Why does rain ruin suede

My shoes started to look like an old pair of slippers. After I have followed an easy restoration process from my other blog post, the shoe stopped looking like this.

If part of your suede shoe gets wet, you might end up with water stains or a tidemark on the suede after drying. The good news is that you can ea sily fix such water-damaged suede following five easy steps. As I mentioned earlier, after spending too much time in deep snow in my winter suede boots, they became pale, lost a bit of the original shape, and the suede structure got damaged. I was so wrong! It turns out that it is super easy to fix wet suede.

To restore my suede shoes, I used a step by step process from my other blog post, where I have explained how to restore an old pair of nubuck shoes. It turns out that the same process restores water damaged suede as well. Click here for the post. Here you can see the before and after photo.

I am so happy with the result! I hope you will try it and enjoy your revived shoes for a long time. If you purchase anything using Amazon links on this website, I will get a tiny commission. Thank you for your help! We have been using our Omega slow vertical masticating juicer for over six years and have worked out a couple of valuable techniques to clean the juicer fast and efficiently.

If you follow our easy cleaning process, you can extend your juicer's life and thus save Suede handbags are great, but their appeal can quickly disappear after one unfortunate "encounter" with dark jeans. You probably know that since you are reading this post. The same thing happened to my light beige handbag, but I found an easy way to fix it! Let's have An anti-reflective coating a. Edit this Article.

We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Article Summary. Method 1. Remove the shoes and let them dry slowly in the open air.

Do not put the shoes in sunlight or next to a heater -- excessive heat can cause suede to warp and crack if you're not careful. Simply take them off and place them somewhere dry. Do not try and remove stains while the shoes are still wet, as this can strip the soft, felt-like texture.

Stuff the shoes gently with tissue or newspaper if they are soaking wet, approximating the shape of your foot. When leather or suede gets wet, it often contracts.

It then dries in this shrunken position, cracking the leather when you later stuff your foot in it. To prevent this, lightly ball up some paper and stuff it into the shoe lightly, so that it looks like there is a foot in the shoe. You don't want it busting at the seems or stuffed to the brim, just enough to absorb the water and help the shoe hold its shape.

Make sure you get at least one piece all the way into the toe. Newspaper ink may run on your shoes if it gets wet. This is not a concern for most shoes, as it will stay on the inside, but you should still be careful. Lightly brush off any mud or dirt with a suede brush or gentle nylon brush.

You can also use a nailbrush or a toothbrush if it is all you have around. Gently, working with the nap the direction of the suede hairs , brush away any major mud stains. Don't worry about getting them perfectly -- you don't want to to scrub suede while it is still wet if you can help it. Know that water will not ruin your suede shoes if you take your time letting them dry. Do not wipe, rub, or scrub your suede vigorously.

When the soft, delicate hairs get wet they will tense up and become brittle, making them easy to rip off. When your shoes get stained or wet, resist the urge to start scrubbing until they are fully dry. With a little bit of patience you can fix most damage to suede shoes. You cannot fix suede shoes if you've already stripped away the soft outer layer.

Once you've ruined the felt, you cannot get it back. Spruce up the dried suede with a suede brush to return the soft texture to normal. Once the shoes are clean and completely dry, grab a suede brush and massage the fibers back into position. Work in small circles, massaging each area of the shoe until the fibers are soft and glowing.

While older shoes will never be completely returned to their former glory, you can still vastly improve the look of your shoes from their sad, damn state. Apply a suede-protecting spray to your shoes to avoid further damage. Suede shoes can survive anywhere, as long as you are prepared. Most shoes will need suede-specific sprays or coatings, but the benefits are enormous. A protecting spray will keep your shoes dry, prevent watermarks and stains, and maintain the soft outer coating for years to come.

Method 2. Dry shoes completely before attacking any stains. Even though some stain treatments do require a bit of water, you want the whole shoe to be dry before working. Water makes leather and thus its cousin, suede a little more pliable, and weaker. Working on wet shoes can lead to warping or cracking.

Only add a touch of water when needed for cleaning; otherwise, work on dry shoes. Now allow your suede shoes to dry. Repeat the spraying process if you feel the need to. They can withstand some water. But as soon as you are in a dry place, you need to take some actions to prevent any damage to the suede. Following are the steps you need to take immediately when your suede shoes have become wet. The main purpose is to prevent the bristles from getting stuck and hard and to maintain the shape of the shoe.

First and foremost, grab a paper towel, a towel, or even a newspaper to dry your shoes. The most important thing to remember is to pat dry and not rub the paper towel across the suede as it will ruin the look. Just blot the suede shoes in dabbing motions. The purpose of doing this is to soak as much water as you can.

You have to perform this as quickly as you can. One quick tip that I would like to give you is that insert newspaper or towel into the shoe. This will help retain the shape of the suede. Once you have soaked up all the water, the next thing to do is to brush and brush. Grab a toothbrush or any other brush having thin and soft bristles. Brush the suede back and forth for about 1 to 2 minutes.

You have to do this in quick motions. This is because the bristles in the suede get stuck together and become harder when wet. Brushing prevents the clustering and helps retain the softness of the suede.

You need to get your suede dry as quickly as possible. Now I would tell you precisely how to dry suede. Grab a hairdryer and a suede brush. Brush the suede back and forth while blow-drying it until it is dried and no drop of water is left.

Water stains ruin the look of the suede. Suede in the rain also catches the dirt, and you have to get rid of it as quickly as possible. Take the suede brush again and brush the suede back and forth.

Now take a suede paper and press it gently on the suede to lift the nap. If you still see some stains, then use a suede cleaning solution to remove the stains. So once your shoes are completely dry and free of stains, then brush them thoroughly with a suede brush. Now spray the waterproof liquid all over in back and forth motion.