Fixes and Repairs for a Broken Shoe Heel

The shoes take a lot of wear and the heels can come off or even break in half. A broken heel is a real shoe emergency.

No matter what you've seen in intrepid heroin movies, broken heels, especially high heels, can not be repaired with a piece of chewing gum. You can not easily break your other heel and turn your Manolo Blahnik stilettos into a pretty pair of ballerinas.

Treat with a broken heel on the thumb

In real life, a tube of powerful glue in your purse or pocket can save your life in the event of a disaster.

When you feel your heel loosens or is about to give way, place yourself on your toes, lightening your heel so you do not trip. If the heel comes off completely, get all the pieces you can find. Then, head carefully to a place where you can sit and examine the damage.

If the heel is nailed to the soleplate, coat the projecting nails with glue, slide them into the original holes and hold the heel in place until the glue dries.

When a stuck heel comes off a sole, scrape off the dried glue, coat it with fresh glue and hold it in place until a bond is formed.

If a high heel breaks in half, coat a piece of glue at the site of the break and try to reattach the other section. Stay away from your feet until you can change shoes.

Repairing broken heels at home

For a glue job at home, try a shoe adhesive such as Shoe Goo. Make sure the area to be repaired is clean, dry and free of oils, old glue and polishes.

Gently sand the sole and heel to make the surfaces rough. Apply a layer of Shoe Goo on the heel and sole and allow the solvents to evaporate for five to ten minutes before squeezing. Apply pressure with elastics, strings or a heavy object for at least 24 hours. The longer the adhesive hardens, the stronger the bond.

Repair of professional stubs

Broken heels are emergency shoes that should be left to the professionals because the measurements made by yourself may not last. Visit a shoemaker and get a quote for repairs. Cheap shoes may not be worth the cost, while better shoes often do.

If the heel is in one piece, a shoemaker can usually tie it up. A broken heel in several pieces can be replaced with a new heel unit, but in most cases you will need to have both shoes made so that the heel heights and colors match.

If the heel falls off a new shoe, it may be defective. Go to the store where the shoes were purchased and ask them to replace them.