High quality and comfortable shoes is a guarantee not only good mood, but also human health. The selection of this wardrobe item should be taken seriously. Many people are afraid to buy suede items for fear of them getting wet. Read on to learn how suede shoes react to water, whether you can walk in them in winter, and how to protect the material from moisture.

Suede is a type of natural sheep and goat leather. Thanks to a special processing technology (tanning), it acquires a velvety and soft texture. When interacting with water, suede behaves as follows:

In general, of course, it is worth noting that suede products require more careful attention and constant care. The dry period is absolutely safe for suede. However, it is very difficult to catch such a moment on city streets. After all, under the influence of chemical reagents, snow quickly turns into caustic slush.

Attention! The listed descriptions are relevant only for high-quality and natural suede.

Is it possible to wear suede shoes in winter?

Natural suede is popular among manufacturers winter shoes and buyers. After all, Coco Chanel assured that suede things speak of the delicate taste of the owner. It is worth noting that in winter such shoes or boots are warm even in severe frosts. It is recommended to buy products with thick soles or platforms to limit contact of the material with moisture.

Of course, suede allows water to pass through, and stains from ingrained dirt, as well as stains from salts and chemicals, may remain on it. Many people consider these shoes impractical for winter and consider the purchase a waste of money. Others, on the contrary, learn to properly care for it and do not deny themselves the purchase of another spectacular pair.

Important! When entering a room, it is advisable to brush off the snow from your feet so that it does not have time to melt.

What can you do to prevent your suede shoes from getting wet in winter?

Many buyers choose suede shoes for their beauty and elegance. Natural and untreated suede easily absorbs water. Therefore, before going outside in a new pair, it is advisable to impregnate it with water-repellent compounds. In stores you can find special devices and care products. In most cases, you will need a brush, hydrophobic spray, spacers for easy drying, and a can of paint to match the material.

Proper care includes several stages:

What kind of material is this

Artificial suede is almost indistinguishable from real one. This is a synthetic or natural fabric with a characteristic pile on the front side. It is used both to create clothes and shoes, and for upholstery. There are two ways to produce the material:

1. Woven. Microfiber threads are split into small fibers, which after processing are glued to the base. The result is a fleecy suede fabric that is highly durable. Without additional support, the material becomes unstable to tension. In this way, the highest quality and most expensive samples of material are made, from which jackets, raincoats, and gloves are sewn.
2. Non-woven. Polyester fibers are glued onto a cotton, silk or synthetic base. This type is produced less expensively and is much easier to care for. This suede is used mainly for furniture upholstery.

Conclusion: Faux suede is a combination of microfiber or polyester fibers and a base of cotton, silk or synthetics. Properties of this matter:

• outwardly it looks like its natural analogue;
• the surface of the artificial suede is soft and velvety to the touch;
• the fabric is durable and resistant to deformation (does not wrinkle);
• does not fade;
• has good strength;
• repels dirt and dust;
• has low hygroscopicity;
• has a uniform color;
• resistant to the formation of kinks, cracks, abrasions;
• If you run your hand over the fabric, the fibers will easily change position.

Differences from natural

Even taking into account the maximum resemblance to the original, faux suede still has a number of features. How to distinguish natural suede from its artificial sister?

Pay attention to these details:

1. Obtained by tanning animal skin, natural suede looks more natural. It has a heterogeneous porous structure, in which cracks and scratches are noticeable.
2. Dyed natural suede cannot be a uniform color (the reason is its uneven texture).
3. Natural material varies in thickness from center to edge.
4. Original suede smells like leather, while artificial suede smells like synthetics.
5. Natural suede is much more expensive than artificial suede.

Advice! Run your hand over the canvas: the natural color at the point of contact will become lighter.

Pros and cons

This artificial fabric has significantly more advantages than disadvantages. Let's look at everything in order.

