How Do You Stop Dr. Martens From Creasing?

Seeing creases on your Dr. Martens can be really frustrating. They're often difficult to remove, and they return no matter how hard you care for your DMs. If the Monica Geller in you is irked by this, then you've probably going nuts to find ways to stop the creases.

Unfortunately, you cannot stop your Dr. Martens from creasing because leather does that naturally. But you can minimize the creases through methods like ironing, blow-drying, leather conditioning, and using shoe trees. Creasing does not mean that your Docs are low-quality. If anything, it adds character to your DMs.

If you want to learn more about why creases appear on your expensive Docs, or you want some tips to remove the creases, you're on the right page. Here, I'll answer just that and more, so keep reading!

Do Dr. Martens crease?

Yes. Dr. Martens crease and it is normal and inevitable. Since Dr. Martens is made of heavy leather, it shows signs of creasing over time. But, there are also instances when they crease after just one use.

Any type of leather eventually creases because they aren't that flexible. Fortunately, you can reduce the creasing and its prominence through the techniques I'll share later on. 

If your DM boots or shoes creased after wearing them the first time, don't go barging into a Dr. Martens store and ask for a replacement. You'll find that all Docs are like that, which is part of the brand's appeal.

Why do Dr. Martens crease?

Dr. Martens, 2976 Leather Chelsea Boot for Men and Women, Cherry Red Smooth, 11 US Women/10 US Men

Dr. Martens Unisex 2976 Smooth Leather Boots

There are several reasons why Dr. Martens crease and most of them are unavoidable. They are the following:

  • Bending our feet while walking: As we turn while walking, the shoe materials compress, and it results in creasing. This cannot be prevented as this is very essential for the shoes to lose their stiffness. 
  • Poor-fitting shoes: If you bought a DM that is too small for you, it would really crease, especially in areas where your feet put more stress in order to fit.
  • Leather quality: Although Dr. Martens use high-quality leather, it is also very stiff, so it creases eventually. If you bought a dupe Docs, the creasing would even be faster because the leather quality is poor.
  • Improper boot storage: If you store your boots along with other shoes or if you put other footwear on top of it, expect some wrinkles when you wear them. The materials pressed to the DM will cause these creases. 
  • Fit is too loose: Wearing large fitting DMs can also cause creasing because there are a lot of room for bending.
  • Boot design: Plain toe and whole cut boots easily develop creases, unlike full cap and semi cap toes. 
  • Getting soaked: If your DMs got wet and you haven't dried them properly, it will lead to creases. The natural oil of the leather dries out when it gets soaked with water. 

How to prevent excessive creasing on Dr. Martens?

While you can't prevent your Dr. Martens from creasing 100%, you can still minimize or delay the appearance of these wrinkles. Here are some tips to get you started!

  1. Use a shoe tree. A shoe tree is a piece of wood, plastic, or metal that you put inside your shoes, so it retains its shape. Among all the materials that can be used for a shoe tree, opt for ones that are made of cedar because they are antimicrobial, durable, and insect repellent.
  2. Wear thick socks. If your DM is too big for you, wear two or more layers of socks so there won't be any space for bending. 
  3. Use a shoehorn. A shoehorn, also called shoe horse, shoe spoon, and shoe spooner, is a dainty tool that is held against the inside-back of your DM to help you slide your feet in. Using this can prevent the back of the boots from flexing too much and developing creases.
  4. Keep your boots dry. As mentioned earlier, moisture strips your Docs of natural oil, so it easily creases. Thus, you should avoid stepping on puddles and soaking your Docs. If you want, you can also put waterproofing spray on your Docs. 
  5. Make sure the fit is perfect. If the boots are too small for you, they will develop creases eventually. Same with wearing a large pair. Thus, before ordering, make sure the size is correct.
  6. Observe how you walk. Be cautious of how you walk as you may be putting too much pressure on the part of your shoes that's why it creases.
  7. Take care of your Docs properly. Without doing this, all that I have mentioned above would be of no use. Clean your Dr. Martens properly and put on high-quality shoe conditioners or oils.

Can you un-crease a Dr. Martens?

Dr. Martens 1460 Women's Polka Dot Smooth Leather Lace Up Boots

Yes. It is possible to un-crease a pair of Dr. Martens; however, you must pack a lot of patience.

Since Dr. Martens is made of heavy leather, the creases will return before you know it. It's as if the leather has memory— the creases often return in the same spot where you removed them.

How to get creases out of Dr. Martens?

To get the creases out of Dr. Martens, you must invest time and effort. I'm not trying to intimidate you, but it is what it is. Remember that Docs are really stiff, so removing wrinkles or rolls can be as tough as breaking into a pair.

Here are some methods that can help you get the creases out of your Docs:

Ironing

Stuff the inside of your Dr. Martens with newspapers. Afterwhich, lay a damp cloth over the crease of your Dr. Martens and pass the iron heated between 60° to 80°. If the crease is still there, you can repeat the procedure.

Blow drying

If you are uncomfortable with using an iron, you can opt for a blow dryer. But before applying heat on the creases, make sure that you stretch your boot especially, and you put some leather oil. Once you're done heating, put some oil again and ensure that the leather absorbs it.

Leather conditioning

This is probably the easiest tip. You only massage some leather oil on the creases and then stretch the leather to remove them. Note, though, that this may not work for Docs that have heavy creases.

Using shoe trees

If your shoes are starting to crease, put a shoe tree inside them after every wear. This will help stretch the leather and remove the wrinkles that developed before they became permanent.

Does patent Dr. Martens crease?

Dr. Martens - 1461 3-Eye Leather Oxford Shoe for Men and Women, Black Nappa, 4 US Men/5 US Women

Dr. Martens 1461 3-Eye Leather Unisex Oxford Shoe

Yes. Patent Dr. Martens crease because it is made of fine-grain leather. Even though it looks super shiny and flexible, this leather is also stiff and hard. This means that it will develop creases and wrinkles as time passes.

It is also a bit more difficult to un-crease this leather because the marks get prominent right away because of its shiny quality.

Stop Your Dr. Martens from Creasing, Final Thoughts...

You cannot stop Dr. Martens from creasing because it is made of hard leather. Also, creases naturally appear because of several unpreventable factors.

What you can do is minimize the creases through prevention. Let's recap the tips I shared above regarding this.

  • Use a shoe tree.
  • Wear thick socks. 
  • Use a shoehorn. 
  • Keep your boots dry. 
  • Make sure the fit is perfect. 
  • Observe how you walk. 
  • Take care of your Docs properly.

If your Docs are already creased, and you are looking for ways to uncrease them, here are the tips I shared above:

  • Ironing
  • Blow drying
  • Leather conditioning
  • Using shoe trees

With or without a crease, Dr. Martens is tough to beat when it comes to style and design. If the crease of your boots won't go away no matter what you do, just consider them as accents that make your DM more unique.

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