How to wash suede sneakers: by hand and in the washing machine

Washing suede sneakers is a task that sooner or later faces every owner of these spectacular shoes. Suede is always in vogue, and caring for it is difficult. And sometimes regular cleaning is not enough. Therefore, it is important for each owner of a velvety leather product to know how to properly wash the product so as not to spoil it when trying to return a presentable look.

Can suede sneakers be washed

It should be said right away that not all suede shoes can be washed. Many specimens, after contact with water and drying, may lose color and even shape.

Suede sneakers can be washed, observing a number of nuances:

1. If the shoes are glued, then wet processing is limited to wiping. It is not recommended to wash it, as the glue swells under the influence of water and the sole can come off.
2. Sneakers with characteristic damage (cracks, scuffs) should not be washed, as this procedure will aggravate the flaws.
3. Shoes, which have rhinestones, sequins, fur accessories and other decorative elements, must also be washed carefully, preferably by hand.

Be that as it may, suede shoes, especially sneakers, have to be washed periodically. Synthetic suede (high-quality) tolerates such a procedure well even in a washing machine, especially since some modern models of household appliances have a special function "Sport", in which cleaning is carried out efficiently and carefully. But experts still recommend hand washing, since in this case it is possible to visually observe changes in the condition of the shoes, control the amount of water, its distribution, the force of pressure on the material.

Features of washing suede sneakers

To wash suede sneakers at home and not spoil them, you must first prepare the product for the cleaning process:

1. Remove dust and dirt from the surface of the sneakers (even if visually no dirt is visible). To do this, you can use a dry and sufficiently stiff brush.
2. Clean the inside of the shoe as well as the sole.
3. Remove the laces and insoles as they are best washed separately.
4. If it is decided to wash in an automatic machine, then the sneakers must be packed in a bag for washing, or (if there is none) placed in a pillowcase and tied with a lace. This will keep the delicate suede free from unnecessary contact with the drum surface.

At what temperature to wash suede sneakers

Wash completely suede sneakers or with suede inserts in low temperature water. For high-quality cleaning, 40 ° C is enough. This temperature regime will protect the product from deformation and loss of color.

How to wash suede sneakers

So that the shoes do not lose their appearance, you need to wash them in an automatic machine in a certain mode. For suede, the wash plus rinse setting is optimal. But spinning and drying should be discarded.

What detergents to use for washing suede sneakers

How long they will serve their owner depends entirely on how correctly they managed to wash suede sneakers. Therefore, it is important to choose a suitable detergent as well. The best option is to wash with liquid gel. If not, it can be replaced with prepared soapy water. But the use of powder and products containing chlorine should be discarded. They can negatively affect the look of suede sneakers.

How to wash suede sneakers

If you want to wash light-colored suede sneakers and dark-colored shoes, it is worthwhile to carry out a separate process for each shoe tone, since it, like clothes, can be stained. This nuance must be taken into account before starting the process.

There are two ways to wash dirty shoes: in an automatic machine and manually. The choice of the most suitable option will depend on the type of product, its quality, condition and degree of pollution.

How to machine wash suede sneakers

If you are going to wash sneakers made of natural suede, you need to conduct a preliminary inspection of the product, cleaning it of dust and dirt. Do not forget about removing all decorative elements that can be unfastened. They can come off in the drum of the machine and damage the appliance. Procedure sequence:

1. After cleaning, the sneakers must be placed in a special bag, after which they must be placed in the washing machine.
2. Liquid detergent must be poured into the powder compartment (even dishwashing gel can be used in the absence of a specialized detergent).
3. Wash in a typewriter should be on a mode of 30 - 40 ° C, without spinning and drying.
4. Send the items to dry.

How to hand wash suede sneakers

Hand washing a suede product will have a more gentle effect. In this case, it is important to know how to properly wash your suede sneakers.

For this you will need:

• lint-free cloth, ideally a microfiber cloth;
• liquid soap or gel;
• water, the temperature of which does not exceed 40 ° C.

How to hand wash your sneakers:

1. Dissolve the detergent in warm water.
2. Moisten the material in the resulting solution, squeeze.
3. Wipe the product, being careful not to wet it too much.
4. Repeat the procedure several times until all traces of contamination disappear.
5. Rinse the product by soaking a cloth in clean water and wringing out. Rinsing under running water is prohibited.
6. Add some vinegar to the water and repeat the procedure, rubbing the inside of the boot if necessary.
7. Then you need to take a dry rag and wipe your shoes with it several times.
8. Leave to dry.

How to dry your suede sneakers properly

If it happens that the suede sneakers become stiff after washing, there may have been a mistake during the drying process. This is another important factor in the care of this type of footwear.

The best option is to leave your sneakers to dry in the fresh air. To speed up the process, you can put a crumpled sheet of newspaper or paper inside the boot, which should be changed as moisture is absorbed.

Tips & Tricks

It is possible to wash adidas suede sneakers or another quality brand. But it is better not to tempt fate and learn how to properly care for such shoes. Many people advise purchasing special products for suede. If they are not at hand, then this is also not a problem.

You can always use the available suede care products:

1. Light dirt can be removed with a mixture of milk and baking soda. To do this, stir 1 tsp. bulk component in a glass of warmed milk. Wipe the sneakers with this solution (the rag should be quite rough, for example, burlap).
2. To get rid of stains on shoes, ammonia and water will also help. At 1 st. warm water you need to take a quarter glass of alcohol. Wipe the sneakers with the resulting liquid.
3. Gasoline will help remove grease stains on suede sneakers. However, it should only be used with talcum powder. For this, the product must first be wiped with gasoline, then covered with talcum powder. After a few hours, the compound can be removed with a cloth, and then the boot can be cleaned with a stiff brush.
4. It is good to clean brown suede products with coffee grounds. To do this, moisten the brush in it and treat the surface. After the shoes are dry, it is important to brush off the coffee with a dry brush. You can repeat the procedure if necessary.
5. Use regular potato starch to wash your white suede sneakers. To do this, lightly rub the contaminated areas with powder, leave to act for 1 - 1.5 hours, clean with a dry brush. The main rule is to choose a brush with stiff bristles.
6. You can improve the cleaning effect with a mixture of starch and ammonia. It can even remove stubborn dirt on shoes that cannot be washed. From the indicated ingredients, it is necessary to make a gruel, with which to generously rub the soiled places. After that, it is enough just to wait for the mixture to dry and clean it off with a brush.
7. If shiny areas remain on your suede sneakers after washing, you can remove them with a piece of stale bread. You just need to grind the problem area with dried crumb and remove the remaining crumbs on the surface with a coarse brush.
8. You can replace stale bread with sandpaper. It is also able to remove dirt residues that were not washed off during washing. But in this case, you need to be extremely careful, because with excessive efforts, the structure of the sneaker can be damaged and the product will have to be thrown away.
9. A pencil eraser can also clean up shoes where dirt remains after washing. Surfaces can be rubbed thoroughly with an eraser without fear of damaging the skin structure. Washing gum can be replaced with ordinary hard foam rubber, the remnants of the material can be easily removed from the surface of the boot with a brush.

Conclusion

Washing suede sneakers is not so difficult if you follow the above rules and recommendations regarding the process of removing dirt and drying the product. It is important to remember that the specificity of such delicate leather as suede implies wet cleaning as a last resort, so it is important to avoid serious contamination and take proper care of sports shoes.