How to clean suede shoes at home?

Competent shoe care, regardless of the season, is a must-have event that will ensure its proper appearance and long service life. This is especially true for suede shoes, since they require a special approach to operation and maintenance, therefore, before purchasing such a model, it is important to have an idea of ​​the methods and means for servicing suede products.

The popularity of such shoes among both men and women is due to the peculiarity of the material to transform the appearance of the shoes, adding elegance to the image, while increasing the level of comfort during use due to the softness and pliability of the material.

However, seasonality and climatic features sometimes make their own adjustments to a person's life, which as a result forces the owner of suede shoes to walk in them through puddles and mud or snow drifts, where direct contact of suede with various chemical reagents is a necessary measure. In addition, there are cases when, due to certain circumstances or through negligence, shoes get dirty with various greasy or dyeing compounds. The same water is left on the suede, salt stains, which spoil the appearance of the shoe and the quality of the material.

First of all, you need to dry wet shoes, boots or sneakers: for this, the outside of the shoes should be soaked with a dry, lint-free rag, and inside, put a few crumpled newspaper rolls to fill the entire space as much as possible, regardless of whether artificial or natural suede was used to make shoes.

If the shoes are made in light shades, you must use white paper without the presence of typographic printing to fill them. To speed up the drying process of the material, the paper inside can be changed every half hour, but on condition that it becomes wet.

It is necessary to dry wet suede at room temperature; it should not be placed near heating appliances, since there is a high risk that the shoes will lose their shape.

When the dirt is completely dry on the substrate, it can be removed with a brush. Such a useful accessory, as a rule, is sold in shoe stores along with products and professional care compositions; you can also buy it at your regular hardware store or in supermarkets in specialized shops that offer shoe products.

Such an accessory is usually made three-sided, there is a different nap on each side; typically the rubber side, the soft-bristled side, and the metal-toothed area. The polyurethane bristles will help to lift the suede after it gets wet and sticky, the second side is used to remove scuffs and greasy marks on dry shoes, the latter - gives the product and the bristles the correct position and helps to remove more stubborn dirt.

In the absence of such an item in everyday life, it is best to make a substitute at home: for this you can use an old toothbrush, a cloth made of rough raw materials, or an ordinary clothes brush.

It is necessary to work with a brush strictly in one direction., and places such as the joints between suede and the sole, where it is impossible to remove the dirt with a brush, can be treated with a regular cotton swab. The brush can cope with the main surface layer of existing dirt, remove dust, and also clean off traces of salt; but to get rid of deeper and older stains on shoes, especially white or beige, you need extra suede products and much more effort.

The next step, which concerns the removal of dirt and other contaminants from the suede, is the water-repellent treatment, which is carried out with specialized means. It is most correct to carry it out immediately after purchasing a new pair of shoes, spraying the material with an aerosol so that it becomes well moisturized from the composition. After that, it is necessary for the suede to finally be saturated and dry at normal temperature. As a rule, such treatment will be able to protect the shoes from getting wet for a period of time, after which the procedure will need to be repeated. Today you can find on sale a huge variety of products that are recommended for use with suede and nubuck. A feature of the product is the composition containing almond oil. This substance provides gentle care and protective functions.

Cleaning suede shoes involves not only water-repellent impregnation and brushing, but also refreshing care so that the shoes always have an attractive appearance. For these purposes, there are special aerosols, creams or liquid formulations that have a color similar to the varied palette of suede.

To remove serious dirt from shoes, even if you regularly use products that allow you to repel water and maintain color brightness, you will need certain tools that you can additionally purchase or make yourself at home.

Today, you can easily buy specialized products to combat dirt and serious stains on suede shoes. Among the most popular brands are Saphir, Kiwi or Salton. All professional cleaning products can be classified as follows.

Such compositions, after being applied to the material, form a reliable protective layer. Usually, the application of the cream is done with a sponge or brush only on clean and completely dry shoes. Among the popular brands are Duke Velours Nubuck.

Such formulations allow you to remove stains and marks on shoes from salt and road chemicals, in addition, the formulations restore the material, provide water-repellent qualities and easily cope with other types of pollution. The popular brands include Davidik spray or Silver Premium 3 in 1.

The product qualitatively impregnates the pile of the material, cleans dirt and traces of salt; it is necessary to use such compositions strictly according to the instructions. Products of the Salton brand are very popular.

They allow you to give the material its original color and paint over traces of dirt that cannot be removed.

In addition, sponges and all kinds of erasers can be purchased to help care for suede shoes, which are recommended to be used daily after wearing boots, shoes or sneakers. The essence of removing stains and streaks is a dry cleaning method, when the area on the material that has defects with dirt is rubbed with an eraser or sponge until the stubborn substance is completely removed from the pile.