Pros:

1. As furniture upholstery, it is equally good for any interior style, be it classic or avant-garde. Its versatility is also evident in the successful use of suede both at home and in the office.
2. Increased resistance to deformation and abrasions is another advantage of suede upholstery. Such sofa clothing will not crack or stretch under increased load, which its natural counterpart cannot boast of.
3. The material does not accumulate static electricity.
4. Artificial furniture suede has the same density throughout the entire perimeter, unlike natural one.
5. The fabric is resistant to direct sunlight.
6. This upholstery does not stick to the body.
7. An interesting property of artificial suede for furniture: it gives warmth in winter and coolness in summer.
8. The same goes for suede clothing. The skin in such clothes breathes.
9. Faux suede is easier to clean thanks to the Teflon impregnation with which they are treated.
10. This material looks no less aesthetically pleasing and attractive than the real thing. Its iridescent velvety surface attracts the eye.

Cons:

1. Fabric has limits. For example, it does not stand up to being used as a scratching post. Keep animals away from this upholstery.
2. Light-colored material tends to get dirty quickly. The problem can be solved either by frequent cleaning or by a removable cover.
3. Caring for faux suede is not easy. This material does not tolerate high humidity. Only dry cleaning or a minimum of water (solutions of ammonia or vinegar) is allowed.

Application

Suede is mainly used to produce:

• clothes,
• shoes,
• furniture upholstery.

Suede on a cotton base is used to sew outerwear and suits. Such things fit the figure well. Suede on a knitted base is a good material for skirts, dresses and blouses. They are also obtained from matter stylish accessories: bags, belts, wallets, gloves. When it comes to footwear, faux suede is used to make everything from shoes to high boots.

In the production of furniture, artificial suede receives decent attention. It serves as upholstery for chairs, sofas, and armchairs. Suede has also found its way into everyday life. It makes excellent absorbent wipes for cleaning glass.

Care

How to remove stains from faux suede? Clothes can be washed using gentle detergents. Clean suede shoes with a brush and use. But you need to be careful with the upholstery. Only dry cleaning is acceptable, especially if there is a greasy stain. Water will only make the situation worse.

Advice! When choosing impregnation for suede shoes, be careful and choose brands that have earned the trust of consumers. Poor-quality impregnation can glue the fibers into a dense crust, ruining the item forever.

For cleaning clothes, a soap solution is suitable, which is applied to the dirt with a soft brush. The solution should not be hot. After cleaning, pat the item dry with a towel to remove excess water. To avoid smudges, blot the item several times with a towel while drying.

Upholstery needs to be taken care of constantly. First, vacuum and brush regularly. Secondly, if possible, use protective covers. But if you managed to plant a stain, you will have to tinker. How to clean a suede sofa? Salt and an eraser will come to the rescue, washing powder. Be sure to test any product on an inconspicuous area of ​​the upholstery.

Advice! Movements when cleaning should be in the direction of the pile.

Artificial suede is a useful and at the same time capricious material. But if all operating rules are followed, a product made from such fabric will serve the owner for a long time.

Shoes made of suede or nubuck always look elegant and stylish. In addition, wearing shoes, boots, boots made of these materials is truly comfortable, since both suede and nubuck are very elastic and soft. However, many consider such shoes to be impractical. And in vain!

If you properly care for suede, it doesn’t matter whether they are fashionable women’s boots or children’s boots winter boots, it will serve you for a long time, it will please both your feet and your eyes, as they say. The methods of care are simple, you just need to apply them systematically, and not occasionally.

Water - away! Protecting suede shoes from water

So, you bought suede shoes. The first thing you absolutely need to do is protect it from water. Treat your new item with a protective water-repellent agent. It is better to do this three times, each time allowing the product to absorb and the shoes to dry. During wear, water-repellent prophylaxis should be done at least once every three weeks, and if there is dirt and slush outside, then more often - weekly. This will help suede and nubuck not only not get wet, but also not absorb salt and get dirty.

