink to the form of your feet.
If they seem slightly tight, keep them on for some time; the warmth can stretch the clogs, too, to conform to your feet size.
Can You Un-Shrink Crocs?
The flexible material of the crocs has the ability to both shrink and unshrink due to heat. If you feel like your clogs have become too tight, there is nothing to worry about as you can un-shrink them easily as well.
But what causes them to shrink too much? Well, if you leave them in the dryer for too long, you can end up having too tight clogs.
The process can be reversed by the following procedures:
Using a Bowl of Hot Water
It would be best to have a bowl of water in this process and heat it to its boiling point. Next, immerse your pair into the boiling water. Keep the crocs soaked for 1 minute and try them instantly.
You might feel some tightness; however, keeping them on for some time will lead the material to stretch eventually. But you have to put them on while they are still warm as it helps the material to remold according to your feet size.
Nevertheless, if you want to stretch them more, wear 2-3 pairs of socks first, and then put on the shoes. Keep them on for a while, and let the foam fit your socked feet.
Using the Dryer Method
Well, you have shrunk the crocs using the dryer method, and you can follow the same procedure to stretch as well.
While shrinking requires heating the pair inside for 10-15 minutes, set the timer for 2-3 minutes for unshrinking. Remember, added heat can lead to shrinkage of the material.
And as the crocs are heated, remove them from the dryer and wear them instantly.
Wrap Up
So now that you know how to shrink Crocs that are too big, we don’t think it will be much of a problem to wear your Crocs with comfort.
Make sure it doesn’t shrink too much, though. Just in case it becomes too small, you can try the process of unshrinking it.