How to wash suede sneakers?

Suede does not tolerate contact with water well. If shoes made from it get wet due to liquid dirt, then after drying the material will become hardened, and the fibers will stick together and lose elasticity. Putting sneakers in order in this condition is an impossible task. In order not to suffer from the consequences, you need to learn how to properly care for, dry and clean suede products.

Can suede sneakers be washed?

To get an answer to the question, look at the tongue of the sneaker. There, manufacturers usually indicate care instructions. If there is no cheat sheet, rely on the rule that Shoes with glued soles and holes should not be washed..

The abundance of decorative elements, the presence of locks and the combination of several bright colors (primarily red) indicate the impossibility of using a machine cleaning method.

Pre-cleaning

Dust and small debris must be removed before large-scale events. The work is done dry (shoes are not wet, if necessary, dried), with a flannel rag or brush (a clothes roller can also help remove stuck debris). Moreover, these items should be intended exclusively for a specific couple. Do not use them to care for other sneakers.

When cleaning, move your hand in 1 direction. Circular or reverse movements thin out the pile, so they are unacceptable.

Important! At this stage of care, the brush can be replaced with a dry brush. For dark sneakers, use black bread; for light sneakers, use white bread.

Washing technology for natural suede

The basic principle of working with suede: the smaller the wet area, the better. The duration of contact with liquids also matters. Long washing can “hit” not only the upper material of the boots, but also decorative elements, glued parts and iron hooks. If the latter oxidize, then the rust will thoroughly saturate the suede.

Manually

You will need a soap solution (liquid laundry detergent is added to water) or ammonia (mix 2 parts water with 1 part substance). Gauze is moistened in the product and specific areas are treated with it. Then the entire surface of the shoes is wiped with a rag soaked in clean water (rinse and turn over the rag as often as possible, and wring it out thoroughly).

Final stage: soaking with diluted vinegar. For 1 liter of water there should be 1 teaspoon of essence. The product is applied with a brush. If there is no specialized one, use a dental one.

Important! Cotton wool is not suitable for working with suede; fibers may remain on the material. Powdered substances are also not recommended.

To remove stubborn and old stains, a home remedy based on ammonia (2 tbsp.) is more suitable.l), warm water (glass) and liquid hand soap (if the stain is greasy, replace it with dishwashing detergent or powder capsule). The ingredients are combined and thoroughly mixed until strong foaming occurs. Rub the resulting foam onto the sneakers (first the problem areas, then the entire surface). At the end, a vinegar solution is used.

In car

First, inspect the sneakers. Check for damage - they cannot be washed.. Next, use a specialized brush to scrub stubborn dirt, load old towels into the machine (to reduce friction against the walls) and remove all removable parts from the sneakers (laces, insoles, inserts). Place the shoes in the case and then in the machine.

Important! With suede, use liquid powders.

When setting the settings, do not spin. The number of calls should be minimal, just like the temperature. Best option: hand wash or delicate cycle in cold water.

How to wash faux suede sneakers?

The technique depends on the quality of the material. If it is really bad, then the brush will spread and crack. You need to use specialized cleaning wipes and work extremely carefully. Well, the best option would be to abandon low-quality suede substitutes. Items made from them can be called disposable: even with careful wear, they will not last a season.

Normal non-natural suede is an order of magnitude stronger than natural suede. Therefore, manufacturers of shoes made from it often allow their products to be washed in a washing machine. Look for the corresponding inscription on the tongue or on the leaflet included in the box.

Hands

Special foams are produced to clean suede.The substance is applied to the surface, waited for some time, and then blotted with a rag made of natural colorless fabric. Painted will not work.

Important! If the sneakers are multi-colored, clean each area that differs in shade separately. The rags are also changed.

Home remedies are used along with ready-made household chemicals. First you should try a regular soap solution.. It is prepared either from odorless laundry soap or from liquid powder. Use depending on the quality of the material:

• if it is high, then soak the boots for 2–3 minutes;
• if the item is too expensive or, on the contrary, is made of artificial suede of mediocre quality, then soak the rags in a soapy solution and wash the shoes with it.

In car

Suitable settings: gentle, hand or delicate wash at 40 degrees or less without spinning. When it comes to chemicals, liquid powders and products designed specifically for suede are preferable. In terms of a protective cover, the same rules apply as for shoes made of natural suede.

Important! Do not machine wash burgundy sneakers. They will paint the sole, laces and inserts a different color.

How to get rid of stains?

1. Faded marks formed due to point contact with an aggressive substance and stains that cannot be removed are dealt with using aerosol dyes. Due to the high toxicity of coloring substances, the procedure should be carried out on an unglazed balcony or in the open air.. Otherwise, the pungent chemical smell will cause headaches.
2. To clean white suede, dissolve a spoonful of baking soda in a glass of low-fat milk (the reading should be below 1.5%), soak a rag (or gauze swab) in the mixture and wipe the top material, paying special attention to problem areas.Then take an undyed cotton cloth, slightly wet it and wipe the boots.
3. Another way: use clear vinegar (may cause shedding, test on a small area first). A toothbrush is dipped into the essence and then brushed over the stains. At the end of the procedure, be sure to give the pile a direction.
4. You can also remove stains from light-colored materials using lemon. Use its zest to spot-treat the stain.

Important! Citruses can leave colorful streaks on suede. Be sure to test in an inconspicuous area before cleaning.

If the problem is whitish salt stains, then resort to the following cleaning methods:

• The shoes are kept over a boiling pan for 5–8 minutes. Dirt is removed with a rubber brush.
• The potatoes are peeled, divided in half and the cut area is rubbed first on the spots and then on the entire surface. Afterwards, wipe with a cleansing cloth and treat the lint with a brush.
• Old contaminants of an organic and inorganic nature are removed using ammonia (a caustic substance, therefore it requires testing in an inconspicuous area of ​​​​the sneakers) and semolina. The first softens the crust of the stain, and the cereal absorbs the fat. After the semolina has done its job, it will need to be cleaned off.
• If during a preliminary test it turns out that the material is shedding due to ammonia, it is worth diluting the liquid with water. This rule also applies to vinegar.

Ways to deal with other types of stains:

• Freezing the chewing gum will help (apply ice);
• apply corn flour, talc or potato starch to the greasy stains (allow the liquid to be absorbed, then brush);
• brown suede is rubbed with coffee using a sponge;
• to remove organic contaminants, rub half of the box with sulfur (then treat with a damp rag);
• black and colored lines are removed using an eraser.

Important! To make the starch absorb better, pierce it in a frying pan before applying it to the sneakers.

How to dry it properly?

Reminder for caring for wet suede in winter and off-season:

• immediately after purchase, treat your shoes with a water-repellent compound (then melting snow and rain will not be able to cause serious harm);
• when coming from the street, dry it immediately, do not put it off for later;
• Do not place sneakers on or near a battery;
• thorough cleaning is carried out only after drying;
• the use of a hairdryer is unacceptable (due to overdrying, the suede will harden and the pile will no longer lie down);
• To prevent the pile from standing up after drying, smooth it with a suede brush;
• if you have to wash because of the smell and traces of sweat, citrus skins (place inside the shoes for 10–12 hours), unused tea bags (place for a day), sea salt (grate, leave for 12 hours), activated carbon (leave overnight) will help ).

Suede shoes without insulated lining dry in 20 hours. To speed up the process, unlace your sneakers completely and place sheets of newspaper or paper towels inside. Change the “filler” every 2-3 hours.