How to Clean Suede Shoes

Suede shoes are a classic staple in any man’s wardrobe. From loafers and brogues to Chelsea boots and beyond, there is no stopping suede from adorning your footwear. However, we all know how difficult it can be keeping your suede shoes clean, and with the weather not being the most reliable, you can find yourself with a soggy, scuffed or dirty pair of suede shoes in no time.

So we’re going to tell you how to can keep those suede beauties in top condition all year round, so you can be rest assured that your suede shoes will always be kept clean and downright stylish.

What you’ll need:

• Newspaper, or shoe trees
• A soft bristled brush
• Suede protector
• Suede eraser Nail brush (for tougher scuffs and marks)

Whenever you’re cleaning or doing anything to your shoes, it’s important that you stuff them on the inside. If you’re a real shoe aficionado, then you’ll already own a pair of shoe trees to stuff your shoes, but these can be a little bit expensive, so get some rolled up newspaper or tissue and stuff the inside of your shoes.

You’ll want to stuff them until they’re solid to the touch, so that when you’re working on the shoe it won’t mishape or become dented in any way.

This is a fairly simple step to do, as it only requires minimal effort and tools. Each suede is different, whether it’s the texture or the way that it’s been treated, but in general, the tools you’ll be using will be compatible with most suedes.

The loose dirt will be the easiest to remove as it’s not worked its way into the material of your shoe itself. Take a soft bristled brush, and gently wipe away any of the excess dirt and larger, easily removeable pieces.

When you own a pair of suede shoes the inevitability of them becoming marked or scuffed plays on your mind. However, have no fear, as long as there isn’t sufficient damage to the material, then these should be easy to get rid of.

I suggest investing in a suede eraser, which are about £3-£5, as they’re cheap and are well worth having in your shoe care arsenal. Take your suede eraser and gently rub the scuff or mark with it. If it’s a lighter mark, then this should sort your problem out no bother, however, for tougher, more damaging marks, then a different tactic is needed.

If you’ve got a tougher mark on your hands, then you need to take a nail brush, which is a short brush that has very stiff and harsh bristles, and brush this against the suede. This lifts the natural nap of the suede and removes the tough mark in the shoe.

After you’ve treated your shoe with various tools, some harsher than others, you’ll need to get the suede of your shoe back on top form. Take your softer brush and re-brush all over your shoe to lift the natural nap back up.

And there you have it. A pair of battered old shoe come up good as new! Just follow these simple steps and you can best rest assured that you’ll always have a pair of suede shoes on top form no matter what the weather or occasion.