I Do Windows....

[JL]

Yes, computer Windows too, but today -- the glass ones on my house...

This morning I decided that since I'm on a week's vacation from work, I should do more than just sit around on the couch relaxing. So I tried to think of something to do that I could conquer two difficult tasks at the same time.

KONK!!!! It hit me -- cleaning the windows (haven't done them in a few years to be totally honest). Now for the second part -- cleaning the windows while wearing 5 1/2" stilettos (they're supposed to be 5" but mine are just shy of 5 1/2)!!

Here's the catch -- these shoes are brand new (just received them last week) and hadn't worn them yet http://www.payless.c...splayName=Women). So I put on my hose and then TRY to get the shoes on. Uh-oh: too small. And I mean VERY small. So I try something -- I put the sweater shelf in my dryer and then put the shoes on the shelf. Run the dryer for 5 minutes on medium heat. I don't know why I didn't think of this earlier (with another pair of heels) -- I took them out and they were VERY pliable - to the point that I was able to stretch them a bit with my hands. Then out came the shoehorn and BAM!!! The shoe, though very warm, fit!! I was able to flex my foot a bit to make even more room. I did the same with the other shoe and, well, I'm now wearing my brand new shoes.

Sorry -- a little off topic...

I start with the windows, then get to the sliding patio door. The inside - no problem. The outside on the other hand is very visible from the street. Why not - out I go. Several cars passed while I was out there along with some people walking. I guess the jeans I was still wearing were a help in maintaining some privacy (secrecy).

28 spotlessly clean windows later (3 hours or so) and my feet are toast. I honestly couldn't feel my toes.

So what's a guy to do?? I took off the stilettos and put on my 5 1/4" Brash Lunar Platform Wedges!! Much more comfortable.

OK -- now that the housework is done, I get to, while wearing my wedges, go around the house and 'fill in' the holes in the carpet my heels made so my wife doesn't come home to dozens of shoe prints on the carpets.

Three more days of time off -- which means 3 more days to work on wearing the stilettos again!!!

Happy Heeling!!!!

[Shafted]

That's for sure. High heels actually have great utilitarian value when you need to do those tasks where a little extra height boost is a plus.

[Histiletto]

Hey JL, 28 windows inside and out! Now that takes ambition. I've heard of expanding the toe box by freezing, but this is the first time I've heard of putting shoes in the dryer to make them more pliable. Seems to me such heating would cause the material to shrink a bit, at least that is what I have seen plastics do when exposed to excessive heat for an extended period and then cooling. After you changed footwear did the shoes continue to fit the sizing you needed or did they return to the size they were?

[Shafted]

Hey JL,

28 windows inside and out! Now that takes ambition.

I've heard of expanding the toe box by freezing, but this is the first time I've heard of putting shoes in the dryer to make them more pliable. Seems to me such heating would cause the material to shrink a bit, at least that is what I have seen plastics do when exposed to excessive heat for an extended period and then cooling. After you changed footwear did the shoes continue to fit the sizing you needed or did they return to the size they were?

Ahh,, but he put the shoes on hot.

[ilikekicks]

Ive done the ice-stretching on a pair to obtain a half size. Fill a zip-lock bag with water, put it in the toe-box, put the shoe in a cotton sock to hold the bag in place and put it standing upright in a freezer. Worked quite well -Ilk

[JL]

Hey JL,

28 windows inside and out! Now that takes ambition.

I've heard of expanding the toe box by freezing, but this is the first time I've heard of putting shoes in the dryer to make them more pliable. Seems to me such heating would cause the material to shrink a bit, at least that is what I have seen plastics do when exposed to excessive heat for an extended period and then cooling. After you changed footwear did the shoes continue to fit the sizing you needed or did they return to the size they were?

The shoes weren't in for a full cycle -- only 4-5 minutes. They did get VERY pliable -- in order to protect the back of the shoe from crushing, I needed to use a shoehorn to keep the shape. Once my feet were in the toasty shoes, they stretched perfectly AND kept their size for the duration.

Unfortunately I have some people coming over shortly, so I won't be able to see if they've shrunk overnight. My thought is that they kept their new size.

And the windows -- I only had to go outside once -- the rest folded in for cleaning!!

Ive done the ice-stretching on a pair to obtain a half size.

Fill a zip-lock bag with water, put it in the toe-box, put the shoe in a cotton sock to hold the bag in place and put it standing upright in a freezer.

Worked quite well

-Ilk

I tried the ice thing before as well... I was able to get a little expansion, but honestly nothing anywhere near what the dryer did...

Think of it as using a really big hair dryer to cover the entire shoe all at once!! lol

[Steve63130]

JL, Good trick. Thanks for sharing. Please come over and wash my windows! :-) Steve

[JL]

JL,

Good trick. Thanks for sharing. Please come over and wash my windows!

:-)

Steve

It took me 3 years to do my own.... I'll put you on my schedule!!

[Guest]

There is a liquid "shoe stretch" out there. It can really help. I will soak the inside just where it needs to be stretched, then put Them on. House work in heels is great. I put up a 16ft garage door in heels. Also built a 24 x 30 garage among other house projects in 4in heel Boots. Needless to say they are very ratty and worn.

[mlroseplant]

House work in heels is great. I put up a 16ft garage door in heels.

Also built a 24 x 30 garage among other house projects in 4in heel

Boots. Needless to say they are very ratty and worn.

So I guess I'm not the only one who does "work" in heels. I'm not even sure why I do it. Habit, I guess. I have now been heeling long enough to where I also have "beater" heels. Here's a shot of me working on my snow blower a couple of days ago (photo by 4-year-old Mickey). Yeah, I know it seems like the wrong time of year for that, but I just wanted to verify that the engine would run before removing it for another purpose. Note the "work" jeans and coat as well. I think it looks kind of odd, and there's no way I would leave my driveway looking like that.

[Steve63130]

I put up a 16ft garage door in heels.

Wow, those must have been some stilts to get up 16 feet!

Lol (just kidding!)

Steve

[Jimnj3]

Doesn't look that odd! Looks like a good outfit for a hardware store run. Nice to have heels to wear and not worry about causing any damage. Back to the subject of shoe stretching, I too have had good luck with heat. I had a new pair of pumps that were very tight in the toe box that I heated with a hair drier and put on right away while still very hot. They cooled down and held the shape and were comfortable from them on.

[chris100575]

I did some painting a few years back in my six inch stripper platforms, they made cutting in at the top of the wall much easier!

[RonC]

I think the reason the heat worked in this instance is because the shoes are not leather, but a synthetic (i.e. plastic) material that, when heated, becomes soft and pliable. If they had been real leather, then it is likely that heat would not have done much, as it doesn't react the same way to heat as the plastic material does. I don't do much housework any more, but I used to vacuum, dust and clean the bathroom and kitchen in heels with some regularity. I've always enjoyed doing the every day, mundane tasks in heels, where I basically forget that I have them on and just go about doing what I'm doing. But then a heel will wobble or I need to kneel down or something and I get the full effect of wearing the heels then. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I simply want to have the experience of wearing heels without really thinking about it, but then being reminded of how great it feels to be in them.