Learn how to care for natural suede yourself at home. Shoes and clothes made of natural suede attract with their natural softness, elasticity, beautiful appearance, look stylish and bright, and also give comfort to their owner. However, this material requires careful and constant care, otherwise it loses its qualities very quickly.
Probably everyone knows that suede should not come into contact with water, besides, this material gets dirty very quickly. If you follow a few simple tips and tricks for caring for natural suede shoes, they will last a long time and will not lose their attractive appearance.
Natural suede: material features
Suede is the natural leather of various animals that has undergone a special processing process. As a result of carrying out certain procedures and techniques of dressing, the pile of the product will form a characteristic face layer, which gives the suede material unique features and elegance.
The legendary Coco Chanel claimed that suede shoes can make a woman graceful, and men, having acquired such a product, show their good taste. Suede products have a soft, velvety and porous surface, while always looking elegant, stylish and attractive. Suede shoes are very comfortable to wear, because your feet practically do not sweat in them. However, this natural material is very capricious to use, as it has the ability to quickly pass moisture and get dirty.
If there is no regular and careful maintenance, there is a possibility that the product will quickly lose its attractive appearance and quality.
How to properly care for suede at home?
Probably everyone knows that most problems will be much easier to prevent than to try to get rid of them later. In order for suede shoes to last as long as possible and not lose their aesthetic appearance, it is necessary to regularly use special preventive measures.
First of all, you need to remember the following:
- This material is characterized by high maintenance requirements and needs special attention. But with constant and careful care, suede products will last much longer and will delight you with their exquisite appearance.
- Winter and demi-season suede shoes are not intended for daily wear, especially in rainy weather. The fact is that this material does not tolerate dampness and with high air humidity, it is worth abandoning shoes made of this material, otherwise you can completely ruin it.
Prevention of suede shoes
In order to prevent moisture from entering the suede (rain, snow, precipitation, etc.), including the absorption of various chemicals and dust, it is imperative to treat the surface of the shoe with a special water-repellent impregnation.
With the onset of autumn, not only dust, but also dirt is found on the street, so there is a risk of quickly ruining new suede shoes, since an ugly gray coating appears on the surface of the material.
Very carefully and thoroughly you need to take care of suede shoes in winter, as the material is strongly negatively affected by wet snow, salt and dirt. The streets are constantly sprinkled with a mixture of chemicals that literally eat into the suede and can completely ruin this beautiful material.
Immediately after the purchase, you need to treat the surface of the suede shoes with a soft brush or a clean cloth, after which a special agent with a water-repellent effect must be used, it is advisable to choose one that is produced in the form of a spray.
This tool reliably protects suede from moisture, forming an invisible layer on its surface, which also prevents salt and dirt from entering the material.
Thanks to the use of such prophylactic agents, suede shoes will be reliably protected from negative influences from external factors and adverse weather conditions. Also, in the future, you will not have to look for methods to cleanse suede from dirt and dust. Thanks to the processing of suede with special means, the material becomes softer and will be much less dirty.
The primary processing of suede can be carried out in several stages:
- First of all, a special aerosol is sprayed onto the suede surface and left for a while until it dries completely. However, shoes should dry as far as possible from sources of heat and exposure to direct sunlight.
- Then another layer of the product is reapplied and the shoes are left to dry again.
- At the third stage, the processing procedure is repeated again.
You can go outside only after the suede is completely dry, and this will take at least a day.
Cleaning suede shoes
In dry winter weather, it will be quite enough to simply brush off the snow from the suede surface with a brush, then wipe it with flannel material, and then leave it in a cool place, away from heat sources, until it dries completely.
If your suede shoes get wet, you need to put newspapers inside them so that the material does not lose its shape and leave to dry, as far as possible from batteries and heaters. As soon as the shoes are completely dry, you can begin the cleaning procedure itself. If dirt has dried on the surface of suede shoes, in order to completely clean it, you must adhere to the following scheme:
- first, all the dirt is shaken off, which is easily separated, you can use a brush for this;
- then with light movements, without applying pressure, the surface of the shoe is wiped with a soft flannel cloth;
- at the next stage, the shoes are cleaned itself - you need to make a solution of washing powder and water (you can only use the product that does not contain bleach);
- in the finished solution, a brush or sponge is moistened and the entire surface of suede shoes is processed;
- a slightly damp, but not wet cloth napkin is taken and suede is wiped;
- the surface of the shoe is treated with a dry silk cloth.