Dry - don't rush. If your suede shoes are wet

If suede shoes are wet, then do not rush to clean and soak them. First of all, dry it. Ideally, wet shoes, shoes or boots should be put on special lasts so that the suede straightens out and the shoes take their shape. But if there are no such pads, ordinary newsprint will do. Stuff your shoes with old newspapers and, if they are very wet, change them periodically. The paper will easily absorb excess moisture, allowing the shoes to dry. The only caveat is that do not try to speed up the process by attaching shoes to radiators or heaters. It will dry quickly, but suede or nubuck will become stiff and lose their elasticity. After such intense drying, they can simply crack and even tear.

And an eraser will do. Cleaning dirt from suede shoes

You need to clean suede shoes from dirt without waiting for them to become scabby. For high-quality cleaning, it is better to stock up additional accessories such as a hard porous sponge brush and a brush with rubberized teeth. If you don’t have them, you can take an ordinary eraser. The top layer of the material can be easily “invigorated”, returning the velvety feel to the suede, using a crepe brush. A special foam cleaner will help remove street dirt. But let us remind you that you only need to apply it to dry shoes! What absolutely should not be done with suede shoes, then wash it, it’s better to immediately throw it in the trash.

No chemistry

It is strictly not recommended to use any solvents or bleaches to clean suede products. If the shoes are very dirty, prepare an ordinary soap solution based on baby soap or any powder for delicate washing. Add a little ammonia to it (proportion 1:5) and wipe your shoes with this liquid. After such a “bath,” rinse the suede with water acidified with vinegar at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.

Suede Tricks

A few tricks for caring for suede shoes. If the material becomes shiny, clean these places with ordinary table salt or rub the side of a new matchbox.

To keep the suede pile looking neat, run a dry brush over it in one direction.

If the suede pile is long and curls, treat it with steam by holding the suede over a container of boiling water and scrubbing it with a wire brush.

A surefire way to restore the color of brown suede is coffee. Apply coffee grounds to discolored and worn areas, let them dry, and then brush with a dry brush. Another way to “rejuvenate” suede is to smoke it over a candle flame.

It is better to take care of suede shoes in the evening, rather than putting it off until the morning, before you need to put on your shoes, boots or shoes. Overnight, the suede will recover and will again have an attractive, stylish appearance.

The water-repellent properties of leather shoes are lost after several weeks of wear. And with the onset of slushy weather, this may cause colds, because the feet need dryness and warmth. Therefore, you need to know how to treat your shoes so they don’t get wet, and how to make them waterproof even in the wettest weather.

There are many factory and folk remedies, which cope with this task very effectively.

Why do shoes get wet?

Shoes can leak for the following reasons:

Sole defects and repairs

Many people are interested in the question of what to do if their shoes get wet. When shoes leak, the first thing you need to do is check the sole, as this is often the cause. wet feet associated with its damage or poor quality. If the sole has defects or is of poor quality, then in wet weather it is better not to risk your health by wearing such shoes for a walk. It is necessary to carefully inspect it, identify defects and take the following measures:

In order not to be tormented in the future by the question of how to protect your shoes from getting wet, carefully check the quality of the soles and seams when purchasing.

Suede and leather care

Low-quality leather allows moisture to pass through quite quickly, so figure out how to soak your shoes from getting wet so that they don’t wear out and your feet are dry.

Leather

Shoe care can be carried out using special water-repellent compounds for any materials. There are plenty of these funds on the market, and they will be the easiest to use. Impregnation in the form of a spray is suitable for leather, special cream or wax. It should be borne in mind that emulsion cream will not protect against moisture, so you need to choose an organic product with a high content of oils, waxes and fat.

You can use folk remedies that will protect your leather shoes from getting wet.

Instead of cream, castor oil is used to treat skin and seams.

You can also prepare special mixtures:

• Recipe No. 1

Turpentine - ½ tbsp. l.

Fish oil - 4 tsp.

