How to clean nubuck shoes at home: TOP 10 methods and means

New nubuck boots look great, but with intensive everyday wear they inevitably lose their attractive appearance and become covered with street dust and dirt. Usually, when purchasing, few people think about how to clean nubuck shoes at home, and this should be given close attention and care should be taken in advance to purchase special devices and care products, as well as to ensure that there are substances suitable for cleaning at home. Manufacturers of high-quality nubuck always include instructions in the box with a pair of shoes with recommendations on how to care for it. If for some reason there is no care instructions or it is lost, then you should independently draw up a plan for daily cleaning of nubuck shoes and the actions that need to be taken if the shoes or boots lose their neat appearance.

Features of the material

The main difference between nubuck and its related suede is the manufacturing method. Suede leather is tanned in a greasy environment, usually using fish products. The technology provides crafted, durable suede of various thicknesses, soft and air-permeable.

The weak point of such shoes is their extremely high hygroscopicity. If light shoes made of soft suede get exposed to rain, they quickly get wet and lose their appearance.

But nubuck is made differently: cow hides are chrome tanned, which ensures increased strength of the finished material. But at the same time, in terms of elasticity, it plays well with suede. Not so simple when it comes to cleaning: you will need special products designed specifically for nubuck products. Otherwise, the relatively short pile quickly becomes “greasy” and leads to loss of the shoe’s exterior.

In rare cases, special oiled nubuck is used to sew shoes or boots. It is not afraid of water, but it also cannot be cleaned using standard methods.

Why do nubuck shoes need to be regularly cleaned from street dirt?

The porous material easily absorbs dirt. Dust and street dirt do not just settle on nubuck shoes, but penetrate deep into the fibers. It is not difficult to remove fresh dirt, but it will take a lot of effort to deal with stubborn dirt. For this reason, it is recommended to clean nubuck shoes daily and care for them using ready-made compounds from the shoe accessories department or improvised means.

Spots are especially noticeable on light-colored items, which gives shoes or boots an unkempt appearance and spoils the impression of the overall look. Regular care allows you to keep your shoes in order, takes a minimum of time and significantly extends their service life.

Important cleaning rules

According to nubuck production technology, pile on the surface is created by exposure to an abrasive, which is how a special velor structure appears. “Maintaining” shoes requires taking into account a number of simple rules:

Nubuck products react negatively to contact with water, so you can’t walk in them in the rain or snow, much less wash them.
Fat-based creams and impregnations are strictly prohibited.
Do not use excessive force during cleaning. This negatively affects the pile and harms it.
To prevent lint from being wiped away, you will need a special brush, as well as a product in an aerosol can. Other methods are not suitable.

Clean only dried shoes

The emphasis is placed on the condition of pre-drying because otherwise it will not be possible to eliminate the root cause of contamination.

Microparticles will clog deep into the pile, which on nubuck is not very long anyway, thereby making it impossible to restore the appearance and structure of the material. And from a dry surface, dirt is removed with a special brush, which is necessary for all owners of nubuck shoes.

Cannot be washed under running water

Any footwear is not intended to be cleaned under running water, with the exception of rubber boots. Leather, suede, nubuck should avoid contact with liquids. Only wipe with a special solution or spray treatment, no rinsing. Otherwise, you will have to forget about the attractive appearance of shoes and boots forever.

How to use stain removers

Various solutions to the problems of owners of nubuck shoes by ensuring the production of special cleaning products. These are mainly foams or sprays that are applied to the surface and then removed with a special brush. Sometimes a nozzle is included with the cylinder; it is also used to clean nubuck. The rules for use are simple: follow the instructions for use.

What can be used

The category of “approved” products includes any products that are marked “for nubuck”. These are chemicals in cylinders, brushes and erasers. Sometimes a cleaning agent or impregnation contains a colored pigment: this is necessary to restore the appearance of shoes and paint over damaged areas. The choice of proposed compositions is so large that it makes no sense to recommend a specific brand or spray.

You can always choose a cleaner based on the seller’s advice, according to your own taste and budget. Moreover, nubuck care products can be found in shoe stores.

How to dry properly

Drying nubuck products does not involve the use of open flames or heat sources, including heating radiators. It is better to use special electric dryers that are inserted inside the boots. Another reliable, trouble-free method is to stuff the internal space with crumpled paper (newspaper). Cellulose absorbs moisture, ensuring nubuck dries evenly.

Using impregnation

An aerosol composition with a water-repellent effect is useful where walking through puddles and snow cannot be avoided. Impregnation will not completely eliminate contact with a liquid medium, but it will help prevent negative consequences.

Apply to a clean, dry surface. Then you just have to wait for the solvent to evaporate, and the shoes are ready for a walk.

Cannot be washed in a washing machine

Washing shoes in a machine is stressful, no matter what material it is made of: leather, nubuck or synthetics. The consequences will predictably be the saddest: a clean, but hopelessly damaged pair of shoes, low shoes. Therefore, for nubuck shoes, contact with water is categorically excluded.

Nubuck brush

Cleaning brushes are inexpensive and last a long time. They have special plates on the sides designed to clean seams. This is convenient, because dirt often gets clogged into the joints between the upper and the sole. Brushes are made from rubber, from hard bristles - the coarser the bristles, the more effective it will be in cleaning stubborn dirt. Some brushes even have iron bristles.

The brush is used twice - first, dry dirt is removed, then foam is applied for cleaning, and after it has dried, the surface of the nubuck boots is passed over again.

