Can you clean suede shoes

It has also evolved into the creation of cold-weather clothing like cloaks, coats, jackets, and shoes. Its open-pored surface makes it vulnerable to scuffing and smudging. Is there, at any rate, a right way as to how to clean suede shoes? In general, caring for suede shoes should be just as easy as caring for leather shoes and sneakers. In which case, we offer several ways for cleaning suede shoes. Before that, we also suggest that you have the following items on hand if you have more than one pair of suedes:.

Using water to clean suede is an absolute no-no as it may cause irreparable staining and discoloration. Instead, as stated above, use white vinegar or rubbing alcohol to clean off stains. Rule of thumb: try not to wear your suede shoes two days in a row. Ideally, give your shoes at least a day or two off before wearing them again.

Not only does this keep your shoes from wearing out too fast, but these also prevent the buildup of odor-causing bacteria on the outside and grime on the outside. You mentioned the use of specialized shoe cleaners to care for suede shoes; can you recommend one? There are a lot of brands you can choose from, but Oliver Cabell Premium Shoe Cleaner is specially formulated to deal with the toughest stains on any form of leather, including suede.

Simply let them dry overnight; come morning, use a stiff-bristled brush to remove any mud. Afterwards, dampen a clean cloth with either white vinegar or alcohol to remove any residual staining. If so, check out our thorough guides to cleaning leather shoes and canvas shoes. We also have a detailed tutorial on cleaning smelly shoes that will give you some tips for preventing odor from all shoes regardless of the material.

Our mission is to keep women and men around the world looking sharp and feeling confident. Take a second to leave a comment below and subscribe to our newsletter. I have a pair of cranberry color suede boots. I spilled coke on them and now have dark spots. How do i clean them? Will the vinegar work. Thanks for your comment! You can check with a dry-cleaner you trust.

I would go to the nearest shoe shop and ask for help. Finally, if you do not want to spend money, you can try to clean your boots with vinegar. Make sure you try in a small place first and see what happens before applying vinegar to the whole surface. They might not be completely ruined yet. The truth is that excessive heat, like from the sun, can cause suede to crack and warp. Besides, the sooner you treat your suede shoes once they get wet, the better. So, we advise you to lightly brush off any dirt they may have with a nylon brush or suede brush.

Once your shoes are clean and dry, you need to get a suede brush and somehow massage the fibers till they get back into position. Try in a small section first! Sadly, your shoes might not look as great as before they got wet, but you can significantly improve their appearance. We also advise you to apply some kind of suede-protecting spray to avoid any future damage. If unsure as to how to deal with damaged suede shoes, it would be wise to check with a specialist.

You can take your shoes to a shoe shop and ask for help. They might recommend you a miracle product or guide you as to how to fix them. Feel free to browse our online fashion magazine. Glad you liked it! Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Contents What are suede shoes Cleaning suede shoes Suede shoe care How to dye suede shoes. What are suede shoes? Photo by Jaclyn Moy. Photo by Andrew Tanglao.

Photo by Anna Onishchuk. How to clean suede shoes:. Photo by Adison Clark. Photo by Rosan Harmens. Photo by Payton Tuttle. Suede shoe care Protection is always the most effective cleaning strategy. Photo by Jean Luc Catarin. Photo by Kelvin Yup.

How to protect suede shoes? How to dye suede shoes One of the biggest consumer complaints about suede shoes is their tendency to fade in color. Photo by Ilyuza Mingazova. How to dye suede shoes? Final words Thank you for taking the time to read through this guide on how to clean suede shoes.

Now, slip on those fresh suede shoes and see what life will bring your way next. Once you get off this layer of grime, your shoes will already look newer. Try using the rubber side of your brush first. If needed, switch over to the brass bristles. Brush vigorously to remove scuff marks. When you scuff your shoes, the suede's grain can get pressed down in one direction. Lift the grain by brushing scuffed areas vigorously back and forth. Again this is best done with a suede brush.

For scuffs that are too matted down to respond to the brush, try scraping the area with a knife to lift the nap. Use an eraser for stubborn marks. Scuffs and marks that won't brush out can often be removed by rubbing with a pencil eraser or a piece of crepe rubber the crinkled rubber that many shoe soles are made from. You can also by a special suede eraser designed for just this task. Apply a moderate amount of pressure and increase as tougher marks require.

Protect your suede. Once they are clean or when you first get them , spray a coat of suede protector spray on your shoes. This will help prevent further stains and marks. Follow the manufacturer's directions. Method 2. Wet the entire outside of the shoe. Apply a light coat of water with your brush.

Water can discolor suede, but properly applied water can also remove those stains. Use a sponge or dry cloth to soak up excess water. Dab gently until the leather is evenly wet without visible water stains. Stick paper and shoe trees in your shoes. Especially if you used a large amount of water, put dry paper in the shoes to help blot out excess water on the inside.

Shoe trees or just wads of paper will help the shoes retain their original shape. Do not use newspaper because excess ink can soak into your shoes. Let the shoes dry at least overnight. Put them in a dry, well ventilated spot and let the water evaporate.

Once dry, go over the shoes lightly with a suede brush. This will help shake out the grain back to its original look. Method 3. Get out oil or "unknown" stains with a nail brush. Use a suede brush to scrub the stain as you would for a scuff.

Then use a nail brush to scrub stubborn stains with warm water. Grease stains can be particularly difficult to remove from suede, and badly stained shoes may never look good again. Some recommend cornstarch for oil stains if the oil is still wet. Sprinkle it over the stain and then leave it overnight. The next day brush away the starch and mist the stain with an iron. Let mud dry before cleaning. Wipe away the excess mud without pushing too hard against the suede, then leave your shoes to dry in a sunny spot.

Once the mud has hardened, you should be able to break off the larger chunks with your hands. Then use a suede brush to break off the remaining dirt particles.

Put shoes in the freezer for wax and chewing gum stains. If you get gum stuck to your shoes, put them in freezer for a few hours. The gum will eventually become hard enough that you can chip it away in large chunks. Finish off with a suede brush. Lift blood stains with cotton balls and peroxide. Dab at the stain with a peroxide-soaked cotton ball slowly until the blood comes out.

Get at ink before it sets—then use sandpaper. If you spill ink on your kicks, grab a towel and try to blot it up quickly. If it sets, scrape the stain off with sandpaper. Before you even begin the cleaning process, put enough crumpled paper like a newspaper or used computer paper inside the shoes so they keep their natural shape while you go to work on them.

This will help toughen up suede's naturally supple material to make it easier to clean the more stubborn spots. If you have some even tougher stains on your shoes, like salt, food, or wine, pour a little white vinegar on a clean cloth and gently wipe the affected areas. Apply the vinegar on the stained area first; then let it dry. Finally, rub with a suede brush to get those tough stains out. Brushing and wiping down the shoes sometimes won't remove all the marks.

Apply a bit of pressure as your rub, and increase as needed for tougher stains. If a suede eraser isn't available, you can also use a pencil eraser.