28/04/2015
How to Maintain your Suede Shoe.
Most of us are usually afraid to clean our suede shoes for fear of ruining their soft, pleasant texture. After all, they are likely to get ruined more easily than the regular leather shoes, especially when they get wet (because of the porous surface).
Suede shoes should be cleaned with a suede cleaning brush or a soft nylon brush. They should not be cleaned with excessive abrasive pressure, though.
Before starting the process of cleaning, make sure the shoes are completely dry, or else your cleaning attempts shall spread the dirt further on the surface instead of sweeping it away.
How to Clean Your Suede Shoes
Steps for Cleaning
1. Stuff the shoes with some crumpled-up newspapers, particularly in the toe area so that they can hold their shape while you work on them.
2. Gently brush away the trapped dirt and mud from the surface of the shoes using a suede cleaning brush. Keep in mind that you need to brush it in the direction of the fibers rather than going back and forth.
3. However, if there are stubborn stains like caked mud, then you may have to scrub the affected area vigorously, regardless of the direction of the nap.
4. For scuff marks and blemishes that cannot be removed with the cleaning brush, rub a rubber cleaning stone, a piece of crepe rubber, or suede eraser on the affected area. Besides, you can scrape the area with an emery board. After the harsh treatment, you can brush over the suede with a nylon brush to help lift the nap.
5. In cases where the nap has worn down, you may have to brush the middle wire bristles of a suede brush vigorously before using the nylon brush.
6. Finally, remove the crumpled newspaper from the shoes and store them. If you wear them occasionally, you may wrap the shoes lightly in tissue paper and then keep them in a shoe box.
While scraping tough stains with an emery board, you can consider steaming over the affected area with an iron, or simply a kettle to help open up the pores, thereby making it easier to clean.
Though suede shoes should be protected from water still, if your shoes have gotten considerably wet in spite of all the precautions, then it is better to clean them with water.
This advice surely seems counter-intuitive but it actually helps avoid water stains. So, place a towel inside the shoes and spray a thin layer of water evenly on the surface of the shoes. Now, scrub the stained area with a nail brush.
To make the stain marks fade, it is best to work around the edges of the stain, in particular. Then, blot the water with a damp cloth. This is done to help the shoes dry evenly, thereby eliminating the chances of developing water stains.
Allow the shoes to dry in a cool, well-ventilated area; do not place them in front of fire or direct heat as it may cause uneven drying. In addition, quick drying can leave the surface rough. Placing the shoes in bright sunlight is also not advisable as it shall fade the color.
Finally, when the shoes dry completely, you can brush them using a suede brush.
