If you are really someone who’s into fashionable footwear,
then there’s no way you will not know about ‘Suede’.
For those of you who are new to the term, let us enlighten
you- it is a type of leather that has gone through napping (a process that
involves raising the furry surface of leather enough to make it fuzzy). It is
commonly used for jackets, shoes, purses and furniture, along with some other
items. Suede leather is made using the underside skin of animals like lamb,
goat, calf and deer. The term ‘suede’ is derived from the French term “gants de
suede” which means “gloves of Sweden”.
Despite being a type of leather, suede is less durable than
normal leather, though its softness makes it a perfect fit for clothing and
delicate usage. Because of its textured exterior and open pores, it’s prone to
getting dirtied and absorbing liquids.
But this does not mean that you should lose heart, and throw
away your precious Suede shoes (if you have any). Here are some handy tricks
for saving your ‘suede’is from utter ruin.
Brush your
suede
As mentioned before, suede is prone to getting
dirtied. For this reason, it’s best if you get yourself a suede cleaning kit
that comes with a special suede brush. With the brush, you can easily brush off
any kind of dust or dirt that has accumulated on your suede shoes. Don’t go
back and forth. Instead, brush in the same direction gently. Vigorous brushing
applies only to scuff marks. Your shoes will be rid of the dirt. But, make sure
that your shoes are dry when you are doing so, especially when it is about
getting rid of mud.
Eraser for the stubborn
Not all dirt can be gotten rid of with just a brush.
Certain scuff marks may refuse to go in spite of our efforts. For this, an
eraser will do the trick. Or you could use the crepe rubber that is used for
making shoe soles. You can even try getting a special suede rubber for the
task.
Let the ice
handle it
If there’s gum stuck to your shoes, put them in the
freezer for a few hours. The gum will turn hard, enabling you to chip it off.
Use the Suede brush after doing so.
The knight
for your suede
If you have bought new suede shoes and don’t want the
aforementioned problems to occur in the first place, buy a suede spray and
spray it on your suede footwear to make it invulnerable to dirt and dust
Soak out
the water
If you find water stains on your suedes, apply a light
coat of water with your brush.
Though water discolors suedes, it can save them if
used well. If there’s excess of water in your shoes, squeeze dry paper inside
the shoes to absorb the excess water on the inside. This way, your shoes will
retain their original look and shape. Once this is done, leave them in a
well-ventilated place and let them dry. Once they are dry, you can brush them
with the suede brush to get your shoes back to normal.
‘Nail’ it
for oil stains
You can use a suede brush for this type of stain.
After doing so, use the nail brush to scrub the stain off with warm water.
You are
now free to go out in your suede heels and rock the town!