Flaxseed oil - 4 tsp.

• Recipe No. 2

Wax or paraffin - 1 tsp.

Flaxseed oil - 1 tsp. or animal fat and castor oil (1:1).

Flaxseed oil can be replaced with rendered animal (goose) fat. It is believed that waterfowl have the most suitable composition of fat deposits.

Suede and nubuck

Cream and wax are not suitable for suede. To protect this material from moisture, you need to use special impregnations in the form of a spray, which are made on the basis of waterproof emulsions.

Regardless of the type of material and processing method, impregnation can only be done on dry and clean shoes 6 hours before going outside. If necessary, the procedure must be repeated regularly, since the water-repellent effect of the spray and wax is not endless.

To ensure that your shoes last a long time and do not get wet, impregnate new shoes with a protective substance. To do this, lubricate and treat them with a suitable product several times at daily intervals. If the product no longer actively absorbs cream, oil or spray, it means it has become saturated. After a little drying, you can safely go about your business.

Other materials

Store-bought water-repellent products are not suitable for leatherettes and fabrics, since faux leather does not absorb fat, and treating light textile shoes with oil or cream is simply stupid. Although leatherette shoes can still be saved.

If leatherette shoes allow water to pass through, it means the sole is damaged or poorly sewn. You already know what to do in these cases: repair it yourself or take it to a workshop, and after repair you can wear it without risk to your health.

How to treat shoes so they don't get wet

Protecting your shoes from water with special means will extend the life of your boots. Such sprays and creams can be purchased at a shoe store. The most effective of them are I:

Proper treatment of shoes with protective agents

To ensure maximum protection of shoes from getting wet, you need to apply the appropriate product correctly. . To do this you need:

When choosing a cream for winter shoes, pay attention to the amount of fat contained in the product - it should be at least 40 percent.

• It is advisable to lubricate shoes a day before using them.

For leather boots, sneakers and combat boots, creams should be used. Textiles, nubuck and suede are treated with aerosols.

How to make shoes waterproof at home

Water-repellent (hydrophobic) properties Any protective cream is supported by a high content of wax and fat. And it’s not difficult to purchase such products cheaply or prepare them at home. There are some effective and simple recipes which will help protect your shoes from getting wet.

Process leather boots and boots with Vaseline. To do this, you need to lubricate the entire surface of the shoe with this product, and especially carefully saturate all the joints and seams.

You can prepare the following composition:

• Rendered lamb fat and linseed oil- equal proportions.
• Turpentine - 1/5 of the volume of lard and oil.

All components are mixed and the warm mixture is applied to the boots using a flannelette rag.

Use an effective water-repellent cream that you can prepare at home. To do this, you need to take wax (can be replaced with paraffin) and linseed oil in a ratio of three to one, respectively. The wax should be melted, linseed oil should be added to it, and the resulting mixture should be rubbed into shoes or boots.

To enhance protective properties For rough skin, you can use castor oil. After the procedure of rubbing into leather material, the shoes must be polished. To increase the water resistance of the product, animal fat can be added.

Beeswax is an excellent way to protect boots from getting wet. If you add crushed rosin and turpentine to it, you will get an effective water-repellent cream, which in its protective properties is not much different from its factory-made counterparts. To prepare this product you will need:

• Beeswax - 20 gr.
• Turpentine - 10 gr.
• Rosin - 50 gr.

Another good recipe from components already known to you:

• Turpentine - 30 gr.
• Beeswax - 10 gr.
• Liquid fish oil - 40 gr.
• Glycerin - 20 gr.

To prepare this shoe polish, you need to successively mix turpentine, beeswax and fish oil. Melt the mixture over low heat and then add glycerin. Warm cream is applied to leather shoes.

The following method is quite simple and does not require special abilities or available materials. Take a white candle and melt it. Distribute warm paraffin in a dense layer over the entire surface of the boots or shoes, carefully treating butt joints and seams.

