Suede is the material that makes people freeze. One wrong move, a splash of water or a scrub with the usual brush, and the nap goes flat, blotchy or stained for good. So most people do nothing, and the shoes get worse anyway. The truth is calmer than the fear: suede has a method, and it is a dry one. No soak, no machine, no panic. Brush, lift, protect, and they come back.
In short. To clean suede sneakers safely, keep it dry. Brush the nap with a dedicated suede brush in the direction of the grain to lift dirt, use a suede rubber or a clean pencil eraser on scuffs, and dab stubborn marks with a cloth barely dampened with white vinegar. Let them air dry, then finish with a suede protector spray. Never soak suede, and never put it in the washing machine or a wash bag.
Suede is not difficult so much as different. It is leather with the soft, napped side turned out, and that nap is exactly what water flattens and stains lock into. So the rules that work on canvas and mesh, soak it, scrub it, machine-wash it, are the rules that ruin suede. The good news is that the safe method is simpler than the wet one. It is mostly dry, it uses two or three cheap tools, and it is the method the shoe makers themselves publish. Shoes are worth the care, too: a University of Arizona study led by microbiologist Charles Gerba found an average of 421,000 units of bacteria on the outside of a shoe, with coliform bacteria present on 96% of the pairs tested (Source: CIRI, study reveals high bacteria levels on footwear). That grime sits on the nap whether you can see it or not, which is why even suede needs a regular, gentle clean.
Why suede needs a dry method
The whole trick with suede is to keep water out of it. Soak the nap and it mats down, dries stiff, and often dries unevenly, leaving a tide mark worse than the stain you started with. Nike's own suede guidance is built entirely around keeping water to a minimum and working dry first: brush the nap with a suede brush or towel, in the direction of the grain, to lift loose dirt before anything wet comes near it (Source: Nike, how to clean suede shoes). The same logic rules out the washing machine. Nike does not recommend the machine even for ordinary canvas and mesh, preferring a dry brush and a mild hand-clean (Source: Nike, how to clean your shoes), and for suede the machine is simply off the table. Water, agitation and detergent damage the material itself, and no bag changes that.
The small kit that cleans suede safely
You do not need a branded box. Three or four inexpensive tools do the job, and most of them are dry.
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A dedicated suede brush. Soft brass or nylon bristles made to lift the nap without tearing it. This is the one tool you should not improvise. Brush with the grain, the way the nap naturally lies. Nike recommends a suede brush or a clean towel for exactly this first step (Source: Nike, how to clean suede shoes).
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A suede rubber or a pencil eraser. For scuffs and dry marks the brush will not lift, a suede eraser, or a clean pencil eraser, rubs them out without water. Nike names both as the fix for marks on suede (Source: Nike, how to clean suede shoes).
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White vinegar and a cloth. For stubborn stains only. A cloth dipped in white vinegar, then wrung out so it is barely damp, dabbed on the mark. Vinegar evaporates cleanly and does not leave the water ring a wet cloth would. Nike recommends white vinegar on a cloth for stubborn suede marks (Source: Nike, how to clean suede shoes).
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A suede protector spray. Applied once the shoes are clean and dry, a fabric protector spray helps the nap shrug off the next splash. ASICS recommends a protective spray between cleans to keep water and dirt from setting in (Source: ASICS, how to clean your running shoes).
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A pair of shoe trees. To hold the shoe in shape while it air dries, so the toe does not collapse or curl. Suede holds a crease, so keeping the shape matters more here than on a stiff canvas shoe.
Work in the right order, and go gently
Suede rewards patience and punishes force. Always start dry and only escalate if the mark will not lift. Brush first, with the grain, to clear loose dirt. Then the eraser for scuffs. Only then, and only for what is left, the barely-damp vinegar cloth, dabbing rather than rubbing so you do not drive the stain deeper or flatten the nap. ASICS makes the same point about letting dirt dry before you touch it: if the shoe is muddy, let the mud dry fully, then brush it off, rather than smearing wet mud into the material (Source: ASICS, how to clean your running shoes). When you are done, brush the whole shoe once more in one direction to reset the nap so it looks even.
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Never use heat, and never use the dryer
Air drying is not optional with suede. A radiator, a hairdryer or the clothes dryer will dry the nap stiff and can warp the shoe, and heat softens the adhesive that holds the sole on. Most athletic-footwear adhesives soften above 40°C, which is why heat is the fastest way to lose a sole (Source: Nike, how to clean your shoes). ASICS gives the same warning in plain terms: keep shoes away from a heat source or the dryer, because it damages the construction and the shoe loses its shape, and air dry instead (Source: ASICS, how to clean your running shoes). Dry suede at room temperature, out of direct sun, with a shoe tree inside to hold the shape, and give it the time it needs.
How to clean suede sneakers safely, step by step
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Let any mud dry, then brush with the grain. Never work on wet mud. Once it is dry, lift it off with a dedicated suede brush, brushing in the direction of the nap.
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Rub out scuffs with a suede eraser. For dry marks the brush leaves behind, work a suede rubber or a clean pencil eraser back and forth until the mark lifts, then brush the area smooth.
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Dab stubborn stains with a barely-damp vinegar cloth. Dip a cloth in white vinegar, wring it out hard, and dab the mark. Do not soak it. Let that spot dry, then reassess.
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Shape and air dry, out of heat. Insert shoe trees, stand the shoes at room temperature away from sun and radiators, and let them dry fully. Never the dryer.
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Brush the nap, then protect. Once dry, brush the whole shoe one way to reset the nap, then finish with a suede protector spray so the next splash beads off.
