Elvis knew: suede shoes are classy, super versatile, and impractical. Suede is such a great material and adds instant luxury to any outfit, but it needs some TLC to keep it looking nice. What’s a girl to do?! No worries. Caring for suede is a lot easier than you think. With this easy-to-follow step-by-step guide, cleaning your suede shoes becomes a breeze, and they will look as good as new in no time.
Clean suede shoes
The UK weather and suede shoes are not a match made in -shoe- heaven. No matter how careful you are, sooner or later your suede shoes will get stains. You can get very annoyed, toss your shoes in the back of your closet and never wear them again, but have no fear. Your suede shoes are not a lost cause! It may seem like an ordeal, but cleaning suede is actually quite easy. Here are some super-useful tips on how to clean suede shoes, boots, trainers, and more.
Do’s
- It’s stating the obvious, but a suede protector will do wonders for your shoes. Before you ever wear your suede beauties, spray them with a suede protector. Spraying is a piece of cake and prevents nasty stains.
- Your freshly sprayed suede shoe needs to sit and dry for a few hours. To longer you allow them to dry, the better they will be protected.
Don’ts
- Never use soapy water to clean your suede shoes! Soapy water will only cause more stains, and you risk ruining your shoes. And, perhaps a little redundant, never toss your suede shoes in the washer.
- Were you happily wearing your suede shoes when a downpour hit you? Never dry suede shoes in direct sunlight or on heat sources, like radiators and stoves! The heat will cause the suede to harden, and there is only one solution left: a one-way ticket to your bin. It’s best to let your shoes air dry. It will take some time before they are fully dry, but your shoes can thank us later.
- Never use vinegar to clean suede shoes! Treating stains with vinegar only causes discolouration.
How to clean suede shoes? 6 easy steps
Cleaning dirty suedes is pretty simple, and you can use everyday household items to make your shoes look as good as new. As long as you have the right items lying around your house, your shoes -and you!- will be fine.
What you need:
- A suede brush. Don’t have one? A nail brush or toothbrush will work just as fine.
- A cloth or flannel
- An eraser or a suede rubber
- Suede protector spray -if you have it-
All you have to do is follow 4 easy steps to clean your trainers, boots, or any other -blue- suede shoes.
# Step 1: Preparation
Cleaning damp suede shoes will likely ruin them, and you’ll be worse off. Let them air dry, and avoid heat sources such as radiators. Use a clean cloth or flannel and gently rub the surface. No water, no pressure, no nothing: you’re just removing layers of grime and dust.
# Step 2: Brush off excess dirt
Get your suede brush, nail brush or toothbrush and gently brush the surface of the shoe. Remember to brush with the grain!
A suede brush has two sides: one with steel bristles, and one with rubber bristles. Use the rubber bristles to remove excess dirt. – the steel side is used to roughen up the suede-
What if you come across a bald spot? Simply apply more pressure, and move the brush back and forth until the stain has disappeared. Moving the brush back and forth helps raise flattened suede fibres.
# Step 3: Remove very stubborn stains
Not all stains are equal. If you want to remove a very, very stubborn stain, you can use water. Only a teeny tiny amount will do! Water and suede are not a good match, but it’s worth trying to moisten the steel side of your suede brush. Carefully use the moistened steel side to apply water over the entire shoe to avoid colour differences. Gently rub the water into the leather. Use a dry cloth or flannel to pat the shoe dry.
You could also use a piece of dry bread when you’re trying to remove stubborn stains. Yes, dry bread. Dry bread absorbs grease, which makes the stain vanish into thin air. Dab a piece of dry bread on the stain et voila, the stain is gone.
# Step 4: Use the eraser or suede rubber
Both a suede rubber and a regular pencil-case eraser will work fine if you’re trying to remove stains. Use constant back and forth pressure, just like you’re erasing a pencil mark. Is it not working? Then don’t force it. You may risk damaging the suede.
# Step 5: Use steam the get rid of the most stubborn stains
Some stains resist everything. You take a suede jacket to the dry cleaners, but you can easily steam suede shoes yourself.
Fill a pan or a kettle with water, and wait for the water to boil. Hold your shoes in the steam, and gently brush in one direction -with the grain!- until your shoes look like new.
# Step 6: Allow your shoes to fully dry
Put crumpled paper inside the shoes to keep their shape while they dry. Please don’t use a newspaper! The ink stains like crazy. Let your shoes air dry, and make sure they are fully dry before putting them on. Finish off with a protective suede spray if you have one.
Find your favourite new suede shoes for less!
