How to clean suede shoes and boots without ruining the nap

Step by step: how to clean suede shoes and boots without ruining the nap

Safety first. Suede protector sprays are aerosols and many are flammable: spray outdoors or by an open window, away from flames, and let the shoes air out before you bring them inside. Rubbing alcohol is flammable too, so keep it away from heat.

1. 1

   Let wet suede dry before you touch it

   If the shoes are damp or muddy, stuff them with crumpled newspaper and let them dry at room temperature, away from heaters and sun. Brushing wet suede pushes dirt deeper and flattens the nap. Dried mud flakes off far more easily.

2. 2

   Brush off loose dirt

   Take out the laces and brush the whole shoe with a suede brush, using short strokes in one direction. Then brush back and forth over dull, flattened patches to lift the nap. You should see the color brighten as the fibers stand up.

3. 3

   Erase scuffs and shiny spots

   Rub scuffs, small marks and shiny worn areas with a suede eraser or a clean white pencil eraser, using moderate pressure and short back-and-forth strokes. Brush away the crumbs. Most surface marks come out at this stage.

4. 4

   Dab stubborn stains with vinegar or alcohol

   Dampen a corner of a white cloth with white vinegar or rubbing alcohol and dab the stain; do not pour it on. Work from the outside of the mark inward, and blot with a dry part of the cloth. The suede will darken while damp and should lighten again as it dries.

5. 5

   Pull out oil and grease with powder

   For a fresh oil or grease spot, blot what you can, then cover it with a mound of cornstarch or baking soda and leave it overnight. Brush the powder off the next day. Repeat once if a shadow remains.

6. 6

   Even out water marks

   A water ring forms where wet suede meets dry suede. Dampen a suede brush or sponge with a little clean water and lightly moisten the whole panel, edge to edge, so it dries evenly. Blot with a towel and stuff the shoe with paper.

7. 7

   Dry slowly, then brush again

   Let the shoes dry for several hours at room temperature with paper inside to hold their shape, or set them in front of a fan. Never use a hair dryer, radiator or clothes dryer. Once dry, brush the nap again to soften it.

8. 8

   Protect the clean suede

   Spray an even coat of suede protector from about 6 to 10 inches away and let it dry before you wear the shoes. The color may darken briefly and should return as it dries. Reapply every month or two in wet weather.

What removes each kind of suede stain?

Dry methods first, then the mildest liquid that works. Nike’s suede care guide warns against washing suede with soap and water or in a machine, because suede absorbs water and the stain can set. Dampen the cloth, never the shoe.

How to get gum, wax, ink and mold off suede

Sticky and dye-based marks need their own approach, because rubbing them spreads them deeper into the nap.

Gum and candle wax

Harden it, then lift it off. Nike suggests putting the shoes in the freezer until the gum or wax hardens, then peeling or scraping it off. For a boot that will not fit in the freezer, Nike’s gum removal guide suggests pressing ice against the gum for 10 to 15 minutes, with the ice in a plastic bag so the shoe stays dry. Scrape with a blunt edge such as an old plastic card, then brush the nap and erase any film that is left.

Ink and pen

Try a suede eraser on fresh ink and keep water away from it, since liquid can spread the dye into a bigger mark. Set-in ink on suede is a job for a cobbler. For smooth leather panels on the same shoe, see removing ink from leather.

Mold and mildew spots

Take the shoes outside and brush the spots off with a brush you can wash afterward, so spores do not scatter indoors. Dab what remains with the white vinegar method from the steps above, let the shoes dry fully, then fix the cause. Clarks advises storing suede somewhere cool and dry, because humidity can cause mold.

Suede sneakers, crepe soles and mixed-material shoes

Many suede shoes combine materials, and each part needs its own method. Clean the suede dry first, then work on the other parts while keeping the suede as dry as you can.

• Suede sneakers: adidas says suede is almost always spot cleaned because water can harm the material, and that you should brush in one direction to keep a smooth look. Treat a suede toe cap or side panel on a leather or mesh sneaker as its own patch, and clean the rest of the shoe with our sneaker cleaning guide.
• Laces: take them out and wash them on their own instead of wetting them in the shoe. See our shoelace guide.
• Rubber soles: scrub with a damp toothbrush and a drop of dish soap, holding the shoe sole-up so drips run away from the suede.
• Crepe soles (the pale, spongy soles on desert boots): Clarks says to brush off loose, dry dirt, then scrub gently with diluted colorless dish soap on a sponge or old toothbrush. Keep the detergent off suede uppers because it may stain, and avoid harsh solvents such as white spirit, which can damage crepe.
• White suede shoes: every mark shows, so lean on the dry steps. Brush and erase first, and use only a clean white cloth for vinegar or alcohol so no dye transfers. Test any liquid inside the tongue, skip colored suede dyes and renovator sprays unless the label says they suit white or natural suede, and never use bleach, which can yellow and stiffen the leather.