What do we need

The task was set: to clean nubuck weekend shoes at home. You will need: a can of foam or spray, a brush, an eraser and a little ingenuity. The products are applied alternately, depending on the degree of contamination and the expected effect. It is also possible to use improvised methods, which will be discussed separately.

Impregnation in the form of an aerosol

The initial stage involves treating nubuck with aerosol impregnation. Sprayed from a can, dries quickly, leaving a protective hydrophobic layer on the surface. Of the well-known and eminent ones, Salamander is used, there are also simpler options - Shtrikh, Centro, Erdal.

Cleanser (foam)

A relatively simple way to restore the exterior of nubuck boots. The consistency is similar to shaving foam. It is applied to the surface to be treated, then the active reagent binds dirt particles, “knocking” them out of the pile. All you have to do is wait for the foam to dry, and then clean the nubuck with a special hard brush.

Spray paint for nubuck shoes

This product is purely decorative: cleaning is done separately, the spray paints over worn areas and restores the attractive appearance of shoes.

Among the manufacturers are the famous Salamander, Centro, Erdal. It is important not to confuse the color of the shoes and the color of the aerosol, so as not to hopelessly ruin the shoes. There are no universal (colorless) dyes; specific instructions and recommendations are indicated on the container with the composition.

Eraser

A special rubber band will help remove dirt from shoes and restore lint. Work with an eraser on a dry surface, systematically wiping away foreign inclusions.

Sometimes this helps to avoid the use of radical cleaning agents when the shoes are not too dirty or worn.

Special brush

Let's make a reservation right away: we are not talking about toothbrushes, old clothes or anything else like that. You will need special products - with rubber or metal bristles. By the nature of its effect, the brush resembles the abrasive that initially creates the structure of nubuck: it also restores the pile and removes stubborn dirt.

Shoe deodorant

A special product allows you to get rid of unpleasant odors and clean the inside surface of your shoes. The appearance of a specific amber is associated with various reasons: the habit of wearing boots, shoes on bare feet, excessive sweating, and so on. The deodorant eliminates odors and restores shoes to their original condition.

Advantages and disadvantages

In fact, natural nubuck is leather whose front part has been treated with abrasive materials. Thanks to this technology, the surface becomes rough and hairy. The fabric is made only from the skin of young calves (6 months - 1.5 years). Although the use of calfskin dates back to ancient times, products using similar technology began to be made not too long ago. In recent years, matter has firmly taken a place in the hearts of buyers.

The main advantages of nubuck shoes are their lightness, strength and wear resistance. The feet of the person who wears it do not freeze in the winter and do not sweat in the summer months. This is due to the fact that the structure with numerous pores helps to retain heat well and allows air to pass through. Among the disadvantages of the fabric are its almost complete intolerance to moisture and the need for careful wearing and constant care. To preserve the product for a long time, read the basic rules of operation and cleaning.

How to clean at home

To “bring back to life” your favorite summer shoes, soft boots, it is not at all necessary to turn to experts in reading nubuck shoes. What you will need:

dirty shoes, ballet shoes - one pair;
cleaning products (eraser, spray, foam);
alternative (salt, starch, ammonia).

Before cleaning, shoes must be prepared - dried, large fragments of dirt are removed from them.

Wash the soles from dirt

Of course, you will need to carefully wash your shoes before cleaning them. This must be done so that the liquid does not get on the nubuck.

It is best to wipe the sole and heel with wet wipes or a wrung out cloth, but do not wash it under running water. You will need to remove as much dirt as possible and then dry the shoes.

Drying

Nubuck products are dried not haphazardly, but in a special way. It is better to get a special electric dryer that works from inside the shoes. If there is no such device, it doesn’t matter. Old newspaper, divided into sheets and crumpled, has long been known as a proven folk remedy for drying shoes. It is enough to place a few paper lumps in the shoes, and then, as they get wet, replace them with fresh ones.

Using the eraser

An eraser - a standard stationery eraser or a special nubuck eraser - will help remove small specks of dirt from the surface.

Shampoo solution for surface treatment

It is permissible to use a special shampoo for cleaning. Experts do not recommend using this method too often. Contact with liquid is harmful for nubuck in any form.

We use paint and tape to protect decorative elements

The use of special impregnations with a coloring effect (aerosol paints) on nubuck requires preliminary preparation. The inserts are made of a material of a different color; the heels are sealed with paper (painting) tape so that they do not change color. And then the paint is carefully applied to the shoes. Once the process is completed, the tape is removed.

Using Home Remedies

In addition to factory-made compounds, the use of improvised, folk ones is not excluded. To do this, you don’t need to go to the store or spend a long time choosing products. Suitable reagents for nubuck are found in every home.

Ammonia for salt stains

Ammonia will help get rid of the characteristic whitish stains that appear after a walk in the snow or on a street sprinkled with salt. Diluted with water in a ratio of 1 to 3, it will clean nubuck.

Vinegar for stains

Acetic acid will deal with stains on nubuck. You will need 1 tablespoon, which is diluted in a liter of water. The resulting composition is used to clean shoes.

Kitchen salt to remove grease stains

Salt has been successfully used to neutralize greasy stains on clothing. It is also suitable for cleaning nubuck. It is enough to sprinkle the dirt with a pinch of salt, and then carefully remove the resulting slurry with a stiff brush.

Starch

Dry materials such as potato starch or talc are good for cleaning nubuck, especially fatty deposits. These substances can always be found in the kitchen.