How to Restore Suede

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Suede is a type of beautiful, soft leather that's often used to make things like shoes, furniture, or clothing items. If you have a suede item that needs a little fixing up, a suede cleaning brush is a great tool to get rid of most dirt. There are other tools you can use to restore your suede, like a suede eraser or cornstarch. After just a few minutes of cleaning, your suede will look much better.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Brushing the Nap

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  1. Taking the shoe laces out of your suede shoes will make it easier for you to brush them thoroughly. Either place a shoe tree in each shoe before you brush it, or stuff the shoes with newspaper so they keep their shape. [1]
    • You can find shoe trees at your local big box store or online.
    • Re-lace the shoes once you're completely finished brushing them.
  2. Purchase a special cleaning brush designed specifically for suede. These brushes have soft bristles that will clean the suede without damaging it and are perfect for this type of leather. [2]
    • This is ideal if you need to clean dry dirt or dust off of the suede. [3]
    • Purchase a large suede cleaning brush if you're brushing something like a suede sofa, while a smaller cleaning brush will work well on things like shoes or purses.
    • A soft-bristled toothbrush will work too.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    Stroke the suede with the cleaning brush using gentle sweeping motions many times, covering the entire surface evenly. This will brush off any dust or dirt that's on the suede without causing damage. [4]
    • Make sure your suede is completely dry before you brush it.
  4. Once you're satisfied with how clean your suede is, use the suede cleaning brush to brush the fibers once so they're all laying the same way. This gives your suede a clean, uniform look. [5]
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    Purchase a brush made just for suede or use a soft-bristled toothbrush to bring your suede item back to life and clean it after it's gone through a lot of wear. Use back and forth motions as you brush the suede and be extra gentle so the suede isn’t damaged. [6]
    • Only brush suede material that’s completely dry.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Removing Scuffs and Stains

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    If you spill something on your suede or it somehow gets wet, use a paper towel or clean cloth to blot up the moisture as soon as possible. This will help prevent the wet stain from setting in and drying on your suede, which would make it harder to get out. [7]
    • For example, if you spill water on the suede, blot it up with a dry towel to absorb as much of the water as possible. The suede will likely dry perfectly fine after that.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    Dampen a clean cloth with white vinegar and gently dab the dirt stains with it. Saturate the area where the stain is and then let the white vinegar dry completely. Once it’s dry, rub the dirt stain off with a suede brush or soft-bristled toothbrush so the dirt is all gone. [8]
    • If you’re cleaning suede shoes, put shoe trees or pieces of newspaper in the shoes to help them keep their shape.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    Suede erasers are designed specifically for suede materials and can help get rid of many types of stains. Rub the eraser on the suede stain using circular motions until the stain disappears, leaving you with clean suede. [9]
    • Sometimes a regular pencil eraser will get rid of the stains too.
    • Brush off the eraser hairs or use a vacuum to pick them up if there are a lot.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    Use a piece of 1200-grit sandpaper on the suede so it’s not too abrasive. Rub the sandpaper against the stain gently to scrape it off, moving the sandpaper over the dirt patch evenly for a uniform look.
    • Sanding your suede aggressively can damage it, so work slowly and carefully.
    • Brush the dirt off using a suede brush once you’re finished sanding.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    If you have a water stain on your suede, the best way to get rid of it is to dampen the rest of the suede with water (not saturate it!) to even it out. Dampen a towel with water and dab the water onto your suede, covering all of it evenly. Once this layer of water dries, the stain shouldn’t be visible anymore. [10]
    • If you think you might have applied too much water, use a dry cloth to absorb some of the excess moisture.
    • Let the suede dry naturally and avoid putting it near a heat source.
    • If you’re fixing suede shoes, put a shoe tree or piece of newspaper in the shoe so it keeps its shape.
  6. Sprinkle cornstarch or talcum powder onto the grease or other tricky wet stain to cover the entire stained area. Let the cornstarch or powder sit overnight and vacuum it up the next day to reveal clean suede. [11]
    • Using your hands to pat the cornstarch or talcum powder into the stain may help it work better.
    • Use a thick layer of the cornstarch or talcum powder to be sure it absorbs as much as possible.
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Restore Suede
    Purchase a suede protectant spray that will make it easier to keep your suede material clean. Hold the spray bottle 3–5 in (7.6–12.7 cm) from the suede and apply it evenly to the fabric. Cover the suede in 2-3 coats to be sure it’s protected well, letting each coat dry before adding another one. [12]
    • Test a small area of the suede before you cover all of it with the suede protectant to be sure it works.
    • These suede sprays are often silicone-based and come in a clear color so they’re not visible on your suede.
    • Once you treat the suede once, you shouldn't need to again unless it's receiving a lot of wear and tear.
  8. Sometimes your suede may be too stained for you to restore it yourself. If you've tried to clean the stain and it wouldn't come out, take your suede item to a professional cleaner and ask them if they can get it out. This is also a good thing to do if you're worried about damaging the suede by trying to clean it yourself. [13]
    • This works well if you have a small suede item like a shoe, purse, or item of clothing.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you clean dust off of suede?
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Mallika Sharma is a Certified Leather Care Technician and the Founder of The Leather Laundry, a niche spa service for luxury leather gear in India. Mallika specializes in leather cleaning, coloring, repairing, and restoring for shoes, handbags, jackets, wallets, belts, and sofas. She holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh Business School. Mallika is a certified Professional Leather Care Technician and trained with the globally reputed leather care company, LTT in the United Kingdom.
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Expert Answer
    A soft bristle suede brush is the best way to get rid of dust. Gently brush your suede to get the dust off.
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  • Question
    Is there any way to clean suede?
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Mallika Sharma is a Certified Leather Care Technician and the Founder of The Leather Laundry, a niche spa service for luxury leather gear in India. Mallika specializes in leather cleaning, coloring, repairing, and restoring for shoes, handbags, jackets, wallets, belts, and sofas. She holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Investment from the University of Edinburgh Business School. Mallika is a certified Professional Leather Care Technician and trained with the globally reputed leather care company, LTT in the United Kingdom.
    Mallika Sharma
    Certified Leather Care Technician
    Expert Answer
    Use a suede brush to clean dry dirt and dust off of suede. For harsher stains, colour restoration by a professional is the only solution.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Video

