File: how to clean leather: suede, suede, nubuck… The secrets of their maintenance

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Finally an answer to this great metaphysical question: how to maintain and clean suede leathers (or chamois, it's the same thing), that is to say suede, suede or nubuck. In short, you will finally know what to do if someone walks on your suede shoes.

Following on from Benoît's article on clothing care , and those by Valéry and Vianney on leather jackets and combat boots , here is an article that many have been waiting for a while (given the number of times I've been asked the question by email or seen on the forum).

BUT FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SUEDE LEATHER AND NUBUCK LEATHER?

Visually, it looks more or less the same, but the manufacturing technique differs.

Suede leather is actually the reverse side of the animal's skin (flesh side), which is why we sometimes find the names "reversed calf" or "reversed lamb", which in fact simply mean suede. We generally take the between-two layers of the animal to have a material that is thin and flexible enough to make clothing (elbows of jackets or gloves for example).

Nubuck leather (or suede leather) is a classic leather whose surface has been sanded to give it this velvety side. Other manufacturing processes exist, such as tanning with fish oil. The name suede designates the same thing, nothing to do with the animal (except for the similarity with deer horns which have a velvety touch). As the skin is less altered, it is all things being equal more solid than suede.

But depending on the skins, the animals and the quality of the tanning, you can find suedes that are more solid than nubucks: you have to put some water in your wine.

AND ARE SUEDE SHOES NOT TOO FRAGILE?

One of the great mysteries of the universe for those who are beginning to take an interest in fashion and say to themselves:

"But if I take this nice pair of desert boots , won't they be too fragile and get dirty in less than a month ?"

Not at all, it all depends on the initial quality of the leather . If the manufacturer does his job well by selecting leathers that are not ribbed and very homogeneous: it will not be much less solid than a smooth leather.

It all depends mainly on the thickness of the skin , and the animal (veal, for example, is stronger than lamb),

I've been carrying around my pair of Lanvin sneakers for 4 years, of course taking care of the leather every 6 or 7 months and going to the store from time to time to get new laces (Lanvin uses waxed laces, which have a slightly shiny finish thanks to the wax, and which gives them that little extra).

Well, they haven't moved that much: the proof is in the picture (you can click to enlarge).

Which goes to show that when you buy quality, it's all just a question of maintenance (which doesn't necessarily mean buying from Lanvin: you can also find very good things at the entry level , or you can lie in wait on eBay and forums to get a pair at half price: that's what I did 4 years ago).

HOW TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF NUBUCK LEATHER OR SUEDE LEATHER?

The reflexes are the same as for smooth skin, here are the right questions to ask yourself:

• use : does the thickness of the leather satisfy the use to which it is put? (leather that is too thin for shoes is a bad choice on the part of the designer, the same goes for leather that is too rigid for jacket elbow pads, because it risks coming apart due to lack of flexibility),
• quality : is the leather soft, uniform, supple? Don't hesitate to scrunch it up (or bend the shoe) to see if you can easily get it back to normal by massaging it a little. On the finest chamois leathers, you should be able to draw patterns by running your finger over the leather.
• color : is the shade deep enough? or am I dealing with a slightly dusty color?

Here's a good example with Clarks:

And the counter example with G-Star:

HOW TO CARE FOR AND CLEAN SUEDE, SUEDE OR NUBUCK LEATHER?

REMOVE DUST: A BRUSH

Yes, I know, it's a scoop: you can remove dust with a brush. However, some people still don't have one at home, even though it's an essential part of maintaining your shoes.

On suede and nubuck type leathers, there are 2 schools (YES, the names of the two schools are indeed ridiculous. NO, there is not really a school for that):

• the soft brush school : I am one of them. In my opinion, there is no need to get out the big wire brush where a softer brush will do. And if you really have stains to remove: Woly is your friend. What also bothers me about hard brushes is that even if they are safe for leather, they ruin the seams or eyelets a bit over time.

• the hard brush school : This is the school of brutes, which is true, more effective on nubuck or suede leathers, but dangerous in the long term when the skin is thin (clothes). I advise you to be subtle, so that your friends' shoes remain as soft as a baby's bottom.

REVIVE LEATHER: WITH A CLEANING SPRAY

I revive my suede or nubuck shoes every year. To do this I use a special chamois leather spray , making sure to choose a good quality brand (this is very important, otherwise you risk ruining your shoes with the crap you find in supermarkets).

We recommend Famaco , Grison , Saphir (all 3 on the Internet and at good shoemakers), and we strongly advise against Kiwi or Barane .

Here is the op' mode:

• I brush the leather to free the fiber from dust and dirt
• I spray generously
• I wait for it to dry, say a good hour
• I brush the skin in the desired direction

REHYDRATE LEATHER: WITH A LEATHER RENOVATOR SPRAY

The brands I just mentioned also offer sprays and lotions that nourish leather . This may be necessary if your leather lasts for many years, or if you forget a pair of wet shoes next to a radiator or in the sun (leather that dries too quickly is never good).

But in my opinion it is not really useful if the leather is of good quality, in the context of normal use (the first few years in any case).

REMOVE STAINS FROM LEATHER WITH WOLY ERASER

This summer I found myself with huge sweat stains on a teddy-style jacket with the entire bust covered in chamois leather. The sweat (which is worse than water because it is acidic and salty) made the dye migrate to the ends of the stain, leaving me with two magnificent half-circles on each side of my chest (which shows that even when you know the materials and their qualities well, you are never safe from this kind of little surprise). Sorry for the image.

Verdict from the local dry cleaners (one of the best in the capital, but still...): €90.

(Hyper) salty bill to resurrect a piece bought for double (although on sale): that makes you think! So I asked a few good shoemakers, and there I found the pearl: Woly, my new friend .

The Woly eraser looks like a pumice stone but it is actually an eraser, which is slightly abrasive. It removes a little bit of material when you rub (so don't go overboard!) and the surface stains disappear. For those who are a little skeptical (like me at first), I promise you that it is really effective and very easy/quick to use.

For the most stubborn stains, there are stain removers . But I still advise you to at least ask the opinion (and the quote) of the local quality dry cleaner before bringing out the big guns (there is always a risk of removing the dye with the stain when using chemicals).

SHOULD SUEDE / SUEDE / NUBUCK LEATHER BE WATERPROOFED?

Not necessarily . It is true that chamois leathers "absorb" more liquids (and therefore stains, or rain). But their less uniform surface also makes stains less visible than on a pair of smooth light brown leather shoes, for example.

If you often get them dirty , if you are not very careful, or if it rains excessively where you live (nothing against you, Breton friends): waterproof them.

Otherwise, leave them as is , and be careful not to expose them too much to the risks of the weather.

WHAT NOT TO DO IN CARE OF SUEDE, SUEDE AND NUBUCK LEATHER

• Use water : no! You risk soaking the leather too deeply and dehydrating it, with no guarantee that the stain will disappear (or only really on the surface with a little water and a little Marseille soap).
• Trying to dye the leather, recolor the stain or whatever : you're not in pottery/macrame class anymore (unless you really know what you're doing).
• Bleach and other fun stuff : This seems obvious to me, but some people will try it anyway: "oh, polka dot shoes!"
• Do not leave your shoes near a heat source (such as a radiator), otherwise the leather will dry out.

Now you know everything. I hope that this material will scare you less in terms of maintenance (it is more robust and easy to maintain than you might think), or even that these few lines will resurrect a few pairs that you thought you would throw away!

And to go further, we have also written a complete guide on the maintenance of smooth leather shoes .

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