Then turn on the hair dryer and heat the waxed shoes. Wax under the influence of temperature will begin to melt and fill invisible pores and small holes, which are the reason for water getting into the product.

Preventive measures

To avoid having to urgently resolve the issue of how to protect your shoes from getting wet, you should take the necessary preventive measures immediately after purchase. In stores you can now find a lot of different special products that differ in composition:

But before using this or that product, you need to know the features of applying a cream or spray:

If you stick to these professional recommendations , and also use traditional home methods, your feet will always be dry and warm, despite the vagaries of the weather.

Attention, TODAY only!

Shoe stores often offer suede shoes, but buyers are hesitant and afraid to buy them because they consider suede to be an impractical material that is not suitable for our modern weather conditions. In fact, boots and boots made of suede are durable and of good quality, they look original and stylish on the foot. The main thing is to know how to care for suede shoes, and they will serve you faithfully.

Animal skin is subjected to special treatment; fish, seal or bone fat, and vegetable oils are used as tanning agents. The result is a soft, velvety on both sides and very durable material - suede, from which shoes, clothes, bags and accessories are sewn. Things made from it look original, stylish and expensive.

Suede happens:

• natural. For its production, only high-quality expensive raw materials are used: elk, deer, and roe deer leather. The process of dressing and processing is long and complex, so such products are expensive;
• artificial. By appearance Only a professional can distinguish it from the natural one. This is a special fleecy fabric treated with various impregnations for strength, water resistance and color retention. But it does not have durability and allows water to pass through, which is quite cold in winter.

What to look for when purchasing

How to distinguish natural suede from artificial one? Use a few rules.

1. Natural suede has a pleasant leather smell, while its substitute will smell like glue, chemicals, or paint.
2. Suede, by definition, cannot be cheap.
3. The shoes may get wet on top, but moisture will never penetrate inside; the surface swells and becomes impenetrable.
4. If you run your finger over the suede, the color changes, the fibers tilt at a certain angle and refract the light.
5. The leather is velvety on both sides, a fabric base is unacceptable.
6. The edges of the finished products are not folded, and the cut can be used to determine genuine leather, the edges of the faux suede are treated so that they do not fray.
7. Suede never has an even and smooth surface; its structure is porous, has scratches and small defects. The coloring is heterogeneous.
8. Things made from natural suede are very warm and at the same time “breathe”, allowing air to circulate freely without collecting condensation.
9. Place your hand on the surface natural material will warm up immediately.

To make your shoes look like they came straight from the store, remember a few tips on how to care for suede and get special products.

Primary processing

Suede easily absorbs water, so as soon as you bring the box with new shoes home, immediately treat the suede surface with a special product to protect it from water, snow, dirt, and salt. After drying, a transparent invisible layer is formed, which will give boots and shoes invulnerability in bad weather.

For the best effect, the procedure should be carried out twice, or even three times, with a break for drying.

Shoe cleaning

After each use, regardless of the weather, shoes must be cleaned of dust and dirt. First of all, you need to dry it in natural conditions, otherwise you will only rub the dirt stains deeper when cleaning. Drying on a radiator is strictly prohibited, otherwise the skin will become rough.

For minor stains, use special suede brushes. For severe contamination, you can use a soap solution with the addition of ammonia in a ratio of 5 to 1. The product is applied with a brush, washed off with a clean sponge and wiped dry with a napkin.

Shiny stains can be removed with a cotton swab soaked in ammonia.

Velvety is the highlight of suede shoes and, at the same time, its weak point. Due to the increased “shaggyness”, dust and dirt get clogged between the fibers, so they need regular cleaning.

To make a suede product look velvety, the pile should be lifted with a special rubber brush or an ordinary school eraser.

If the pile is caked, then arrange water bath– hold the shoes over the steam and wipe with flannel. This is a very effective remedy.