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      Things You'll Need

      Brushing the Nap

      • Shoe trees (optional)
      • Newspaper (optional)
      • Paper towel or clean cloth (optional)
      • Suede cleaning brush

      Removing Scuffs and Stains

      • White vinegar (optional)
      • Clean cloth
      • Shoe trees (optional)
      • Newspaper (optional)
      • Suede eraser (optional)
      • 1200-grit sandpaper (optional)
      • Suede cleaning brush (optional)
      • Cornstarch or talcum powder (optional)
      • Suede protectant

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      Warnings

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x08lOAK7waQ#t=47s
      2. ↑ https://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-clean-suede-boots/slide2
      3. ↑ Mallika Sharma. Certified Leather Care Technician. Expert Interview. 14 December 2020.
      4. ↑ https://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-clean-suede-boots/slide2
      5. ↑ https://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-clean-suede-boots/slide2
      6. ↑ https://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-clean-suede-boots/slide2
      7. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nct8d2DdduE#t=2m
      8. ↑ https://www.whowhatwear.com/how-to-clean-suede-boots/slide4
      9. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nct8d2DdduE#t=1m9s
      1. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nct8d2DdduE#t=2m15s
      2. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jp8oqlLiAA
      3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXNjf8W3Pqc#t=5m3s
      4. ↑ Mallika Sharma. Certified Leather Care Technician. Expert Interview. 14 December 2020.

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To restore your suede shoes at home, gently brush them with a suede brush using a back and forth motion, which will clean and restore the nap. You can use a soft-bristle toothbrush if you don't have a suede brush. If your shoes have stains, try dabbing them with white vinegar. Let the vinegar dry, then brush the area. Alternatively, rub off dirt spots using a suede eraser. A regular pencil eraser might also do the trick. To protect your shoes from future damage, treat them with a suede protectant spray. To learn how to use sandpaper to get tough stains out of suede, scroll down!

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