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In this article I want to help you clean those suede kicks! Here are the top 3 tools I use to keep the suede on my sneakers looking great!
Rule #1 with suede seems to be not to get it wet! This is why it always surprises me that many suede sneaker cleaning tips out there advise you to spray your sneaker with some kind of sealant.
While suede kicks can stand to get a little wet if it’s just a light amount of water that will quickly dry, I find the luxurious softness of the suede is compromised by liquid of any kind. This includes suede protector sprays. Therefore, I will explore 3 tools that do not use water or liquid of any kind.
General Cleaning For Suede Kicks – Nylon Brush
Dust and dirt collect on your kicks both when you wear them and when they’re sitting in the box. Sometimes you pull a pair out that you haven’t worn in a while, only to see the suede looks dull and maybe even a little dingy. The nylon brush can be used to dust off and freshen up suede sneakers.
These nylon brushes usually come in a Suede Cleaning Kit (Amazon link). This kit should not run you more than $5-10. Besides the brush, the suede cleaning kits typically include a suede eraser (more on that later).
Use of these brushes is simple, lightly brush the suede on the sneaker from front to back. You should not need to make too many passes on one area. You want to brush the dust and minor bits of dirt off and away from the suede. I use this tool often when I get a pair of suede kicks out of the box that have been sitting for a while. Within seconds, the suede brush will infuse those dull, dingy kicks with life!
Touch Up Those Dirt Marks – Suede Eraser
Sometimes the nylon brush isn’t enough on it’s own. When suede kicks are stained with a dark spot of one kind or another, a suede eraser can help clear up the issue.
The eraser comes in the aforementioned Suede Cleaning Kit with the nylon brush. Do not use a pink pencil eraser or art gum eraser for this, as the pink color will leave marks on the suede, making things even worse! The suede eraser will leave the suede looking clean and stain free. Keep in mind, this tool is for small, specific areas where the brush can’t quite get the dirt out. Be careful not to overdo it, you can damage the suede if you erase too much in one spot.
Using a suede eraser is very easy. I’ve had stains on suede kicks come right off with this tool! Lightly erase the mark on the suede that you are trying to clean. I like to use a slight lifting motion to move the dirt up and out of the suede. After a pass or two with the eraser, use the suede brush to sweep any bits of loose dust and dirt away from the sneaker.
Last Ditch Effort – Wire Brush
If suede gets wet, one possible outcome is that the suede might harden and lose its texture once dry. For more serious times like this, a wire suede brush (Amazon Link) is a secret weapon. It’s not guaranteed to get the suede looking and feeling brand new again, but it can at least restore some texture to the sneaker and usually is under $10. This tool also works for materials like nubuck, as a nylon brush might be too soft for this type of suede.
Basically, the stiffer bristles of the metal brush help with getting the surface of the kicks textured again. Proceed carefully with this brush, as you can damage the material with heavy or excessive use.
The wire brush is used the same way as the nylon brush. If the shoe is wet, wait until it is completely dry before using this tool. Gently brush the suede or nubuck from front to back. With effort and a bit of luck, you may be able to get some texture back onto that suede!
General Philosophy – Keeping Suede Sneakers Clean
Usually I only occasionally need to use the nylon brush to freshen up my kicks. I’m very careful with when and where I wear shoes with delicate materials such as suede. My number one rule with suede sneakers is to be aware of where you will be when you are wearing them, and avoid wearing them anywhere wet or excessively dirty.
By keeping your suede kicks as clean as possible initially, you won’t need to resort to cleaning them as excessively. Regardless, the three tools above should help you if you get into a jam with some dirty suede, or just need to freshen your pair up a bit!