Color restoration

Restorative spray paint will help refresh the color. It should be applied to suede and wait until it dries completely. It not only helps restore color, but also has additional protective functions. When purchasing a restorer, be sure to choose a shade that is as close as possible to the “native” one, otherwise the paint may go on unevenly.

And if there are no problems with black, then choosing the right shade for a brown pair can be difficult, and sometimes almost impossible for a colored pair. Try dyeing a piece of suede from the inside first to make sure positive result and only then proceed with restoration.

There are many folk remedies for restoring color, but they should be used carefully so as not to cause harm. For brown shoes, you can use coffee grounds, which are lightly rubbed in and brushed off with a brush after drying.

White suede can be wiped with baby talcum powder; it also cleans perfectly. greasy spots. Black shoes can be refreshed with a marker, especially in the area of ​​scuffs.

To care for suede shoes, be sure to purchase protective and auxiliary products.

1. Water repellent spray. Protects from water, dirt, salt, deformation. Convenient to use, but has too strong a smell.
2. Impregnation. Has the same protective functions as the spray. For suede, impregnation based on fluorocarbon resin is best suited, but silicate ones can also be used.
3. Foam cleaner. Serves for soft and gentle cleaning. It is applied to shoes by spraying and removed with a sponge.
4. Restoring paint. In addition to protecting against dirt and moisture, it hides scratches and minor defects. Renews and refreshes color.
5. Stretcher. New. After application, you need to walk around with your shoes on a little, the leather will soften and the shoes will “sit” on your feet and stretch to fit.

When caring for suede shoes at home, it is very important to use various brushes:

• hard brush. Allows you to remove dust and dirt. Use gently to avoid leaving scratches;
• the eraser will rid the suede of greasy stains;
• The crepe brush returns the velvety feel.

It is advisable to purchase a universal brush that combines several functions.

How to store suede shoes

In order for suede products to last a long time, they must be stored correctly. Shoes should be thoroughly dried, cleaned, and special plastic shoes or crumpled newspaper should be inserted into them. It is advisable to choose a dark, cool place for storage.

Do not keep suede products in plastic bags To avoid the appearance of fungus or mold, use shoe boxes or a special shoe cabinet. Place moth repellent nearby.

High tops should not be folded or wrinkled, otherwise “creases” and stripes will remain.

Be sure to study all the tips on how to care for suede shoes, because they are expensive, and incorrect actions can significantly shorten the life of your favorite boots.

1. Try to wear suede shoes in dry weather, they do not like adverse weather conditions: snow, rain, mud.
2. Do not use products designed to care for smooth skin.
3. Carry out all manipulations with suede only after it has completely dried. To speed up drying, stuff the inside of the shoes with crumpled newspaper and dry only in natural conditions.
4. Avoid sunlight, shoes fade and lose color.
5. If you don’t have a special suede brush at home, use traditional methods: Use a crust of rye bread to remove dirt, and for a velvety finish, hold the shoes over hot steam and brush with a regular clothes brush.
6. Do not make circular movements with the brush, this will damage the material. Cleaning should be done using movements in one direction.
7. Glycerin perfectly removes salt stains.
8. For white shoes, you can use regular toothpaste. It will perfectly remove stains from suede. Ammonia and hydrogen peroxide will help restore the snow-white appearance: add a spoonful to a glass of water and treat the surface.
9. At least once a week, apply a protective water-repellent spray to your shoes.
10. Under no circumstances should you wash off the dirt with water; it will make the suede dull and the stains will still not disappear.

Should you buy suede shoes?

Despite some troublesome care, suede products are very popular. They are very comfortable to wear, durable and indicate that their owner is not devoid of refined taste.

If you properly care for suede boots, sneakers, boots, they will look great and last for more than one season. Arm yourself with brushes and protective equipment, do not be lazy to clean the suede from dust, dirt, whitish stains of salt and reagents. If you are not ready to do this yourself, then any dry cleaner will get your boots in order.