Suede shoes are one of the best alternatives in autumn thanks to its elegance and comfort. These are made with a type of soft leather coming from the inner part of the skin of certain animals such as cows or deer. It is thus distinguished from normal leather by its soft and velvety texture.
This type of footwear has great characteristics, since they stand out for being a softer material than traditional leather, which allows them to adapt better to the foot, offering greater comfort. In addition, it is an excellent option due to its aesthetic and sophisticated finish, so they can be chosen both for dressing up and for everyday use.
However, this type of fabric is somewhat delicate, so in addition to performing regular cleaning, it is important to know how to properly clean suede shoes against any possible incident.
What does it take to properly clean suede shoes?
Suede shoes are a little trickier to clean than other shoes because they have a fabric quite delicate. It is therefore important to carry out a careful process and not to use products that could damage them.
Before starting cleaning, it is advisable to prepare all the necessary equipment for it. Some, such as special brushes for suede or sprays suede, are recommended, as they are specially designed products to protect this type of fabric.
However, it is not always possible to have these specific products. Therefore, there are other options more commonly used to carry out cleaning with materials common household. For this cleaning, the following tools will be necessary:
- Soft bristle brush -or special brush for suede-.
- Eraser.
- White cleaning vinegar.
- Dry cloth.
- Paper towels or newspaper.
How to properly clean suede shoes
To begin, gently brush the shoes to remove any remaining dust, dirt or embedded dirt. If you don’t have a specific tool for this task, you can use an old toothbrush, always rubbing gently and in long movements, always in the same direction.
Next, it will be time to remove light stains such as scuff marks. To do this, use a eraser to remove areas where it appears crushed by gently passing it over the fabric. Rub gently and depending on the size of the stain; if it is small, with short movements, and if it is large, with circular movements.
After using the eraser, brush the shoe again to check the texture. Thus, it is recommended don’t use too much force so as not to crush the fabric and to make it look as new as possible. It is possible to repeat this process more than once, but always being careful not to damage the fabric, as excessive rubbing or using too much force could deteriorate the fibers.
If, on the other hand, the shoes have more difficult and resistant stains, such as mud or liquids, cleaning must be different. To do this, mix white cleaning vinegar And water in equal parts, wet a cloth with the mixture without wetting it too much and rub the stain in circular movements.
Then let the mixture sit and place the shoes outside so they dry more easily. Using other tools such as dryers could damage the suede or make it stiff. Once the shoe is completely dry, use the brush to soften the material and restore its original texture.
If the stain is very ingrained, it is possible to vary the combination by adding less water, even pour the white cleaning vinegar directly on the stain without mixing it first.
To help shoes retain their shape while air drying, fill them with kitchen paper or newspaper. In this way, the paper will press the fabric so that it continues to maintain its original shape and prevents it from deforming with water and heat.
Although this type of shoe should be dried outdoors, it is not recommended to leave them in direct sunlight, as this could not only discolor the fabricbut rather make it rigid and lose its characteristic comfort.
To complete the cleaning, it is important revive the texture to resemble the original appearance as closely as possible. To do this, brush them with quick, but not too hard, movements to bring out the texture and give shape to the fabric.
On the other hand, once the shoes are clean, it is possible to apply a fabric protector spray. This compound allows fabrics to be waterproofed without removing color or texture, which is why it is widely used in shoes with very delicate materials such as suede.
