Do This, Not That: How to Clean and Restore Suede Shoes at Home

When you start shelling out the big bucks for a pair of sneakers, chances are you are going to encounter some sort of suede or nubuck on your newest pair. 

Besides looking absolutely amazing, suede and nubuck feel awesome, too. They give your kicks a premium look and feel that other materials (especially textiles) couldn’t replicate even if they tried. 

However such delicate and lush materials aren’t all they’re chalked up to be; they’re easily damaged and stained…something you just can’t have especially if you’re paying a good chunk of change for your sneakers. 

The next time your suede shoes get dirty or sustain damage, look to this guide as the roadmap to fresh, clean suede or nubuck once again. 

The purpose of this guide is to teach you how to clean and restore your suede and nubuck shoes at home in a few simple steps, with a few Reshoevn8r sneaker cleaning products. 

This will work on Air Jordans, Yeezys, Pumas, Vans, and even dress shoes such as Allen Edmonds or Cole Haans. If your shoes have suede, we’ll show you how to clean them. 

Without further ado, let’s teach you how to clean and restore your suede shoes at home. 

How to Clean your Suede Shoes at Home

For this cleaning you’re gonna need the Reshoevn8r Signature Shoe Cleaning Kit, our Brass Bristle Brush, Mink Oil, and our brand new Horsehair Brush. 

• Remove the shoe laces (if applicable), adjust the Adjustable Shoe Tree to size, and insert it into the shoe.

• Squirt two squirts of Reshoevn8r Sneaker Cleaning Solution into your bowl of water. 

• Dip the soft bristle brush into the water and solution mixture and start to gently scrub the suede of the shoe. The key here is to scrub in all directions, and to let the solution do its job. With suede, it’s extremely important to avoid oversaturating the material, as this can cause bleeding of color.  

• Use the Microfiber Towel to gently dry the shoe, removing any remaining solution or suds.  

• Let the shoes air dry or stick them out in the sun until completely dry. 

Congratulations, your suede is now clean and stain free. But you may have noticed that the suede is not as nappy as it once was. No worry, we’ll use the Brass Bristle Brush to get it feeling buttery soft again. 

How to Restore and Recondition your Suede Shoes

• Grab the Brass Bristle Brush and gently brush the suede in different directions until nappy. Be cautious to avoid using this brush on any other materials to prevent accidental damage. 

Now that the suede is buttery soft once again, we can recondition it and bring the color back to life using our Mink Oil and Horsehair Brush. 

• Take your can of Mink Oil and spray the suede with a light coat from 6-8 inches away. 

• Use the Horsehair Brush to gently rub the Mink Oil into the material in a circular motion. 

And just like that, your suede shoes are completely cleaned, restored, and reconditioned. In just a few simple steps you should have been able to bring your suede shoes back to life from the comforts of your own home. 

That’s no small feat…we commend you for your efforts! 

Now all that’s left is to protect them from any further damage. Protecting your suede shoes is even easier than cleaning them, simply use our Water + Stain Repellent to give them a protective coating that lasts!

Thanks for tuning in. We hope you found great success in following this tutorial, and that you’re prized kicks are looking pristine once again. 

May your suede ever be nappy, and your nubuck ever feel buttery.