A close up of one of our horse hair brushes. Look at how lofty and generous the bristles are, not to mention plentiful. Brushing with one of these does wonders for any shoe.

Magic Erasers are not only great at removing scuff marks from the floor. You can also use it if you want to clean a light-colored suede. The Magic Eraser can effectively remove scuff marks on suede because they are mildly abrasive, but only on lighter-colored ones. Using this on dark-colored suede can cause fading and discoloration. Can I use a hairbrush on suede? Using lint-free cloths prevents leaving traces of fluff on the shoes – a piece of an old t-shirt will work fine, there's no need to buy a special cloth. Allow the leather cream to dry; you can buff the shoes with a soft brush or clean cloth if you want to achieve more shine. The method for using a suede brush and eraser is straightforward. All you have to do is brush or rub the material using the tools and vary the strength based on what type of stain or marks you’re dealing with. Start with gentle circular motions when removing stains/marks on your item and then slowly increase your strength if the gentle cleaning is not enough. Yes – but carefully. Use cold water and mix in just a couple of drops of washing-up liquid. Use a clean toothbrush to apply the blend, making circular motions over the stain. Allow the item to fully dry before brushing the nap up.

3. Simple Shine Suede and Nubuck Brush

Instead use a sponge to clean, then apply a thin layer of oiled leather cream. This neutral cream will maintain the matt, waxy finish of the shoe and maintain its water-repellency. A horse hair brush is perfect for regular use. It removes excess dirt and provides a nice gentle cleaning. It is the most versatile suede shoe brush. It is something we recommend starting with the majority of the time. Note that this product doesn’t clean the shoes, it refreshes the colour. It is also available in neutral, which is handy if you can’t match the colour – it will still rejuvenate the appearance of your shoes. Suede shoes For snow and water stains, dab on white vinegar, using circular motions over the affected area – the acid in the vinegar is good for breaking down salt. On softer leather shoes, a cream tends to penetrate and nourish the leather better than a harder wax polish, like those that come in a tin. Wax polishes can give a very high shine finish but don’t nourish the leather as effectively. However they can be very good at covering scuffs and are therefore handy for children’s shoes.

Shoe trees help your shoes keep their shape. They help prevent creasing. They help them last longer by absorbing excess moisture. They even keep them smelling fresher longer (from the above).

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First, this article is about brushing and regular maintenance, not deep cleaning. We'll provide additional information on using suede cleaner, heavy cleaning, and stubborn stains in another article. Hint: you don't use diluted vinegar as some (misguided) people suggest. Some people think that suede shoes can get stretched out when they use shoe trees in them. this isn't the case. Suede has great tensile strength. It's still leather after all. Some inferior cheaper suede can be so thin as to be more easily stretched. A high quality suede shoe will perform like it's smooth leather counter parts.

Have more leather to clean? Read up on the best leather cleaning methods or learn how to clean faux leather. Read other articles from the Clothing Care categoryAll our products have been subjected to exhaustive testing. However, since every leather is unique, both in terms of the raw materials, products employed and tanning methods used in its preparation, we recommend that a test be made on a less visible part of the article prior to the application of any leather care product. The other staple is brushing. Brushing helps remove surface dirt and dust. It provides gentle cleaning and lessens scuff marks. It also activates and distributes shoe care products. It is absolutely indispensable for all leather shoe care.