How to clean suede shoes at home: light and colored, from dirt, salt, dust and mold

The content of the article

1 First sock: preparation features
2 How to clean suede shoes from different types of pollution
3 How to deal with scuffs
4 The basics of caring for a suede pair

And to return suede to its original softness of texture and color is simple. Natural suede is a specially processed leather (as a rule, we are talking about combined tanning) of cattle, as well as sheep, wild goats and deer. It is valued for its high air permeability, softness, elasticity and water resistance.

This material is a cotton or silk fabric, on the one hand having a thick pile. Modern technologies make it possible to produce artificial suede so that it is difficult to distinguish in appearance from natural, usually more expensive. With proper care, the latter is in no way inferior to the wear resistance of natural.

How to care for suede shoes? Regardless of whether the shoes are made of natural or artificial suede, there is one general rule: use special brushes for cleaning. As for care products, both professional and folk are highly effective. It all depends on the type and degree of pollution.

First sock: preparation features

During the purchase of a pair of suede shoes, sellers will offer you professional care products and brushes. Perhaps the whole set is not worth buying, but it’s definitely worth buying a water-repellent and at least one rubber brush with large and small teeth on opposite sides. They will be enough to wash the suede shoes from dirt at home.

As you use suede, you will be convinced that all these products - both for cleaning, and for restoring color, and for removing scuffs are necessary. Let's start with the ones you have already purchased. Before the first wear of a new pair, it is recommended to treat it with a water-repellent spray. This procedure should be carried out regularly during subsequent socks. Follow the procedure below.

Dust off. Make sure that new suede shoes are free of dust. If necessary, shake it off with a soft, clean cloth.
Spray spray. Shake the spray can well. Spray it on a suede surface from a distance of at least 15-20 cm. This will take one to two minutes. Put one boot (shoe) on one hand, take a spray can with the other and spray the product quickly, slowly turning the shoes around so that it is evenly distributed. It is recommended to carry out this procedure in an open space: in the yard, if you live in a private house, or at least on a balcony that can be well ventilated.
Let it soak. Close the can with the lid. Leave the shoes to dry for an hour. Better yet, carry out this procedure on the evening before the first sock. In this case, the shoes will have time to dry and the product will be well absorbed.
Brush. In the morning, you can also clean suede sneakers or shoes with a special rubber brush. Walk on the surface of the shoe and you can safely “walk” the new thing.

How to clean suede shoes from different types of pollution

How to clean suede shoes and how to remove mold if it is? It all depends on the nature of the problem, that is, the type of pollution. Of course, you promise yourself that you will protect suede shoes and not wear them in bad weather. But no one is safe from unexpected rain in spring, autumn or slush in winter.

And if the bad weather has dragged on, you have to carry out a procedure such as cleaning suede from reagents, which are abundantly sprinkled on sidewalks and public transport stops. In summer, a suede pair will have to be cleaned of dust at best, and if it is deposited in a distant drawer and stored not according to the rules, it will also be removed from mold.

Returning your suede shoes to its previous look will be easier if you make it a rule to clean a pair with a rubber brush after each wear after returning home. Even without the use of special tools, this will be enough to maintain a well-groomed condition.

White stains from reagents

Features. After a walk in bad weather on suede shoes, especially dark, ugly white spots remain. Vinegar will help clean suede shoes from salt stains. It is a 9% solution.

Procedure

Before cleaning from salt, chamois must be dried.
Dry suede should be cleaned with a rubber brush with small teeth. You need to do this in one direction.
Dampen the brush in vinegar and walk without pressure into the dirtiest places. Then over the entire surface.
When finished, wipe the steam with a damp cloth with good absorbent properties and dry.
For drying, you will probably need to return the color to suede boots. When interacting with cleaning agents, and then during the drying process, the surface of the suede can slightly change the shade. It is easiest to level it with a professional dye, which is sold in the form of sprays. It must be sprayed from a distance of at least 20 cm.

Acetone, which is sometimes advised on the Internet for cleaning suede, is actually not recommended: paint simply “floats” with the stain.

Mold

Features. Another problem that owners of suede shoes may encounter if a pair of sandals or shoes is stuck to the closet after a cold is green or brown mold. It is important to understand that this is not only an aesthetic problem, but also a threat to health. Plus, these living microorganisms cause the destruction of the structure of suede fabric. Therefore, you need to remove spores with the help of special tools that can be found in the store in the departments of household chemicals. As an alternative, use a weak solution of potassium permanganate, as well as laundry soap. If you choose the first option, just carefully treat the affected area with a gauze swab dipped in potassium permanganate. In the second case, follow the instructions. Laundry soap is especially suitable for cleaning colored suede, for example, blue.

Procedure

Grate a bar of laundry soap on a grater. Pour into a deep container with moderately hot water (30 g of chips per liter of water).
Dip the brush into a soap solution, and then rub the surface of the suede in a circular motion.
Wipe the steam with a clean, damp cloth and repeat the procedure again, focusing on green spots.
Rinse your shoes well and leave them in a ventilated room to dry naturally. The inside can be filled with crumpled newspapers that absorb excess moisture.

Mold smell

Mold on suede, even when stored in a dry room, may appear if, at the end of the season, the shoes are not well dried, placed in a plastic bag for storage and tightly closed. Another reason - the room may simply be too humid or in the closet where the shoes are stored there is not enough free air circulation. Therefore, even after cleaning, the shoes can smell strongly. To get rid of the musty smell, inside and outside the couple is treated with the following means.

White activated carbon. Crush five tablets into powder and pour it inside a suede shoe. After a day, remove the powder and wipe with a clean rag.
Salt. Similarly, salt is poured on the insoles so as to cover them completely, and after a day they are removed. Using the same tool, you can remove greasy stains from suede shoes.
Baking soda. Pour it liberally inside the shoe and remove after 12 hours.
Ammonia. Brush off any visible traces of mold from the suede, and then thoroughly treat the surface with ammonia. It is also an ideal tool to clean white suede shoes.
Deodorant. For those who prefer professional care products, a deodorant for shoes with disinfecting properties is suitable.

Note! Never clean your suede in a washing machine. To clean suede shoes, especially light shoes, proceed manually. Otherwise, the pair is deformed, and the material becomes covered with spots, stains, gray coating.

How to deal with scuffs

Even if you keep an eye out for suede shoes, regularly clean and dry the pair, as you use it, traces of abrasion will appear on its surface. Such a problem usually occurs during the second season of socks. Shoes lay a little, in some places moisture affected them, they didn’t clean them up somewhere, and gray-yellow spots appeared on the velvety surface. Before restoring suede shoes from scuffing, make sure that it is not a fungus. The following are key assets for restoring suede surfaces.

Talc, starch and chalk. All three components must be mixed in equal proportions. Apply the mixture liberally to scuffed areas and leave for a couple of hours. Clean off absorbents well. Use a rubber brush to restore the structure of the pile.
Petrol. This is the one used in lighters. Dampen a gauze swab dampened with gasoline. They should become wet, but not wet. Wait an hour and brush.
Coffee grounds. An excellent tool for cleaning and removing scuffs on brown suede shoes and shades. Barely moist thick is applied to the surface of the suede, after an hour they are removed and cleaned with a rubber brush.
Professional tool. Sprays and foams for suede will help to quickly and very effectively restore the structure of the suede pile. When using them, clearly follow the instructions, and the standard rule for foamy products is to apply them first on a brush or sponge, and then on a suede fabric. Sprays are sprayed from a distance of at least 15-20 cm.

The basics of caring for a suede pair

How to dry suede shoes? The first and main rule is not to force the process with the help of electric dryers and already definitely not put suede boots or shoes under the battery or an autonomous heater. After cleaning, fill your shoes with crumpled newspapers and dry them naturally in a well-ventilated area, and even better on a balcony with an open window. The paper inside absorbs residual moisture, and fresh air will contribute to good drying.

Periodically provide the opportunity for suede shoes to “relax”. First of all, then, so that the moisture, if it is still present on the suede fabric, finally dries. This will require at least 20 hours.

And one more equally important question - how to store suede shoes. Select a special shelf for her in the closet. It should be a place with good air circulation. At the end of the season, in no case do not pack such shoes in bags. It is best to loosen it with a new batch of newsprint in such a way as to keep fit, and freely put on a shelf. Cloth bags protect from dust.

You can wear suede with the exception of rainy days without any restrictions. The only question is how to take care of suede shoes so that it retains its original appearance for as long as possible. All the necessary recommendations are at your disposal.