How to wash suede shoes and is it possible to do it

Suede shoes always looks stylish, sophisticated and elegant. Velvety material not only looks much better than ordinary smooth leather, but also retains heat better than other materials. Unfortunately, this type of leather has a significant drawback - increased sensitivity to moisture and dirt. When wet, shoes quickly lose their shape and become unusable. In order to maintain its presentable appearance for a long time, suede must be regularly cleaned and treated with special protective agents. From this article you will find out whether it is possible to wash suede shoes in a washing machine if they are heavily soiled.

What kind of suede can be washed?

Information provided by the manufacturer will help you understand this issue. Typically, the manufacturer recommends only dry cleaning of suede using special products. But there are also exceptions.

The first thing you need to find out is what material the product is made of. If it is made of natural suede, then under no circumstances should it be washed. The porous material allows moisture to pass through well, and prolonged exposure to water can completely destroy it.

Artificial material is much more durable and wear-resistant, and most importantly, it is not afraid of contact with water. You can wash it, but only by following certain rules:

Only liquid detergents for woolen items can be used for washing. Regular powder can leave unsightly stains that are almost impossible to get rid of.
The washing mode is only permissible by hand - without spinning and at a low water temperature - no higher than 30°.
Artificial suede products can only be dried naturally - away from heat sources.

The described washing method applies only to shoes made of high quality artificial suede - with short pile and Teflon impregnation. The lower the quality of the shoes and the longer the pile, the worse the result may be.

Superficial wet cleaning

If there are small contaminated areas on your shoes, you can deal with them using improvised means. First you need to remove the adhered dirt with a special brush, then start cleaning:

Old stubborn stains can be removed using steam. To do this you will need to boil a large pot of water. First wipe shoes in dirty areas with a damp sponge, then hold it over boiling water for several minutes. When the material has steamed well, clean the stains with a special stiff brush for caring for suede. After the procedure, blot the shoes with a microfiber cloth and treat the surface with a special care product for suede products.
Any salt stains that have appeared can be removed with ammonia. Dilute a 10% solution of ammonia with water in a ratio of 1:4, dip the sponge and clean the stains.
Sprinkle greasy stains with cornstarch, talcum powder, or baby powder before cleaning - the powder will absorb most of the grease. Then start cleaning with a stiff brush.
If there are stains of unknown origin on the suede surface, they should be treated with a paste made from ammonia and potato starch. Apply the mixture to the contaminated areas for a few minutes, then remove with a brush and dry.

If none of the methods work, you will have to wash your shoes.

Handwash

If, after a forced walk through puddles, your shoes become very wet, or there are stains on them that cannot be removed using a dry method, you can try washing them. It is better to do this manually and without pre-soaking.

To carry out the procedure, you will need a suitable container, for example, a wide basin. Dilute a small amount in cool water liquid soap without dyes or a special detergent for washing suede products. To prevent the material from becoming rough, add ammonia to the solution - 15 drops per 500 ml of water. Rinse shoes under running water to remove most of the dirt. Then moisten a special soft sponge in the prepared soapy liquid and carefully treat the surface of the shoes.

After this, pour water into the container and remove any remaining soap and foam with a clean sponge, carefully blotting the material. Blot cleaned shoes with an absorbent cloth and stuff tightly with paper towels. This method of maintaining shape in this case will also absorb the remaining moisture.

Automatic wash

Wash any suede products in washing machine too risky, and this can only be done if the shoes are too dirty and there is no other way to save them. In order to increase the chances of its recovery, it is necessary to follow a number of rules:

It is permissible to wash only soft shoes (sneakers, slippers, etc.) in a washing machine. For hard shoes, shoes, sandals and boots, only hand wash is acceptable.
Shoes must be undamaged.
Before washing, remove dirt particles from shoes, rinse them under cool water and place them in a protective bag. Then place it in the washing machine drum along with an old lint-free cloth that matches the color (to eliminate the risk of staining).
The water temperature should not exceed 30 degrees.
It is better to use clear liquid soap or dishwashing gel as a detergent. It is unacceptable to use products containing bleaching components.
Suitable modes are “hand wash” and “washing delicate fabrics” - without spinning and drying.

After washing is complete, remove the shoes from the machine, let the water drain and dry.

Drying rules

Regardless of the type of suede, whether it is natural or artificial, the material cannot be dried on a radiator, in direct sunlight or with a hair dryer. Any heat source can cause it to harden and crack.

In order to maintain the original shape of the product after getting wet, suede shoes must be stuffed with crumpled paper or special inserts used during drying. If your shoes are light-colored, you should never use newspaper for these purposes—color stains from soaked printing ink may appear on the surface of the porous leather. As moisture is absorbed, the paper must be replaced several times.

Useful care tips

Simple tips on how to restore and maintain the presentable appearance of suede products:

You can restore the original appearance of light suede shoes using a solution of milk and soda.Mix skim milk at room temperature (200 ml) with 1 tablespoon of soda. Rub the resulting solution with a sponge into the surface of the suede. After the procedure, remove the mixture with a clean damp sponge, blot with a dry microfiber cloth and fill the shoes with crumpled paper towels.
White suede can be refreshed using hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. To prepare the solution, mix both components with clean water in a 1:1:1 ratio. When cleaning light-colored items, it is important to use only clean brushes or sponges.
To restore the brightness of brown suede, proceed in the same way, using water and coffee grounds in the same proportions.
Regular copy paper will help return the rich black color of suede shoes. Before you polish faded shoes with carbon paper, you need to remove dirt from their surface and dry them if they are wet.
If shiny areas appear on the shoes, they must first be treated with a damp sponge, then lightly moistened with castor oil, and walked over the surface again. To lift the pile, you need to rub the shiny areas with a regular eraser or hold the shoes over steam.

It is always easier to prevent the appearance of stains than to deal with them. To avoid the need to wash suede shoes, you just need to take care of them from time to time, treat them with water-repellent agents, and do not wear them in rainy weather.