Instructions for cleaning suede shoes, clean and durable, extremely detailed

If you do not know how to clean suede shoes, your shoes can quickly become damaged, lose shape or fade. Below are some tips for cleaning suede shoes properly to help your shoes stay clean and durable like new so you can confidently wear them with any fashion outfit. Let's refer to Celidior now!

Things to know about suede

Suede leather is created by using the underside of animal skin (cow, goat, sheep, etc.) that has undergone a special treatment to create a soft, smooth surface like velvet.

Outstanding features of suede material:

• Soft, comfortable: Suede has a natural softness, creating a comfortable feeling when in contact with the skin.
• High applicability: Suede is used to create many different products to meet human needs from handbags, shoes, clothes or furniture, etc.
• Easy to collect dust: Suede surface is easy to collect dirt during use, requiring users to regularly clean to keep suede products clean and beautiful.
• Water absorption: Suede is very hydrophobic, they are easily absorbed by water. When suede comes into contact with water or is stored in a humid environment, it is very easy to blister and peel.

Tools needed to clean suede shoes

Below are the necessary tools to help clean suede shoes easier and more convenient that you can refer to:

– Specialized brush

• Soft bristle brush: This type of brush has soft bristles, which helps remove dirt and light stains on the suede surface without scratching the leather.
• Rubber brush: Effective in cleaning stubborn stains on the suede surface.
• 3-sided brush: This type of brush has a 3-sided design, helping to clean the gaps and corners of the shoe easily.

Specialized shoe cleaning brush

– Soft towels, sponges

• Soft cloth: Used to absorb water and dry shoes after cleaning.
• Sponge: Used to absorb cleaning solution and gently wipe the suede surface.

– Cleaning solution

• Specialized suede shoe cleaning solution: Solution specifically designed to clean suede (XIMO, DaNubuck, Suede Pro Cleaner, ...)
• Safe alternative solution: In case you do not have a specialized suede shoe cleaning solution available, you can choose to use warm water diluted with a little mild soap or white vinegar. (It is recommended to test it on a small area of ​​the shoe first to ensure that the solution does not fade or damage the leather before applying it to the entire shoe).

Special cleaning solution for suede shoes

– Eraser, sandpaper

• Eraser: Used to remove stubborn stains such as grease, ink or food stains on suede shoes. 
• Fine sandpaper: Removes old, hard-to-clean stains on shoes

– Tools to protect suede shoes after cleaning

• Waterproof spray: Creates a protective layer, making shoes waterproof and dirt-resistant. 
• Shoe box: Storing shoes in a box helps shoes avoid dirt and collision, keeping shoes new and durable.

Waterproof spray to protect suede shoes

Steps to clean suede shoes

Step 1: Preparation

Depending on the condition of the stain and your personal circumstances, you can consider preparing all the suede shoe cleaning tools listed above or just some basic tools to be able to clean the stains (3 types of brushes, cleaning solution, waterproof spray to protect shoes, soft cloth,...)

Step 2: Clean the dirt

Use a soft bristle brush to gently clean the entire surface of the suede shoes to remove dirt. Pay attention to the crevices, seams and hard-to-reach places.

Step 3: Treat common stains

– Mud stains

For new mud stains, you need to let them dry completely and then use a rubber brush to gently scrub the stain. Then use a soft bristle brush to remove the loosened mud.

– Grease stains

Use a paper towel to absorb the grease on the suede. Then use a specialized cleaning solution or a diluted detergent solution to clean the stain.

– Water stains

Use a soft cloth to dry the water stains on the suede, then let the shoes dry naturally in a cool environment. When the shoes are dry, use a soft bristle brush to gently brush to help even out the color of the shoe.

– Ink stains

Use an eraser to gently scrub the ink stains on the shoes until the stains disappear. Then use a soft bristle brush to remove the eraser crumbs on the suede.

Step 4: Dry the shoes

After cleaning the stains on the shoes, use a soft cloth to dry the shoes. You can stuff newspaper into the shoes to absorb moisture, keep the shape of the shoes and let the shoes dry naturally in a cool environment.

Note: Do not leave suede shoes near high heat sources or in direct sunlight.

Step 5: Shoe storage

When the exposed leather shoes are completely dry, use a waterproof spray to spray evenly over the entire surface of the shoes to create a protective layer. Use a cloth bag or box to store the shoes to avoid dust and impact.

Ways to clean suede shoes with simple tools

In addition to cleaning men's and women's suede shoes with specialized shoe cleaning solutions, you can refer to tips for cleaning suede shoes with simple tools available at home such as:

Use old bread

With the rough texture of bread, stains on suede shoes can be removed quickly without damaging the material of the shoe. This is a good tip to help you easily clean suede shoes at home.

Use white vinegar

Cleaning moldy suede shoes with white vinegar will help you quickly deal with stubborn stains and mold on your suede shoes. You can use a paper towel soaked in a little vinegar and gently wipe the moldy area of ​​​​the shoe, after letting it dry, use a soft brush to scrub the surface of the shoe.

Use cornstarch/talcum powder

When your high-top suede boots get wet, cleaning them is quite difficult. At this time, you can refer to how to clean shoes with cornstarch/talcum powder. First, use a soft cloth to dry the shoes, sprinkle cornstarch/talcum powder on the stains on the outside and inside of the shoes. Then use newspaper to stuff into the suede shoes to absorb moisture. For heavily soiled stains, you can use a brush dipped in shoe cleaning solution to clean.

Use an old toothbrush

In case of emergency, if you do not have a specialized shoe cleaning brush available, you can replace it with an old toothbrush available at home to quickly clean the stains on your shoes. When cleaning, pay attention to use gentle force, avoid rubbing hard as it will damage the exposed leather surface of the shoe.

Use sandpaper/nail file

Using a nail file/sandpaper is a quick and effective way to clean suede shoes when you don't have a specialized soft shoe cleaning brush available. Just use the nail file/sandpaper to gently rub the surface of the suede shoes until the stain disappears.

Tips to help clean suede shoes more effectively

Tips for cleaning stubborn stains

You can use alcohol or wine to clean and quickly remove stubborn stains on your shoes. First, spray a little alcohol on the area that needs cleaning, use a paper towel or dry white cloth to lightly absorb it. Let it dry naturally, then use a brush to scrub the suede area that has been softened by alcohol/wine to easily remove stains. This is a way to clean suede high heels that women can easily apply.

How to remove bad odors

To remove odor from suede shoes, you can use used coffee grounds or tea bags placed in the shoes. You can also sprinkle some baby powder in the shoes to absorb moisture and deodorize sweaty feet.

How to preserve

To keep your suede shoes clean and durable over time, you should pay attention to cleaning your shoes regularly and keeping them away from damp areas. You should store your shoes in a box, use newspaper or shoe shapers when not in use. You can also use waterproof sprays and suede shoe care products to keep the leather soft and not dry.

Above are detailed instructions on how to clean suede shoes that Coolmate wants to share with you. Hopefully, through this article, you will know how to clean and preserve your favorite suede shoes to keep them clean, beautiful and durable over time.