Crocs are some of the most popular footwear choices, especially for travel and leisure during the summer. But, do Crocs actually shrink in the sun or heat?
Exposure to extreme heat, sun, washing machines, or hot cars can cause Crocs to shrink or warp. After cleaning, Crocs should only be air-dried.
The best way to unshrink Crocs is to put them inside boiling water for 45 seconds. Then, immediately wear them until they cool down. Boiling water softens the material while putting them on will immediately stretch the Crocs.
If for some reason, you’ve left your Crocs out in the sun for too long, you need to learn how to unshrink them, which you will learn more about in this post.
Do Crocs Shrink in the Sun and Heat?
While the warning sign is not visible at the top, Crocs has provided a warning at the bottom of their “how to care for your Crocs” page. The warning goes like this:
After cleaning, all styles should be air dried only. Exposure to extreme heat, sun, dishwashers, washing machines, or hot cars can cause the shoes to shrink or warp.
Crocs, American Footwear Brand
If the temperature is hot enough, Crocs can shrink in just under 30 minutes. Here are some shrunk Crocs images that have been left out in the sun:
New Crocs were left in the attic for 3 years. Left Croc should be as big as the right one. Image posted by u/2inchtip1inchshaft on Reddit.
So you see, Crocs can actually shrink in the sun and extreme heat. When you leave them inside a hot car or inside a dishwasher, Crocs can shrink sooner than you might expect.
Sure, they are durable, but they are susceptible to high heat.
Sometimes they shrink, sometimes they don’t
The truth is, you cannot control the outcome of leaving Crocs out in the sun for too long. Sometimes they shrink, sometimes they don’t.
In fact, many people have left their Crocs out in the sun, in hot parked cars, or in the dishwasher, but never have any issues with shrinking Crocs.
It may be because different pairs of Crocs are made from different batches of material, and any slight change in the formulation could ultimately affect their “shrinkability”.
The same can also be said when wearing your Crocs in the sun or extreme heat. The truth is, Crocs can shrink a little bit when they are worn in high heat conditions.
However, since your feet are inside the Crocs, they are able to “stretch” and prevent any shrinkage by keeping the shape of the Crocs.
How to “Un-Shrink” Your Crocs
By far, the most effective method to unshrink Crocs is to put them inside a pot of boiling water for 45 seconds. Then, take them out and immediately wear them.
Boiling water softens the material while putting them on will immediately stretch the Crocs.
You can also put your Crocs inside a clothes dryer or apply heat from a hairdryer too. Additionally, you can use these methods if you have bought Crocs that are too small.
Just be sure that your Crocs aren’t the graphic tie-dye version, otherwise, the paint will bleed. Here are the 3 methods to unshrink Crocs, explained further:
1. Wash them over hot, boiling water
For this method, you are going to need:
- Basin (to put the Crocs in)
- Thick socks
- Boiling water
Once you have everything ready, boil a pot of water, enough to submerge the Crocs inside the basin. Then, put the Crocs in the basin and pour the boiling water over them.
After pouring all of the water into the basin, submerge the Crocs inside the water by pressing on them. Flip them around so each part of the Crocs gets exposed to the boiling water.
After about 45 seconds, take the Crocs out and immediately wear them. The socks should protect your feet from the high temperature, as well as stretch the Crocs.
It’s important to keep your feet inside the Crocs until they cool down. Continue to wear the Crocs to weigh them down. You can also walk around to stretch them further.
You can repeat the entire process until you achieve your desired results. Based on our experience, we’ve seen the best results after repeating the process 4 times.
2. Put them inside a clothes dryer
This method utilizes the same concept as the previous one. Basically, you are introducing high heat to make the Crocs malleable and stretch back into their original size.
To start, set the clothes dryer on medium-low heat and set the timer for 10 minutes. Place the Crocs inside the dryer with two wet towels, and start the cycle.
The wet towels moisten the Crocs’ material, making them more pliable. It’s a good idea to stand by while the Crocs are drying to ensure that the heat is not too high.
After about 5 minutes in the dryer, take the Crocs out and immediately wear them. The socks should protect your feet from the high temperature, as well as stretch the Crocs.
Continue to wear the Crocs to weigh them down. It’s important to keep your feet inside the Crocs until they cool down. You can also walk around to stretch them further.
3. Use a hair dryer
If you want to try the safest approach, you can use a hairdryer to unshrink your Crocs. A hairdryer introduces subtle heat onto your Crocs, unlike boiling water or a clothes dryer.
This method is very simple. All you have to do is blow a hairdryer at your shrunken Crocs for several minutes, moving the hairdryer around to distribute an equal amount of heat.
Once the Crocs are thoroughly warm, wear them immediately with thick socks. Not only do thick socks protect your feet from the high temperature, but they stretch the Crocs too.
However, you may want to repeat the hairdryer method numerous times because the heat is not as extreme as boiling water or inside a clothes dryer.
Bottom Line
Now you know that Crocs can shrink in the sun and extreme heat. In some cases, Crocs are able to shrink in as little as 30 minutes in extremely high heat.
If you have Crocs, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Keep your Crocs in cool, shady places when you’re not wearing them. Remember, Crocs are supposed to be roomy, not overly tight.
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