The Best Ways to Clean Suede Shoes without Ruining Them

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posted on 17 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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You love the soft and velvety look of your new suede shoes, but when they get scuffed or stained? Not so much. Even though suede is delicate and can quickly get dirty or stained, it’s really easy to clean your shoes at home. Usually, brushing your suede shoes is enough to remove surface dirt, and rubbing vinegar on a stain will help lift it up, but there are even more ways to safely maintain your kicks. Keep reading, and we’ll walk you through basic cleaning and stain removal so your suede shoes look good as new!

Things You Should Know

Scrub your shoes with a suede brush to break apart dirt in the fabric’s nap.
Get rid of scuff marks on your shoes by rubbing them with a suede eraser.
Remove general stains by dabbing them with vinegar. Draw out an oil stain by sprinkling it with cornstarch.
Spray your shoes with a suede protectant to keep them safe from damage in the future.

Removing Stains

Blot spills right away with a clean cloth. As soon as you get something on your suede shoes, use a soft cloth to soak up as much of the excess liquid as you can. Only blot at the spill rather than trying to scrub it immediately so you don’t spread the stain or set it in deeper. Once you clean up as much as you can, let the residual spill dry out so you don’t damage the fabric. Wait until your shoes are completely dry before you start cleaning them so you don’t spread the stains to other parts of the fabric.

Remove general stains with distilled white vinegar. Dip the corner of a clean cloth into your vinegar and gently work it onto the stain. Use a gentle back-and-forth motion to lightly scrub the stain. Give your shoes about 30–45 minutes to dry before brushing your suede and checking if the stain is gone completely. If you can still see the stain, try using vinegar 1 or 2 more times to see if the mark lightens up any more. Try using rubbing alcohol if you don’t have any vinegar at home.

Treat oil or grease stains with cornstarch. Sprinkle a thin layer of cornstarch directly over the oil stain and let it sit overnight. The next day, just use your suede brush to scrub the cornstarch off of your shoes and pull out the stain. Cornstarch helps draw out the oil or grease from the fabric so it doesn’t leave a noticeable mark.

Get rid of salt stains with water, fabric softener, and dish detergent. Combine 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) each of dish soap and liquid fabric softener with 2 cups (470 ml) of warm water. Brush the suede before lightly spraying the solution over the entire surface of your shoes. Use your brush to lightly scrub the cleaner into the fabric. When you’re finished, wipe your suede shoes clean with a damp paper towel and let them dry. Avoid spot-cleaning a stain on suede when you use water. Water could leave spots of discoloration, but scrubbing it into the entire surface makes the fabric look uniform.

Scrape off dried mud with a nail file. Wait until the mud has dried up completely before you start cleaning so you don’t spread the stain. Gently rub the nail file back and forth over the dried mud so it crumbles off of the fabric’s nap. If you still see any residual dirt or mud on the fabric, run over it with your suede brush to break it apart. Be careful not to rub the nail file too hard against the fabric since you could damage it.

Rub ice cubes on gum or wax to harden and remove it. If the gum or wax is still wet, try to scrape up as much as you can with the edge of a credit card. Rather than trying to pull off any residual gum or wax while it’s still sticky, put a few ice cubes in a plastic bag and rub it over the surface. Once the gum or wax feels hard to the touch, try using your suede brush to separate the residue from the fabric. Avoid using any household chemical cleaners or sticky residue remover on your suede shoes since they could stain or damage the fabric.

Take your suede shoes to a cobbler to remove stubborn stains. If you’re still not able to get stains out on your own, contact a local cobbler in your area to look at your shoes. They may have dry cleaning chemicals that aren’t normally available so they can treat the stain and completely remove it.

Cleaning Dirt & Scuff Marks

Stuff your shoes with newspaper to retain their shape. Crumple up a few old newspapers and tightly pack them inside the toes of your shoes. Press down on your shoe’s toe, and put more newspapers inside if you notice the shape distorting. Alternatively, use a shoe tree to help hold the shape of your kicks even better. Newspaper will also absorb moisture and help your shoes dry faster if they’re wet. Avoid cleaning your shoes until they’re dry so you don’t spread dirt around. Some experts recommend using blank newsprint paper to prevent any ink from smearing onto the fabric.

Scrub your shoe with a suede brush to break apart loose dirt. Press the brush bristles into the fabric and apply gentle pressure. Follow the direction of the nap’s pattern when you brush the fabric, working from one end of the shoe to the other. Go over the same areas a couple of times to restore the look of your suede. Suede brushes have stiff bristles that reach the fabric underneath the nap. Some suede brushes have brass bristles on one side to remove dirt and rubber on the other to help clean up scuff marks. If you don’t have a suede brush, use a new stiff-bristled toothbrush on your shoes. If your shoes are entirely made of suede, remove the laces before you start brushing so you can clean underneath them.

Use a suede eraser to get rid of marks and scuffs. Apply gentle pressure and rub the eraser back and forth over the suede. As soon as you rub the eraser over the scuff, use your suede brush to smooth out the fabric and clean off the shavings. If you still see the scuff mark, try going over it 1–2 more times to fully remove it. In a pinch, you can use a regular pencil eraser as long as it doesn’t have any other marks or stains on it. Look for a suede cleaning kit that has a brush, eraser, and cleaner for an all-in-one package of everything you need. If you still can’t get scuff marks out with your eraser, try using a different stain removal technique.

Spray your shoes with a suede protectant to keep them clean. Hold the protectant about 12 inches (30 cm) away from your shoes and press down on the button to spray it. Keep moving the protectant to evenly spray it over the entire surface of your shoe. Then, just let the spray dry for about 30–45 minutes before wearing your shoes again. Suede protectant adds a layer of waterproofing to prevent stains from setting in. The color of your shoes may look different when you first apply the spray, but it will look normal once it dries. When you reapply suede protectant depends on how often you wear your shoes. Try sprinkling a drop of water on your shoes. If the water beads and runs off, then it’s still okay. If the water absorbs, then it’s time to clean and reapply.

Can you wash suede shoes?

You can wash suede shoes by hand with suede shampoo. If you can’t get rid of stains easily, mix 2 parts water with 1 part of your suede shampoo. Dip the bristles of your brush in the soapy water and gently work it over your entire shoe. Rinse your shoes with a paper towel and warm water, and blot them dry with a clean cloth. Then, just stuff your shoes with newspapers and let them air-dry completely. Spot-cleaning with water and soap could discolor the fabric, so always wash the entire surface of the shoe so it has a uniform color. Avoid putting suede shoes in a washing machine or your dryer since your shoes could get damaged.