Specialized formulations can also be selected based on the type of contamination present on the material. There are universal products, as well as formulations to combat greasy marks, salt stains, or to restore color that shoes have lost through frequent contact with chemicals. Information on the intended use of a particular composition is indicated by the manufacturer in the instructions and on the can, packaging or tube with the shoe.

The multi-cleaner is Saphir Detacheur Hiver-Winter or Tarrago Leather Care. Kiwi belongs to the class of cleansing foam, Crep Protect is recommended to restore the attractiveness of the material.

In order to get rid of various marks and stains on suede, formulations that you can prepare yourself at home are considered quite effective. However, there are some recommendations and features of a particular product, as well as a number of preparatory measures regarding shoes and material.

Every home is guaranteed to have one of the above substances. These bulk products will help remove the grease stain from the material. The most tangible results can be achieved when working with fresh dirt. To do this, you need to slightly warm up the sand or powder, treat the dirty area of ​​the material with it and leave it in this state for several hours. After that, the remnants of the loose substance can be simply shaken off or brushed off.

Sometimes a regular rubber band can be a good remedy to fight dirt. Instead, you can take a simple bread crumb of a suitable color, and use a bread crust instead of a brush.

The above products refer to the options for dry removal of various stains from suede. Next, we will consider ways to use folk remedies, which involve wet cleaning of dirty material.

In cases where powders and other bulk products did not bring the expected effect, you can prepare a soap composition from ordinary or laundry soap, or shampoo, whipping it until foam forms. However, in this case, it is important that the products used do not contain dyes or bleaches and chlorine, so as not to spoil the color and texture of the suede. For a persistent effect, you can drop a few drops of ammonia into the soap solution.

It is necessary to work with the composition as follows: you need to collect foam on a clean sponge and rub the composition into the material in a circular motion; you should avoid abundant ingress of water on the shoes. After processing, the sponge must be rinsed in order to remove the remnants of the foam composition from the material.

This option copes well with dirt and salt marks. To prepare it, you need to dilute ammonia and vinegar in a small amount of water in a ratio of 4: 1. Moisten any lint-free rag or cotton swab with the product and treat the required area of ​​the shoe. Then remove the product with water. After final drying, you need to brush over the suede pile to pick up the adhering hairs.

Many housewives at home get rid of dirt on shoes by holding them over steam, however, this method has its drawbacks, since water can contain a variety of impurities that, after drying, will remain stains on the material. Therefore, using this option, you should be sure of the quality of the water used, so as not to harm your shoes.

This method is recommended for the care and cleaning of light-colored suede garments. To prepare the composition, you need to dissolve baking soda in the volume of one teaspoon in 100-150 ml of milk and add a few drops of ammonia there. They clean the shoes with a sponge, moisten the edges of it in the composition and lightly rub the place with dirt. Then, with a damp sponge moistened with water, you need to remove the remnants of the composition from the suede.

This product can be used for any color of suede. To make a cleanser, you need to mix the ingredients in equal parts, apply them to the problem area, and then rinse with plain water.

This product should only be used on dark suede shoes. It is applied to the surface of the product and rubbed in with light pressure. After the gruel has dried, it must be removed from the shoes with a napkin, sponge or a piece of cloth. You can additionally use an eraser to remove the bulk.

The cleaning process with such a tool involves treating the contaminated suede area with gasoline, after which the area must be sprinkled with a large layer of talcum powder and the shoes must be left in this state for 2-3 hours, and then the material must be cleaned with a stiff brush.

Careful attitude to shoes, as well as observance of storage rules can not always protect against the appearance of contamination, but regular preventive measures will greatly facilitate the removal of contaminants. A huge role is played by the use of water-repellent compounds that protect the material not only from moisture, but also from dirt and various impurities that it contains on the street, since the product creates a certain barrier that prevents deep penetration of dust and dirt inside.

In addition, it is important to avoid the sun's rays coming into contact with the suede during storage. A good prevention of dust accumulation on the pile will be regular "combing" of the suede, which will remove deep accumulations of dirt, raising the villi, which increases the visual appeal of the shoe.The best way to store suede shoes is to wrap the pair in paper.

It is best to have different cleaning brushes for multi-colored shoes, and you will need regular care for a brush for light-colored shoes so as not to stain the shoes with old dust from it again.

Cleaning should be carried out only in one direction, and before each going out, especially in the off-season and in winter, suede shoes are best treated with special compounds and impregnations.

For information on how to clean suede shoes at home, see the next video.