Your wardrobe isn’t complete without a pair of suede shoes. The velvety texture and softness can level up any outfit or add a premium finish to your favorite sneakers. But unfortunately, the same material responsible for the shoes’ distinct look is also highly prone to marks and stains that are hard to shift.

Fortunately, our water-based, biodegradable Footwear Cleaner has been tested on delicate suede, and the results are just as good as on any other material, so you can clean them with peace of mind. How do you use it? Keep reading to find out!

Materials required for cleaning your suede shoes:

1. Footwear Cleaner.
2. Cleaning Brush.
3. Microfiber Cloth.
4. (Optional) Footwear Protector Spray

A Quick Tip: Our Cleaning Kit has all the materials packed into one great package to give your suede shoes a deep clean without harming their material. Check out our Cleaning Kit here >

Time required: 15 minutes

Steps to clean your suede shoes:

Use these easy steps to clean sneakers, boots, sandals, heels or any shoe made of suede.

1. Remove the laces and place them in a bowl of warm water, mixed with a squirt of our Footwear Cleaner gel.
2. Then, before you get to work on those suedes, make sure they’re completely dry. Stuff your shoes with newspaper or use a shoe tree to maintain their shape while you clean them.
3. Next, grab a brush (our Cleaning Brush gets the job done quickly and effectively). Use it to remove any accumulated dirt and grit from your shoe’s surface. Start from the uppers and then move down to the midsole and outsole. Make sure you remove the dry debris as much as possible.
4. Clean the dirt from the brush by dipping it in a warm water bowl. Now, apply the Footwear Cleaner Gel to the brush.
5. Make the solution foam by firmly scrubbing the surface of your shoes. Scrub from top to bottom.
6. Once you’ve gone over the entire surface, it’s time to use a soft microfiber cloth to wipe away all the foamy solution and the moisture from the shoe. Repeat until you’re sure you’ve wiped all the possible moisture away.
7. Put your shoes in an airy spot (not on a heater or in direct sunlight) and let them dry completely.
8. While you’re waiting for them to dry, remove your laces from the bowl and run the microfiber cloth along their length to remove any stains. For a full run-down on how to clean your laces, click HERE.
9. Once the shoes are dry – it’s time to revive that signature suede texture. Using a dry brush (it can be our Cleaning Brush if it’s dry, a toothbrush or a suede-specific brush) fluff up the suede by lightly brushing against the grain. Once done, smooth it out the other way.
10. You might know the old saying, “Prevention is better than the cure”. For an added layer of protection, use our Footwear Protector spray to guard your suedes from any liquid spills and stains. It acts as a liquid repellant to make your suedes watertight, maintaining the shoe’s look and prolonging its usage before it’s time to clean again.

So, there you go. If someone ever steps on your blue suede shoes, you now know how to give them a full clean, sustainably and stress-free.