Suede & Nubuck

Special care needs to be taken for both and suede & nubuck shoes.  Although there is no visible difference between the two,  suede is sanded on the inner layer of the skin and nubuck is sanded on the outer or exterior  skin of the animal.   Since the outside layer of a skin is tougher, nubuck tends to lasts longer. 

suede brushes

A good brush is a must for caring for your Suede and Nubuck shoes! The fine fibres you see standing up on suede & nubuck is referred to as the nap. A suede brush will keep the nap looking fresh and help remove dirt and dust that is easily picked up by suede & nubuck. Regular brushing is an easy and an effective way to care for your shoes.

For fashion suede shoes, we recommend the Suedette Brush. It's made up of brass wire bristles surrounded by soft protective nylon bristles.  To lift the nap, brush over the suede lightly with the nylon bristles.  For worn down nap, brush vigorously with the middle wire bristles.  Always finish with a light brush on the outer nylon bristles.

For heavily soiled and hard suedes and nubucks (ie workboots) or even suede soled dancing shoes use the Brass Suede Brush.  To restore the nap, brush firmly in sweeping actions in the same direction.

For a versatile brush you can use a Suede Combi Brush. It has rubber bristles on one side and nylon or brass on the reverse. You can use the serrated edge of the brush to get between the sole and the upper.

Suedette Brush	Brass Suede Brush	Suede Combi Brush

All over clean

To get a general all over clean, especially for those light coloured suede & nubuck shoes that have become grubby use Coxy All Net Shampoo.

Instructions:

• Use suede brush to remove surface dirt and dust.
• Shake can well and spray on, best to do small areas at a time.
• Use a clean cloth and rub well into shoe, eventually doing whole shoe.
• Allow to dry thoroughly.
• Then brush to get the nap up with a Suedette Brush.

REMOVING MARKS AND STAINS

The Daim Suede Bloc is great for removing marks and stains quickly without any adverse affects to suede and nubuck. Its an abrasive block which you rub on affected areas to remove marks. Once your mark has been removed, lightly brush to bring the nap up. This can be a very simple, yet very effective solution.

 The Cleaning Gum is a solid rubber block used just like an eraser and will easily remove most marks and scuffs on nubucks. Particularly good to remove scuff marks from other shoes. Use the cleaning gum on more delicate shoes.

For real stubborn stains, use Universal Cleaner. This a great product that will remove most stains, and also good as an all over cleaner for real grubby shoes. However, note that heavy grease and oil marks may be impossible to remove!

Instructions

• Dip brush into Universal cleaner.
• Apply straight to stain and brush vigorously until stain is removed.
• Allow to dry then brush lightly to bring the nap up.

Tip:

• For an all over clean, dilute Universal cleaner 1 to 1 with water and apply to shoes. Do not wet shoes excessively, just enough to spread cleaner.

PROTECTING

The best time to start using a protector is before you wear them. Super Protector is a waterproofing spray that will build up a resistance within suede & nubuck. It greatly reduces the risk of moisture damage, staining or discoloration.

Instructions:

• Shake can well prior to spraying.
• Hold can vertically 20-30 cm above your shoes.
• Allow spray to fall as a mist onto your shoes.
• Ensure the whole shoe is covered with a light coat.
• Leave for 1 - 2 hours to dry.
• Apply a second coat and then leave overnight before wearing.

Tips:

• Spray needs to be used regularly ie after becoming wet or after using a suede brush.
• Make sure shoes are dry before spraying.
• Applying light coats on a regular basis will give you the best results.
• The spray will only prevent water and most liquid stains. It will not protect against scuffing.