The full method, including how to handle your washable canvas and mesh pairs, is on our Care Guide.
Where the Shoe Wash Kit fits
Here is the honest part, because it is the whole point of the brand. The Shoe Wash Kit is not for your suede. Suede is a dry, hand-clean-only material, and nothing we make changes that, so the method above is the one to use on a suede pair. Where the Kit earns its place is the other half of most people's racks: the canvas, mesh and synthetic runners that do take a machine wash, and that the suede method does not cover. For those, the Shoe Wash Kit is a three-compartment bag plus a pair of adjustable shoe trees. One outer compartment takes each shoe so the pair never touches mid-cycle, and a centre compartment holds the laces and insoles. More than 3,000 soft chenille fingers line the inside and hold each shoe off the drum wall, and a 3D mesh panel at each end lets the water move through. On the Chalk Kit there is no dye anywhere in the bag, so there is nothing to transfer onto your shoes. It is tested to ISO 105-C06 grade 4 colour fastness and stress tested to 50 cycles at 60°C and 1400rpm, which is the durability test, not a usage instruction. Recommended use is a cold wash, on a delicate or gentle cycle, with the spin set to 600 to 800rpm, air dry only. Designed for canvas, mesh and synthetic shoes. Not designed for leather or suede.
Suede care vs canvas care, at a glance
| Step | Suede sneakers | Canvas, mesh and synthetic |
| First move | Dry-brush the nap with the grain | Dry-brush loose dirt |
| Cleaner | Suede eraser; vinegar cloth, barely damp | Mild detergent, baking soda paste |
| Water | Keep to an absolute minimum | Cool water, or a cold machine wash |
| Machine wash | Never, bag or no bag | Yes, cold, in a structured no-dye bag |
| Drying | Air dry out of heat, shoe trees in | Air dry out of heat, shoe trees in |
| Finish | Brush the nap, then protector spray | Reassemble once fully dry |
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About Mudroom Co
Mudroom Co is a small Australian premium brand making home care tools for active families. We build for the way people actually use their homes, not the way the catalogue says they do. We launch in July 2026 with one product, the Shoe Wash Kit: a three-compartment bag plus a pair of adjustable shoe trees, built chalk cream inside and out, with a eucalyptus zip, piping and tag the only colour you see. It is tested to ISO 105-C06 grade 4 colour fastness and stress tested to 50 cycles at 60°C and 1400rpm. We are based in Melbourne and we sell direct. The machine washes the shoes. The bag protects them. That is the whole brand in one line.
Frequently asked questions
Can you clean suede sneakers with water?
As little as possible. Water flattens the nap and can leave a tide mark worse than the stain. Clean suede dry first, with a suede brush and an eraser, and only use a cloth barely dampened with white vinegar for stubborn marks, dabbing rather than soaking.
Can I put suede sneakers in the washing machine?
No. Suede must never go in the washing machine, with or without a wash bag. The water, agitation and detergent damage the material itself, matting the nap and warping the shoe. Suede is a dry, hand-clean-only material.
What is the best tool for cleaning suede shoes?
A dedicated suede brush is the one essential. It lifts dirt and resets the nap without tearing it. Add a suede rubber or a clean pencil eraser for scuffs, and a little white vinegar on a cloth for stubborn stains.
How do you get a stain out of suede sneakers?
Start dry. Brush the area with the grain, then try a suede eraser. For a stain that will not lift, dab it with a cloth barely dampened with white vinegar, let it dry, and reassess. Never scrub, and never soak.
Can you use vinegar on suede shoes?
Yes, sparingly. A cloth dipped in white vinegar and wrung out almost dry can lift stubborn marks that the brush and eraser leave behind. Vinegar evaporates cleanly, so it is kinder than plain water, but it should still be used as a last step and only on the mark.
How do you dry suede sneakers after cleaning?
Air dry only, at room temperature, out of direct sun and away from any heat source. Insert shoe trees to hold the shape. Heat dries the nap stiff and softens the sole adhesive, so the dryer, the radiator and the hairdryer are all out.
How do you protect suede sneakers after cleaning?
Once the shoes are clean and fully dry, brush the nap one way to even it out, then apply a suede or fabric protector spray. It helps the nap shed the next splash of water and the next bit of dirt, so the shoes stay cleaner for longer between cleans.
Related reading
Going deeper on the topics above. Each of these is on the Mudroom Co hub.
In short. Suede comes clean with a dry method, not a wet one. Brush the nap with the grain, lift scuffs with a suede eraser, and dab only the stubborn marks with a barely-damp vinegar cloth. Air dry out of heat, then protect with a spray. Keep suede out of the washing machine entirely, and save the Kit for your canvas and mesh pairs.
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About the author
Catherine Spiteri is the founder of Mudroom Co. With two teenage kids, an overflowing mudroom and a washing machine running twice a day, she noticed how few quality tools existed to make busy home life easier, and to protect the things we use every day so they last.
She started Mudroom Co because, while the tools existed, she could not find any made properly for the lives people actually lead. She has thirty years in development and construction, working with global corporates on projects of every scale and complexity, and now applies that skillset to household products with proper manufacturing and quality control behind them. Mudroom Co is based in Melbourne, Australia.
References
External sources cited in this article.
Nike, How to Clean Suede Shoes
Nike, How to Clean Your Shoes in 6 Easy Steps
ASICS, How to Clean Your Running Shoes
CIRI, Study Reveals High Bacteria Levels on Footwear (Gerba, University of Arizona)