Have you ever stepped in a mud pit with your nice suede shoes? Did it result in you thinking to yourself that it was bad day to choose suede?
Don't worry! I will show you have to fix them fast and even without any products - just water.
Background
A lot of people think that suede is a terrible garment for rainy days. This is completely wrong. The truth is that suede can be more durable than original leather as long as it is treated right. One inevitable fact is that it has to be real suede. So...
In general there are two types of garments we should worry about; split leather and genuine suede. They can look quite the same, but they are actually completely different. The tips I am about to give you should only be used on genuine suede.
Unsure of what kind your shoes are? Click
here.
This is what you do
STEP 1
Find a cup of water and a cloth. The cloth can be cotton, but I like to use a microfiber cloth because it prevents unnecessary soaking. Be careful with paper, as it can peel of and attach itself to the leather. If you have one - throw in a suede brush as well.
STEP 2
Soak the leather lightly and sweep off the water and dirt spots. Use straight movements until it is nicely divided. Repeat. Stop when the leather contains a moderate amount of water and the spots are gone. Turn the cloth and dry any excess water off with the same movements, until it turns out like on the photo. Remember to be gentle!
STEP 3
To prevent the leather from falling in on itself when wet you should now stuff it with something. The best fabric to use here is silk paper, but original wipes or cotton cloths is also a fair candidate. Stuff it until it causes a small amount of pressure on the leather.
IMPORTANT: let the shoe dry completely before you use it!
STEP 4
After the leather is dry, the color may look a little solid. Now you can use the brush to gently loosen up the leather. Use calm circular motions and be very careful if the brush has metal in it.
Result
This is a poor before and after picture, as the shoe looks a lot darker on the left, but you can see that the toe cap is much cleaner on the right.
KEEP IN MIND: You should not repeat this routine on a daily basis.
I hope this makes itself useful!