Every autumn I pull out the same pair of soft brown suede boots and every autumn they look slightly worse than I remembered: a dark shine across the toe, a pale rain-spot near the ankle, the nap gone flat and sad. For years I assumed that was simply the price of owning suede, and that professional cleaning was the only alternative. It is not. Most of what happens to suede is surface damage, and surface damage responds beautifully to patience and the right sequence.
The single most important rule is this: suede is cleaned dry first, and wet only as a last resort. Reach for water at the start and you will set the mark rather than lift it.
The three tools that do almost everything
You need surprisingly little. A suede brush — the kind with brass or nylon bristles on one side and rubber crepe on the other — is the essential purchase, and it is inexpensive. A suede eraser, which looks like a chunky rubber, handles scuffs and shiny patches. And a clean, dry cloth for finishing.
If you have none of these, a soft nail brush and a plain white pencil eraser will get you surprisingly far. Avoid anything coloured that could transfer, and avoid stiff wire brushes that will tear the nap.
Always work on completely dry shoes. If they are damp from wear, stuff them loosely with paper and leave them somewhere airy overnight — never on a radiator, which shrinks and stiffens the leather underneath.
