How to Wash Suede Shoes? A Complete Guide to Clean Stains

Do you hesitate while buying suede shoes, worrying about their care and protection? You can buy suede shoes with ease of mind because here are some ways through which you can clean your suede shoes. Shoes with suede material are quite popular nowadays.

Shoes with suede material are very stylish and have a velvety touch. They are very hard to maintain as they tend to have stains. Stains easily affect the color of your favorite shoes. Removing the stains from suede shoes and maintaining them clean can be tricky. Also, do check out our post for the best products for waterproofing leather boots.

Suede is a kind of leather made with an underlying layer of animals that includes a layer of goat, pig, claves, deer, etc. Furthermore, suede is thinner and less durable than leather, and suede usage is mainly in shoes, clothes, and accessories.

There are many types of suede depending upon the use of the type of animal’s innermost layer. They are as follows: sheepskin suede, which is a softer and lighter type of suede. The second type is cowhide suede, which is rougher and thicker in comparison with sheepskin suede. This suede is the production of older animals. If you want to know about workboots then check out work boot waterproofing.

While the third type is thicker, durable, and rougher than sheepskin and cowhide suede, the products that use pigskin suede are heavier. There is equipment for cleaning and washing suede shoes. They are available in markets and also online. You can also lean suede shoes with nice and quick DIYs.

How to Wash Suede Shoes

You can wash or clean your suede shoes once a week but keeping your suede shoes protected is the main task. This is quite easy. However, you have to be patient and gentle while cleaning your shoes. Ensure that your suede shoes are dry, and do not use water to wash them off as they will only stain the shoes. Do not clean them with toothpaste or wash them in a washing machine either. Dropped here while searching for white shoes, we got them covered as well, see Best Shoe Protector Sprays For White Shoes.

Here is how you can wash your suede shoes without damaging them. You can actually purchase a suede cleaning set which is available everywhere. It is inexpensive as well. The kit contains tools like a suede cleaning brush and an eraser. These tools will help you in wiping the dirt off without harming the suede material.

Before you begin the cleaning process, remove the laces and detachable footbed or insole. Place a crumpled paper or shoe tree, which will support the shoe upper surface. This will also clean easily, and the shoe will dry up faster.

Start cleaning the stain gently with a suede cleaning brush or an eraser in a direction where the soft grains of suede are. As for stubborn stains, you can remove them effortlessly with rubbing alcohol or white vinegar. These products are easily available at home.

Apply one of the products in a circular motion where the persistent stain is. Let it dry for about a couple of minutes. Afterward, with the help of a brush, rebuff the stain. Due to alcohol or vinegar application, you comfortably remove the stain as it breaks the strong bonds of stains and weakens it as well.

Another way of removing stains is to first brush the surface of the suede gently in one direction. Once you’re done with that, put a little pressure on the brush and brush the surface of suede rigorously in to and fro motion to get off that hard and persistent dirt. A nail cleaning brush or old toothbrush also does the job.

Get hold of an eraser to fight against the marks and scratches visible on the suede’s surface. It works exactly how a brush works to remove the mud and dirt from the suede’s surface. Apply pressure while erasing, and this will help to remove those marks. You can always use your regular pencil eraser.

To deal with suede fuzz is to get an old razor. With the help of a razor, shave down the fuzz from the suede’s surface to have that smooth and clean effect. After cleaning your suede shoes, apply or spray a suede protectant spray. This will be the last step of your cleaning or washing. It is colorless and also odorless. It works like a nail top coat, securing all of your hard work,

If your suede shoes are suffering from water stains, gently wipe off the surface of the suede with a damp cloth dipped in water. With the help of a paper towel or bath cloth, wipe off the excess water. To dry them, leave the shoes overnight to make them dry. Your shoes’ color may fade away if they are put in the sunlight for drying.

Fighting oil and grease can be hard and messy. To overcome such stains, firstly apply cornstarch or talcum powder on the oily or greasy stain. Leave it overnight so that cornstarch will set. It will completely soak up the oil or grease. Once it’s done, damp the stain and brush off the stain.

Removing the mud off the suede shoes is quite easy. Let the mud dry on the suede surface. After that, you can easily brush off the mud chucks when it completely dries up. Similarly, you can also remove the wax and gum that sometimes stick to suede. Just place your shoes in the freezer till it freezes and then break chunks of wax or gum.

Blood or ink stains will not come off easily. The solution for this is simple. Use hydrogen peroxide to remove these stains from your suede shoes. The application is effortless. Take a cotton ball and dip it into hydrogen peroxide and apply it to the stain. However, dap it and do not scrub it, or it may damage the suede.

Wrapping It Up

You can confidently buy shoes without worrying about stains or marks that damage the suede of your shoes. You can buy professional kits or tools for suede cleaning, which will only cost you a few dollars. You can also use some of the fundamental products available in your kitchen. Taking care of your suede shoes will only consume a little time, and it will make them brand new. Since it’s all about shoe care, check out the Best Waterproofing Spray for Shoes as well.