How to restore suede shoes at home

Suede shoes look very beautiful and expensive, but require careful care and careful wearing. Shoe repair shops offer shoe polishing using a variety of oils and lubricants. This procedure is called arbitration and costs a lot of money. But you can also restore suede shoes at home using special products. Before you start working on improving the appearance of your shoes, you should know how to do it correctly to get the desired effect.

How to update your shoes?

Many lovers of suede shoes have to give them up, because ladies often do not know the simple rules of care. The main requirement is that you should not wear shoes made of delicate material in bad weather, as it is necessary to limit contact with water as much as possible.

The remaining rules are divided into three subgroups: drying, storage and care products. It is important to correctly follow each rule, then you will not have problems with your favorite shoes or sneakers. It is recommended to arrange your shoes regularly to avoid problems later. If the matter has already started, then the cleaning will take place in several stages.

How to remove salt stains

In cities in winter, sidewalks are sprinkled with special reagents. The problem is that they not only eat away snow and ice, but also leave white marks on boots and boots. There are special products on sale for removing salt traces from suede. If they are not in the house, folk methods will help restore suede shoes:

First, you need to clean off the salt stains from the surface with a special suede brush. This should be done on the side of the brush on which the rubber teeth are located. After this, dissolve a little soap or shampoo in water, moisten a sponge in this solution and squeeze well (the sponge should be slightly damp). Sponge the problem areas and remove excess foam with a napkin. After the shoes have dried, they need to be treated using the same rubber brush.
You can use vinegar and ammonia. To do this, mix water with ammonia in a ratio of 5:1. Wipe dry and free of dirt shoes with a sponge with the resulting solution, making circular movements. After this, treat the surface with a vinegar solution (1 tablespoon of vinegar essence per 1 liter of water). Next, remove excess moisture with a napkin.
You need to take a crust of rye bread and rub the problem areas. In this case, strong pressure is not needed; you should act carefully.

Important! Before applying, you need to wait until it is completely dry. It is necessary at room temperature, away from heating devices, otherwise the suede will lose its shape.

Care tools

To restore suede and return it to its previous appearance, you can use the following available means: An elastic band can be office or special for suede; it lifts the pile and promotes better color rendition. Special sprays are available in two versions: for painting and for protection. The first helps return the boots to their original appearance by painting them in the desired color. The most popular is black, but shades of blue and brown are also available. The protectant acts as a water-repellent agent; the colorless spray creates an invisible thin layer on the surface that prevents the penetration of moisture.

Brushes vary in material and hair type. They can be metal, rubber or polymer. The first one copes well with old, worn-out shoes. The second two are intended for resuscitation of new shoes. All brushes lift the print, giving it a fresher look, while also cleaning it of all types of dirt.

For DIY enthusiasts, suede shoes may require gradual restoration, and other items may also be required. For example, baby soap, baking soda, milk fat, semolina, ethyl alcohol, ammonia, baby powder, a piece of soft cloth, a sponge, magnesium and turpentine. All of the above products help solve one problem or another.

Top products for cleaning and storing shoes

What to do if there is dirt on your suede shoes is a common question during the rainy season. The first and most important rule is to let the product dry. If you start wiping wet suede shoes, you risk simply destroying the appearance of the product. Only after the shoes are completely dry can you start cleaning - take a brush and rub in one direction until the dirt is removed.

Advice

Everyone should have a suede brush at home. Without it, your suede pair of shoes will become unusable after a couple of weeks of wear. Almost all brushes have not only a part with bristles, but also a part with rubber. Also, some brushes are now equipped with a wheel, with which you can get rid of dirt on the seams.

If the contamination is more serious, the above methods will not work. Later in the article we will tell you how to clean very dirty suede shoes using steam, ammonia and more.

If we talk about wet cleaning, you can use... MILK. Mix skim milk and baking soda and wipe the suede with a piece of cloth soaked in this solution. After this, you need to wipe the product again, but with a cloth soaked in clean cold water.

You can also remove stains from suede using a mild soap solution. A glass of water + a spoonful of ammonia + a teaspoon of detergent. We proceed as in the case described above with milk.

Above we described folk remedies. If they do not help, you will have to buy special products for cleaning suede shoes.

Among the most popular brands are Salamander and Silver. You can purchase:

cleaner or lotion (removes minor stains);
special eraser (removes dust);
foam or shampoo (this is a deeper cleaning);
stain remover (if there is serious contamination).

