Special care conditions, or how to wash suede shoes in a machine and by hand

Suede shoes will never lose their relevance. However, it looks stylish only until it gets dirty.

Caring for suede requires knowledge of certain points. If you do not follow them, then the likelihood of irreparable damage to boots, shoes or sneakers increases.

In this article, you will find out if and how to wash suede shoes in a washing machine and by hand to keep the original look of your beloved pair.

Is it washable?

Machine wash is not the best option for cleaning suede shoes. It can only be used in an emergency. A pair of faux suede can withstand this effect.

Cannot be loaded into the drum:

1. Natural suede shoes.
2. Stiletto heels or stiff sole.
3. A pair that is designed for winter wear.
4. Shoes and boots decorated with rhinestones, stones, reflective stickers. These elements can come off and render the equipment unusable.
5. Shoes that have serious defects, such as tears, seams that have come apart, or areas that are unsticked.
6. A new pair. Machine wash will cause the fabric to lint. This will negatively affect its external characteristics of the shoe.

It is allowed to wash sneakers, moccasins, sandals, flip flops, slippers, sneakers in an automatic machine, but only if they are intact.

Natural suede is leather, the top layer of which has been sanded, due to which characteristic villi appeared on its surface. The lack of smoothness makes the material susceptible to moisture, dust, sand and dirt. Therefore, you need to take care of your shoes correctly.

Washing in a washing machine

The label of each suede pair contains information on the possibility of washing it in an automatic machine, therefore, before loading a pair into the drum, you need to familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's recommendations.

If the decision to wash was made, then processing must be carried out in accordance with strict rules:

1. Remove all visible dirt from shoes, thoroughly clean the sole of small stones. You can rinse the steam under running water to remove dust.
2. Remove laces and insoles from shoes, if any. These items are washed separately by hand.
3. Place boots in a laundry bag. It is a mesh that acts as additional protection. If she is not in the house, then you can use an old pillowcase.
4. Pour the selected detergent into the washing machine. It is recommended to use gel capsules or liquid powders to wash suede shoes. Such compositions dissolve well in cool water and are better washed out when rinsing.
5. Display a suitable program. The best option is the “delicate” or “gentle” wash. If it is not there, then the machine is configured manually. The temperature is left within 30 degrees, and the spin is turned off. The optimal wash duration is 30-40 minutes.
6. Remove shoes from drum and bag, dry naturally.

What happens if you wash suede sneakers in the washing machine, video experiment:

Manually

To get rid of salt deposits, soil and dust, steam can be washed by hand. Step-by-step algorithm of actions:

• dissolve laundry or liquid soap in water;
• put a dense light fabric inside each shoe - this is done so that water does not fill the shoes, does not penetrate under the insoles and does not destroy the sole, most often the internal elements do not need washing;
• moisten a toothbrush in a detergent composition;
• rub the contaminated areas with it;
• dry the shoes naturally.

After drying, suede can become stiff... To give it an attractive look, it should be rubbed with a special brush. These devices are sold in all shoe stores.

If your shoes are heavily soiled, cleaning will not work. In this case, it can be soaked. Leaving the steam in water for longer than 5-15 minutes is not recommended.

Hand wash soak rules:

1. Prepare detergent solution. This can be a liquid soap diluted in water or another cleaning composition containing a surfactant.
2. Rinse shoes under running water, clean the sole.
3. Remove insoles and laces, if available.
4. Place the steam in a bowl of water, leave for a few minutes. It is not necessary to completely immerse the boots in the solution. The less water gets inside, the better. From time to time you need to go to the container and check if the dirt has come off the shoes. If the stains are gone, the washing process can be continued.
5. Use a toothbrush or any other soft-bristled brush to rub the areas that are more dirty than others.
6. Rinse shoes under running clean water, blot with a soft cloth outside and inside.
7. Steam is dried naturally.

It is forbidden to soak winter shoes, shoes and extra long boots.

How to clean your suede sneakers by hand is shown in the video:

Correct drying

After shoe washing you need to dry it properly. The moisture will completely evaporate not earlier than after 20 hours. Until this time, you should not wear a pair.

Key recommendations to follow:

• do not expose steam to heating devices or to sources of fire, do not process with a hairdryer;
• protect suede from direct sunlight;
• for the fastest drying, the products should be in a room with a low humidity level.

Suede shoes should dry naturally at room temperature.

Alternative cleaning methods

Use other methods to remove stains from suede shoes. They are considered to be more gentle than machine or hand wash.

These include:

1. Using a rubber brush or school eraser. With their help, stains on shoes are rubbed. This method is suitable for removing fresh, non-stubborn dirt.
2. Using foam to clean carpets.It is applied to the contaminated area, left for 5-10 minutes, and then removed with a damp sponge.
3. Steam cleaning. This method allows you to deal with oily stains. Bring the water to a boil in a suitable container, and then hold the boot over the steam. Do not treat shoes with hot humid air for longer than 5 minutes. When the dirt has softened, rub it with a damp soft-bristled brush. After completing the cleaning, the shoes must be dried.
4. Using talcum powder or starch. These powders are absorbent so they do an excellent job of removing greasy stains. They are applied to the stain, crushed with paper. You can additionally put a load on the surface. This will enhance the absorption of fat. After 3 hours, the paper is removed and the rest of the powder is removed with a brush.

Important recommendations

To wash the suede pair with minimal loss, the following recommendations must be observed:

• during hand washing, it is necessary to control the friction force, if you work too actively with a brush, you can remove the upper pile, as a result, "bald patches" will appear on the shoes;
• you should stop using aggressive detergents;
• wash light suede sneakers and boots separately from dark ones;
• you cannot put on a pair that has not dried out - street dust will instantly adhere to the wet suede and the cleaning procedure will have to be repeated.

If discolored spots appear on the shoes after washing, the situation can be corrected with a spray can of paint. It is gently sprayed over the surface of the suede and left to dry.

Conclusion

You should not give up buying suede shoes for fear of the difficulties in caring for them. If you wash a pair correctly, it will last a long time.

Manual cleaning is the preferred method for removing dirt, as it allows you to control the process at every stage. However, in some cases, you can resort to washing in the automatic mode.