Selleys Shoe Fix Fixer Upper

How did Selleys Shoe Fix save a favourite pair of boots?

This story comes from The Fixer Upper blog, written by someone who has built a decluttering habit around repairing things rather than replacing them. In her own words:

"Over time, I have gradually built a sustainable decluttering lifestyle. This means that decluttering tasks are no longer overdue, tedious chores. Instead, decluttering is an everyday, enjoyable habit.

Regular decluttering rituals have made me quite efficient at making decisions about my stuff based on keeping only what I love, need and use. As a result, I am more inclined to take a sustainable approach to how I manage my stuff, particularly, repairable items. Rather than frivolously throwing out or donating my things, I prefer to fix them! Whether a DIY repair or creative upgrade, this week I quickly, easily and successfully fixed up three of my favourite things!

These boots were an expensive gift and I love them. I wasn't ready to let them go when the sole started 'talking'. A quick trip to the hardware store and some Selleys Shoe Fix ($6.95) worked wonders to personally repair my footwear.

After the Shoe Fix success, I used the same Selleys adhesive to repair a wedding photo frame, solving two problems with one solution."

A sole that has started "talking" — flapping loose at the toe — is the most common way a good pair of shoes gets thrown out, and it is one of the most repairable failures there is.

Why Shoe Fix rather than any glue

Selleys Shoe Fix is a specialist 50mL solvent adhesive in a clear tube, made for footwear. The property that matters is not raw strength but flexibility: it forms a strong and flexible bond that withstands stress and impact. A shoe sole flexes with every step, and a rigid adhesive will crack along the bond line within days of walking.

It bonds the materials shoes are actually made from — leather, rubber, canvas, EVA foam and most other common shoe materials. EVA is the foam midsole in most walking and running shoes, and it is usually the layer that separates from the outsole.

The published figures

Stage	Time
Begins to harden and forms a strong bond	Within 60 minutes
Maximum bond strength (at 25°C)	24 hours
Ready for practical use	After 24 hours

Those two milestones are different, and the difference is where home shoe repairs go wrong. The shoe will feel repaired at the one hour mark, and putting it on then loads a bond that has not developed. Wait the full day.

The method is short: start with clean and dry shoes free from dirt or grease; apply the adhesive to one surface only and immediately press the parts together; lightly clamp or weight until dry; and wait 24 hours before wearing. Note that "one surface only, press immediately" is the opposite of how a contact adhesive works — do not coat both faces and wait.

Figures are from the product's technical data and are indicative results rather than a basis for preparing specifications.

Safety

Shoe Fix is a solvent adhesive and is classified as hazardous under Safe Work Australia's GHS 7 criteria, with classifications including Flammable Liquid (Category 2), eye damage/irritation (Category 2A) and specific target organ toxicity on single exposure (Category 3). Use it in a well-ventilated area, keep it away from heat and ignition sources, avoid eye contact, and store it somewhere cool and well ventilated out of direct sunlight.

The wider point

The second half of the story is the interesting part: after the boots, the same adhesive fixed a wedding photo frame. One tube covered two problems that would otherwise have been two purchases.

That is the practical case for keeping a small repair kit rather than buying a specific product each time something breaks. A specialist adhesive like Shoe Fix has a narrow name but a broader capability — leather, rubber, canvas and foam turn up in a great deal more than footwear.

If you want to build that kit out, Glue Guide 101 covers which adhesive suits which job, and 5 tips to repairing sentimental items covers repairs where the object's value is not what it cost.

How to do the same repair

The full walkthrough is at how to repair shoes. In short:

1. Clean and dry the shoes, free of dirt or grease.
2. Apply Selleys Shoe Fix to one surface only and immediately press together.
3. Lightly clamp or weight down until dry.
4. Wait 24 hours before wearing.

Light clamping is the key word. Heavy pressure squeezes the adhesive out of the joint and leaves a starved bond.

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Common questions

What was repaired?

A pair of boots whose sole had started to separate, and afterwards a wedding photo frame, both with Selleys Shoe Fix.

What size is Shoe Fix?

A 50mL clear tube.

How long before the shoes can be worn?

Twenty-four hours. The adhesive forms a strong bond within 60 minutes but reaches maximum strength at 24 hours at 25°C.

Do I put the glue on both surfaces?

No — one surface only, then press the parts together immediately.

What materials does it bond?

Leather, rubber, canvas, EVA foam and most common shoe materials.

Should I clamp the repair?

Lightly clamp or weight it until dry. Heavy pressure squeezes the adhesive out and weakens the bond.

Is it safe to use indoors?

Use it in a well-ventilated area. It is a flammable solvent adhesive classified as hazardous under Safe Work Australia GHS 7 criteria.

Can I use it on things other than shoes?

The writer used the same tube on a photo frame. Its published material list covers leather, rubber, canvas and EVA foam, which turn up in plenty of non-footwear items.

What if the sole has worn right through?

Adhesive joins two sound surfaces and cannot replace missing material. That is a job for a cobbler.

Is there another Selleys product for shoes?

Yes — Fix & Go Shoe Repair is the equivalent specialist adhesive in the Fix & Go format.