These products certainly cannot be called cheap, but they will definitely save your shoes.

How to steam clean suede

This method should be used if the stains are very deeply ingrained and the above methods do not help.

How to clean suede with steam? A very important factor is preparing shoes for cleaning.

First, go over with a brush (you can use the option with a soap solution). Try to remove small, not serious stains. If you wet cleaned, be sure to let the shoes dry before steam cleaning.

Cleaning suede over steam involves using a kettle. Boil the kettle so that steam comes out of the spout.

Advice

A steam iron is also suitable, but the option with a kettle is more convenient and reliable. But do not overdo it with steam - the shoes may become deformed.

How to clean suede under steam? It’s not difficult - place the product under a stream of hot air so that the steam hits all contaminated areas.

Important: the material should heat up and not get wet. After you have steamed your shoes, take a brush (use the side with stiff bristles) and rub the product with vigorous movements in one direction.

After cleaning, allow the shoes to dry on their own. Do not place the product under a battery.

How to clean suede with ammonia

This cleaning method can boast of popularity because:

it is not expensive
it's effective

In order to clean suede with ammonia, you will need:

Fabric cut into small pieces
Ammonia
The container in which you will mix everything
Water
Vinegar

Advice

Now in stores and on the market you can find a lot of protective products for suede that prevent contamination. Treat the product with this product after cleaning. Proportion of water to ammonia: 4 to 1. The water should be warm. You need to mix everything well. Take a piece of cloth (a brush will also work), dip it in the solution and treat the dirty areas. Speed is very important - you don’t want the liquid to be deeply absorbed. After this, you need to wipe the shoes with a cloth soaked in clean water.

But that is not all. To achieve maximum effect, after the above manipulations you need to treat your shoes with a vinegar + water solution (half a teaspoon of vinegar for 1 glass of water).

Then simply leave the shoes to dry. Under no circumstances should you place shoes under a radiator, dry them with a hairdryer, etc.

What is good about this cleaning method? It will not only remove dirt, but also give the shoes some freshness.

Step-by-step cleansing

Resuscitation of suede takes place in several stages. If all the rules are followed correctly, your shoes will look as if they have been dry cleaned.

The first thing to do is clean the surface of the shoe by removing dust with a soft cloth or sponge. You can also use a soft brush or school eraser to clean. If the shoes are in absolutely terrible condition, wash them with soap. Rub the sponge with laundry or baby soap, rinse lightly with water and rinse well. It is the foam that will help get rid of dirt under the pile. The surface should be carefully wiped with a sponge and then wiped with a rubber brush. It is important that the suede does not get too wet, otherwise the whole process will be in vain. If you don't have soap at home, you can replace it with shower gel or detergent.

Removing stains

Sometimes stains of various origins form on suede products. Let's look at cleaning methods for each case:

Oily and shiny areas. Use semolina, starch or baby powder. If you don’t have any of the above in your house, you can use flour or crushed chalk to clean the suede. All these substances have absorbent properties. You need to apply one of them to the stain and leave it overnight or for several hours. During this time, the semolina will absorb the fat. Remove any residue by combing the lint with a soft brush. You can also get rid of greasy stains by wiping them with dishwashing detergent.
Dye. Apply a little purified gasoline or solvent to a cotton pad. Blot the stain and wait 5 minutes. The second step is getting rid of the unpleasant odor. Wipe the dirty area with a cloth soaked in vinegar.
Ink. Cleaning with a stationery eraser removes pen marks well. Rub it over the dirty area and shake off any crumbs.

7 easy ways to restore suede at home

“And they are still fighting for the honorary title of the House of High Culture and Life!” - Anton Semenovich Shpak said to the police dog in the immortal comedy “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession.”

This article won't tell you what to do if your suede jacket is stolen. However, you can learn how to make your suede shoes look fresh again! Let's find out how!

Suede is a very thin and delicate velvety leather that absolutely cannot stand walking through dirt, dust or rain. At the same time, the dazzling summer sun doesn’t suit him either! So how do you take care of such painstaking material?

5 steps to care for suede:

after each exit, clean your shoes with a special brush;
if the brush does not help, use a special eraser;
Remove stubborn dirt using special foam for suede;
use special gels and sprays to protect against contamination;
The color will be restored by suede paint.

How to return color

With a few clever tricks and simple steps, it is even possible to restore faded colors and bring back the brightness of clothes:

Special paint. It can be found in household chemical departments or hardware stores. Typically, detailed instructions for use are placed on the packaging of coloring products: aerosols and mixtures.
Coffee grounds. Suitable for dark suede items. It is necessary to brew natural coffee, cool and strain it through a fine sieve. There should be no grains left in the coffee solution. Pour it into a spray bottle and spray evenly over the entire suede surface. Allow the substance to absorb for 12-20 hours. If the color turns out paler than you wanted, you should repeat the procedure.
Milk mixture. Prepare a mixture of full-fat milk, turpentine, baby talc and magnesia. Add all ingredients in equal proportions. Mix thoroughly and apply to suede material. After 40-50 minutes, brush off any remaining mixture using a soft brush.

To prevent the problem of damage to suede products from affecting you for a long time, take preventive care of your items. Be careful when wearing and cleaning. And our tips will help you with this:

If possible, avoid wearing suede jackets and shoes in rainy or snowy weather. Precipitation will certainly leave white stains on them, which dry out and make the material rougher.
Do not fold suede clothing and shoes; store them flat. Folds and deep creases can cause cracks and bald spots to form.
Washing such products is highly undesirable. The material will deteriorate. Also, do not expose it to excess humidity.
Do not dry suede items near hot radiators and heaters, as well as turned on electrical appliances and in direct sunlight. This will make the fabric stiffer.
Along with purchasing suede items, you must immediately buy a product to care for them. It is important to use sprays, aerosols and brushes - they soften the material.
Store products outdoors. Do not put them in a bag or tightly closed cabinet. There the material will begin to emit an unpleasant odor.

Suede should be cleaned immediately, without waiting for stains to soak into the fibers or dry out.

Suede is a beautiful material, but capricious. Even with careful care, suede shoes can develop stubborn stains and scuffs. To restore the appearance of a product, it is worth using proven methods that, even at home, will help you quickly get rid of dirt and renew the color of the product. Proven and affordable folk remedies will help with this.

If suede shoes have been damaged by wet snow or rain, they may become deformed and become stiff. To prevent such unpleasant consequences, it is recommended to do the following:

Take a dry, clean sponge and wipe the shoes or blot them with a napkin.
Place a lot of newspaper or other thin soft paper inside the shoes that absorbs moisture well.
Replace the wet paper with new one and repeat this several times.
When the suede pair dries, treat its surface with a suede brush or a regular eraser.
Treat the shoes with a special water-repellent agent: after such impregnation, the suede will be protected from the penetration of dirt and moisture.

Important! If the shoes are light-colored, you must use a white eraser to clean their surface, otherwise stains may remain.

How to renew suede at home?

If the suede feels unkempt when worn and you don’t want to spend the money on refinishing it at the dry cleaners, then you can use at-home methods for updating suede. What will you need? The following countermeasures are required:

cheap laundry soap;
baking soda;
full fat milk;
semolina;
ethanol (you can use kerosene);
ammonia solution;
wire brush;
suede care products;
dry rag;
talc or baby powder;
sponge;
magnesia;
turpentine.

Step 1. Make your shoes clean again

Remove dust and dirt from suede with a dry sponge or a special brush for suede (you can also use a branded eraser or a regular school eraser for suede).

If your shoes are in poor condition, clean them with soap and water. To do this, wipe the sponge with laundry soap, slightly moisten it and lather thoroughly. In this case, the cleaning agent is foam. Apply it to the suede and scrub with a brush. Avoid getting the material excessively wet!

Or you can use laundry detergent or other detergent instead of soap.

Step 2: Remove stains

Semolina can help remove stubborn debris. To do this, sprinkle the stain with semolina, and then gently scrub with a wire brush.

Tip: the easiest way is to “steam” suede over a boiling kettle (near the spout). A saucepan cannot be used because the total water surface of the steam is too large. You might get burned!

Step 3. Fat stains

To remove greasy streaks, sprinkle the stained area with talcum powder and leave for a quarter of an hour. Shake the remaining talcum powder. Dampen a dry cloth with alcohol or kerosene, and then wipe the dirty area (above the talcum powder). The procedure should end with standard shoe cleaning with a suede brush.

Tip: Greasy streaks can be easily removed with dish soap. Apply to the stain, leave for a quarter of an hour and rinse with a damp cloth.

Step 4. Bald patches

Method 1: Suede can get rid of corns! To do this, mix soda and milk (1 teaspoon and 3 tablespoons, respectively). The resulting solution should be absorbed with a soft, dry cloth and the chest should be treated. After 5 minutes, repeat the procedure, then leave the shoes for 30 minutes.

After the time has passed, the shoes must be combed with a rubber brush.

Method 2. Ammonia and warm water will help restore the structure of suede at home. The components should be mixed in a ratio of 1: 4, and then treat the surface of the shoe. This method works well for removing old stains from suede.

Step 5. Drying

After the procedures, shoes should be thoroughly dried. To do this, fill them with unnecessary paper and let them dry naturally.

Tip: Do not use newsprint as filler as the ink may leave marks.

Step 6. Restore color

The ideal way to restore the color of suede is to use a special paint. If you don't have it in your house, you can try: coffee grounds (helps bring back the dark color); a mixture of magnesia, talc, turpentine and full-fat milk in equal proportions.

These measures should be applied to the entire surface of the shoe and left for some time. For coffee grounds it is 12 hours or a day. The milk mixture should be stored for no more than an hour. Then brush the suede with a brush and dry thoroughly.

Step 7: Post Processing

Dried shoes should be brushed again and protected with hydrophobic impregnation.

All you need is a pair of suede shoes... Three pairs.

Scuffed suede

Suede is a very capricious material, which quickly shows abrasions when worn. Old, worn shoes can be brought back to life if you properly restore the suede pile:

A school eraser will help remove scuffs; it can simply be used to rub away the shiny areas. The eraser will not harm the skin, but it must be clean.

Shiny shoes can be revived by holding them over steam. The steam will lift the suede fibers, and all that remains is to clean the leather with a special brush to straighten the lint.

Table vinegar will help save very worn suede. Vinegar is dissolved in water at a ratio of 1:4, and then rubbed and shiny areas are wiped with a rag soaked in the solution.

After restoring the pile, the suede should be treated with special water-repellent agents. The shoes should dry well at room temperature.

How to restore worn suede shoes

The modern market offers a wide selection of shoes. Today you can choose models from various materials to suit every taste.

Many people are attracted to suede products, but buyers are hesitant to make such a purchase, fearing difficulties in care. Dust, dirt and wet weather can take a toll on the appearance of once beautiful shoes.

The ability to clean suede shoes allows you to preserve their beauty for a long time. The main rule for caring for suede shoes and boots is timely cleaning of the surface from stains and dirt.

Before you begin repairing your suede shoes, you need to get rid of any debris. For this reason, any scuffs should be treated after all dirt and dust have been removed from the surface of the shoe, and all types of dirt, such as grease and dirt, should be removed only after it has dried.

Well, you've removed all the dirt and stains. But what to do next? How to restore suede leather to its original appearance and appearance after drying?

Restoration in dry cleaning

Removing stains and dirt;
Removing reagents from the material;
Elimination of abrasions;
Restoring the shape of shoes;
Color update;
Application of water-repellent coating and much more.

Specialists will carry out all the necessary procedures using special equipment and professional tools. In addition, many establishments organize various gifts and participation in promotions for their clients. However, you should prepare in advance for the fact that you will have to incur significant financial expenses.

We restore suede products

Method 1. Returning the color

A spray matched to the shade will help restore the color of suede shoes. You can buy it at a shoe store - the price is affordable.

How to use the spray:

Spray the product at a distance of 20 cm from the shoes.
Dry it.
Raise the pile with a brush.

To avoid contaminating the floor with small splashes, cover it with oilcloth. If possible, treat your shoes outside.

Method 2. Paint with coffee grounds

You can restore brown suede boots using coffee grounds:

Illustration	Instructions
Step 1 Coffee grounds are applied to the suede surface. Leave the product for 15–20 minutes.
Step 2 The remains are then removed. This method can restore the color of suede only for a short time.

Method 3. Remove stains and scuffs

Suede items easily absorb dust and dirt. The appearance becomes even worse when the pile is crushed, gloss and scuffs appear.

I recommend using affordable and simple substances to restore the previous condition, leaving the fabric undamaged:

Illustration	Recommendations
Milk and soda. Restoring suede on shoes is possible if you wipe the polished area with this compound.
Vinegar solution . Helps restore suede shoes. Be sure to rinse the product with water after this.
Fine salt . You can renew suede by rubbing the product with fine salt.
Steam. Steam can update suede shoes with your own hands. To do this, you need to hold the product over boiling water or steam it with an iron without touching the sole to the material.

After treating the shoes with any product or solution and drying them completely, clean the problem areas with a brush. This way the structure of the material is restored.