After such a cleaning procedure, the suede surface may seem a little licked, so you need to restore its structure - the surface of the shoe is treated with a soft brush, which is held over a boiling kettle for several minutes.
Features of suede shoe care
In order for suede shoes to last as long as possible, it is necessary to adhere to some recommendations and features of caring for this material.
After a walk, it is imperative to clean your suede shoes until dust and dirt have been absorbed into the material. The use of various creams for shoes is strictly prohibited, since only special products and foam cleaners designed for the care of suede shoes can be used.
You should not use products that have a synthetic base, as they have the ability to destroy the structure of the pile. Thanks to the use of a soft brush or a porous sponge, all traces of dirt and dust can be removed from the suede surface in just a few minutes.
If your suede shoes are soaked through and through, you should allow them to dry completely before cleaning them, but only away from heating appliances. To do this, you can take crumpled newspapers and place them inside the shoes, so that the paper will absorb excess liquid.
After the shoes are completely dry, the suede surface is treated with a soft brush. To prevent the formation of ugly whitish stains, you must first dip the brush into a previously prepared soap solution, to which a small amount of ammonia is added. Then the shoes are wiped with a damp, but not wet, cloth. At the end of the cleaning procedure, the suede is polished with a piece of silk cloth.
To restore the brightness of the suede color and make it softer, it is necessary to use a special paint that must fully match the shade of the shoe. It is advisable to stop the choice on a product in an aerosol.
A clear spray can also be used to freshen up the shade of the material. These products are also water-repellent, so they should be used regularly.
To remove stubborn stains and oily sheen from the suede surface, it is recommended to use a simple stationery or special eraser. You can also use a brush that has teeth made of rubber or elastic rubber.
Convenient to use are special triple or double brushes with rubberized teeth on one side and bristles on the other. Such a tool will become indispensable in the care of suede shoes, and due to its small size it is convenient to take it with you to quickly clean the boots from dirt and dust.
Handy tools for the care of suede
If your suede shoes are dyed dark and gradually begin to lose color saturation, you can use coffee grounds. Thanks to its use, suede quickly returns to its original shade. For this, a brush is taken and moistened in the thick of the brewed coffee, after which the surface of the material is processed. Such procedures can be performed regularly as needed.
Frequent wear may cause the surface of suede shoes to shine. You can use plain baking soda to bring it back to a matte finish. For this, 1 tsp is taken. soda and dissolves in 1 glass of milk. In the resulting solution, a cotton pad is moistened, and problem areas are treated.
Instead of a milk-soda mixture, you can also use a vinegar solution. For this, 1 tbsp is taken. l. vinegar and dissolves in 4 tbsp. l. water. A piece of fabric is moistened in the solution so that it is wet, but not wet, after which the surface of the suede shoes is processed.
In an emergency, you can use such a folk remedy as a crust of black bread, which is used to treat the suede surface.
How to care for faux suede?
Shoes, for the creation of which artificial suede was used, are practically in no way inferior to their natural counterparts. It is quite simple to take care of this material and you do not need to purchase any special tools.
If serious dirt appears on the surface of the suede, you can wash your shoes, but only if the product has a cotton base with a reinforcing protective impregnation. However, the product can be washed only at a temperature of 30–40? C, using a powder intended for delicate washing.
Then shoes made of artificial suede must be thoroughly rinsed with cool water. Then the material must be blotted with a dry towel, which will absorb excess moisture. If this is not done, ugly whitish stains may appear on the suede. Dry faux suede shoes at room temperature in a flattened state and away from heat sources.
Thanks to proper and regular care, shoes, both natural and artificial suede, retain their attractive appearance and last much longer.
Learn more about how to clean suede in this video:
