Can I wash suede boots in a washing machine?
Natural suede is a rather expensive material that requires a delicate attitude to yourself. Shoes made of suede, despite the fact that it is not easy to maintain, are always very popular. Such products look sophisticated and stylish, so there is always a demand for them. But suede shoes are very difficult to care for. This material does not tolerate moisture well, and dirt, dust and chemicals in the winter leave traces on it, as a result - after a while, your favorite shoes lose their former attractiveness and there is a need for drastic measures. Now it has become fashionable to wash everything in an automatic machine, so many housewives are interested in the question: is it possible to wash suede boots in a washing machine ?. Let's figure out if it's worth doing with respect to winter and any other shoes from such delicate material.
to contents ↑Should I wash suede?
Suede is a capricious material that does not tolerate water. Manufacturers of suede products do not recommend even wetting such products. From contact with water, suede becomes coarse and stiff. Therefore, boots made of natural suede should not be washed in a washing machine at home.
But artificial suede products may well survive this procedure, however, this mainly concerns sneakers, moccasins, etc. But it is also undesirable to wash them too often. Colored products can lose their saturated color, and products of poor quality generally creep at the seams after several washings.
to contents ↑How to wash suede shoes in a washing machine?
But if you still decide to wash your sneakers or other shoes from suede in a washing machine, then you need to do it right. To do this, follow these recommendations:
- First of all, shoes must be prepared for washing. To do this, you need to clean it from dirt, get insoles, remove the laces. If there are stains, you need to remove them before washing.
- Put prepared shoes in special laundry bag.
- Put the bag in the drum. It is advisable to wash one pair of shoes, a maximum of two.
- As a detergent, it is better to use a special shampoo for washing suede. If this is not at hand, then it is better to use liquid detergentso that there are no stains.
- Set the delicate mode, spin and drying must be turned off.
- Wash at a temperature of 30-40 degrees.
- Insoles and laces should be washed separately.
Suede shoe shine
We have already said that natural suede does not tolerate moisture well. Dry shoes are best suited for such shoes. Therefore, if you stained your boots or suede boots, then when you come home, first dry them.
Important! Do not try to wipe off the dirt right away - this will only make you worse. When the dirt dries, you can quickly wipe it off with special suede brush, eraser or fine sandpaper.
Ammonia
If your suede shoe looks greasy, then it will help you. ammonia. It copes with gloss marks and gives suede a fresh look. Just dampen a cotton pad and surface the surface of your favorite sneakers.
Important! Ammonia is able to cope with any pollution on any thing, so it is extremely useful to keep it at home “just in case”.For information on how to apply it for various purposes, read our separate article. "How to remove stains with ammonia?".
Coffee grounds
Perfectly refreshed suede coffee grounds. It removes dirt and refreshes the look. But you can use it only in the case of brown boots or shoes. Dampen the brush in the coffee grounds and go over the entire surface of the product. Leave to dry completely, and then brush.
Talc
From oily stains, talcum powder will help you. Sprinkle them with talcum powder and leave for several hours. Then clean off the remains with a stiff brush.
Steam cleaning
To return to the suede products their former appearance, you need to hold them for several minutes above the steam. You can use household steam generator. And if it’s not there, just heat the pot with water and hold the shoes over it for several minutes until it is saturated with steam, but does not get wet. After this, you need to brush over the entire surface of the product.
Important! Such processing will return the product an attractive appearance and shine.
Foam cleaner
There are special foams on sale that make it easy to clean suede products from dirt:
- Clean the dirt product and dry beforehand.
- Apply foam to contaminated areas and leave for the time specified in the instructions.
- Take away the rest with a napkin, and again dry your steam well.
Powder wash
How to wash suede sneakers? If it is so necessary to wash sports shoes from this material, then it is better to do it manually:
- Dissolve the detergent in water. Better if it is a special shampoo for washing suede. But if this is not, then you can use the usual washing powder.
Important! For effectiveness, you can add a little ammonia.
- In this solution, moisten a rag and gently clean the surface of the product, being careful not to wet it strongly.
- Then the soap solution should be washed off with the same rag, but already moistened in clean water.
- Blot the product with a dry cloth or napkin.
How to dry suede shoes?
- Suede should be dried at room temperature in a well-ventilated area, away from heating appliances and direct sunlight.
- Drying it is also not recommended.
- To speed up the process, crumpled paper can be shoved inside the shoe. It absorbs excess moisture.
- The paper needs to be changed as necessary.
Suede Care
In order for your suede products to serve you for a long time, you need to properly care for them:
- Such products must be cleaned regularly. In this case, old pollution will not appear. Stains must be removed immediately. In this case, dealing with them will be much easier.
- Periodically apply formulations that maintain the color of the product.
- Handle your shoes in rainy weather water repellent impregnations and sprays.
- Do not dry wet shoes with batteries or other radiators - they may crack.
Stock footage
In principle, if you are not sorry for your favorite shoe, you can wash the suede boots in the washing machine. But remember that only you are responsible for the result. If you strive to do everything right, then by far the best option would be one of the proposed methods of dry cleaning!