Faux suede and microsuede shoes

Faux suede is a synthetic microfiber made to look like suede, not leather, so it tolerates water better. Ultrasuede’s maker says the fabric is designed to be machine washable but is often combined with materials, such as linings, that do not stand up to a washing machine, so check the manufacturer’s care instructions first. Shoes add glue, foam and stiffeners to that list.

• If the shoe’s label or brand says it is washable, follow our guide to machine washing shoes.
• With no care label, start the way you would with real suede: brush and erase first. On stains you can then use a cloth dampened with mild soapy water, followed by a cloth dampened with plain water to rinse.
• Use a soft brush rather than brass bristles; the short synthetic pile does not need hard brushing.
• Check that any protector spray you use is labeled for synthetic fabrics as well as suede.

Not sure which you have? Look at the label inside the tongue or on the box, which often lists the upper material. Real suede has a slightly uneven, fibrous back where you can see it at the collar or tongue; faux suede usually has a uniform fabric backing.

How to clean suede boots after snow and salt

Let the boots dry, brush off the white salt line, then dab what remains with a cloth dipped in equal parts white vinegar and water. Salt pulls moisture and oils out of the hide, so deal with it the same week rather than at the end of winter.

Blundstone’s boot care page describes the same order for suede: a suede brush for surface dirt, a gum eraser for scuffs, then a brush dampened with a little water and a suede cleaner for stained spots, blotted with a towel and left to air dry. It also advises letting wet leather dry naturally before you clean it, and treating suede with a water and stain repellent, ideally before the first wear.

For tall boots, stuff the shafts with paper or use boot shapers while they dry so they do not crease and slump. Keep the soles clean too, since salt and grit on the welt wick back up into the suede.

Is nubuck cleaned the same way as suede?

Mostly, yes, but more gently. Nubuck is sanded on the outer grain side, so its nap is shorter and finer than suede and marks more easily under a stiff brass brush.

• Use a soft nubuck brush or the crepe side of a suede brush, and only a few seconds of brushing on any one spot.
• Erasers and vinegar work the same way; test on the heel or tongue first.
• Store suede and nubuck away from strong light. Frye’s care guide notes that direct sunlight can quickly fade suede.
• For smooth leather parts on the same shoe, follow our leather shoe cleaning guide and keep conditioner off the suede.

How often should you protect suede?

Spray new suede before the first wear, then every month or two when you wear the shoes in rain or snow. Thursday Boot Company recommends an even coat from 6 to 10 inches away and repeating its suede routine every 1 to 2 months.

Protector buys you time to blot a spill before it soaks in; it does not make suede waterproof. If a pair has deep set-in stains, color loss or a hardened, cracked nap, a cobbler can clean and re-dye it, which is often worth it for good boots.

How to store suede shoes and boots

• Keep them cool, dry and out of the sun. Clarks advises storing suede away from direct sunlight and heat, in a cool, dry place, since humidity can cause mold.
• Let them breathe. Red Wing says leather needs to breathe, so store boots in a cloth bag or open space rather than in plastic containers.
• Use shoe trees or boot shapers. Red Wing notes that boot trees help maintain the shape of the leather and prevent creasing.
• For a long break, brush the shoes clean first, then stuff them with tissue paper and put them in a box or shoe bag, as Clarks suggests.
• Rest them between wears. A day off lets sweat dry out of the lining before you put them on again.

Mistakes to avoid

• Scrubbing suede while it is still wet, which mats the nap and drives dirt in.
• Putting suede shoes in the washing machine or soaking them in soapy water.
• Drying them on a radiator or with a hair dryer, which stiffens and cracks the hide.
• Dabbing only the stain with water, which leaves a ring around it.
• Using a stiff brass brush hard on nubuck or thin, delicate suede.
• Skipping protector spray on new shoes, then meeting the first rainstorm.
• Storing suede in sealed plastic bags or bins, which trap moisture.