How to Clean Suede Puma Sneakers
Safely clean suede Puma sneakers by dry brushing, lifting stains with a suede eraser, cleaning the midsoles, and resetting the velvety nap.
This guide shows how to clean suede puma sneakers in 35-45 minutes. Start with prep the shoe and insert trees; follow the safety notes and step checkpoints below.
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- Read the tools, materials, safety notes, and steps below for free.
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🧰 Required Tools & Equipment
- ✓ Soft horsehair brush
- ✓ Medium bristle brush
- ✓ Brass or crepe suede brush
- ✓ Suede eraser
- ✓ Microfiber towels
- ✓ Adjustable shoe trees
📦 Materials & Supplies
- ✓ Sneaker cleaning solution
- ✓ Bowl of warm water
- ✓ Suede protector spray
⚠️ Safety Checkpoints & Warnings
- • Apply all chemical sprays and protectants in a well-ventilated area.
- • Never submerge suede sneakers in standing water or run them through a washing machine.
- • Perform a spot test with wet cleaner on an inner tongue or heel seam to check for dye bleeding.
📋 Step-by-Step Guide (7 Steps)
Prep the Shoe and Insert Trees
Unlace the Pumas completely and set the laces aside to wash separately. Insert an adjustable shoe tree into the sneaker, expanding it so the suede toe box and side panels become taut and smooth. This ensures deep creases can be reached without crushing the shoe's profile.
- • Laces completely removed from eyelets.
- • Toe box is firm and fully pushed out with no sunken creases.
- • Leaving laces in, which traps dirt around the tongue and eyelet panels.
- • Cleaning a loose, un-tensioned toe box that collapses under brush pressure.
Dry Brush the Suede Upper
Use a dry, soft horsehair brush to vigorously sweep the entire suede upper. Brush in multiple directions to lift out trapped surface dust, dry mud, and grit embedded between the suede fibers. Do not add any water or cleaning solution during this step.
- • Loose dust and dried dirt particles visibly cleared from the suede surface.
- • Suede fibers look fluffed rather than caked flat.
- • Applying water before dry brushing, which turns dry dust into permanent mud stains.
- • Using a stiff wire brush too aggressively, ripping delicate suede fibers.
Spot Clean Scuffs with a Suede Eraser
Locate stubborn scuffs, water spots, or oil marks across the Puma formstrip and suede panels. Rub the suede eraser back and forth over the stain with moderate, consistent pressure. Brush away eraser shavings frequently with the soft horsehair brush to check your progress.
- • Targeted scuffs and dark marks significantly lightened or gone.
- • Eraser shavings cleanly swept off the shoe.
- • Using a pink pencil eraser that leaves colored residue on light suede.
- • Rubbing aggressively in only one spot until the suede thins or tears.
Scrub the Midsoles and Outsoles
Dip a medium or stiff bristle brush into your cleaning solution, shake off excess water, and scrub the rubber midsoles and outsoles. Angle the brush downward so dirty suds drip away from the suede upper. Wipe the rubber clean immediately with a dry microfiber towel.
- • Rubber midsoles return to their bright original color without dirty residue.
- • Suede panels directly above the midsole remain dry and clean.
- • Allowing soapy dirty foam to splash onto the dry suede upper.
- • Using too much water so it pools along the midsole-suede seam.
Perform a Controlled Foam Clean on the Upper
Dip your soft horsehair brush into the solution, then shake and tap it vigorously so it holds only thick foam and minimal liquid. Gently lather the entire suede upper evenly in light circular motions. Immediately dab and press with a dry microfiber towel to pull out dirt and moisture without dragging the suede.
- • Entire upper has an even, slightly damp tone without heavy soaking.
- • Towel shows lifted dirt stains on its contact surface.
- • Spot-wetting only one section of the suede, causing dark ring watermarks upon drying.
- • Rubbing aggressively with the towel, which pills and destroys the delicate nap.
Air Dry and Reset the Nap
Leave the shoes with shoe trees inserted to air dry in a cool room for 12 to 24 hours. Once 100% dry, take a brass or crepe suede brush and stroke the suede in one consistent direction to lift the matted texture and restore its soft, buttery nap.
- • Suede changes shade when brushed back and forth (active nap response).
- • Upper feels soft, velvety, and uniformly textured across all panels.
- • Brushing the suede while it is still damp, which tears the fibers permanently.
- • Using a hair dryer on high heat, which shrinks and hardens the suede leather.
Apply Water and Stain Repellent
Hold a can of suede protector spray approximately 6 to 8 inches away from the sneaker. Spray a continuous, even, light mist over the entire suede upper. Allow the first coat to dry for 15 minutes, then apply a second light coat before re-lacing your Pumas.
- • An even, satin mist across the shoe without drips or puddle spots.
- • Clean laces re-threaded through eyelets once fully dry.
- • Spraying too close, creating concentrated wet puddles that leave permanent white or dark spots.
- • Applying protectant before the suede is completely dry from cleaning.
Credit: inspired by an original tutorial by RESHOEVN8R — watch the original on YouTube.
Don’t have everything?
- No Suede eraser? Standard white vinyl pencil eraser
- No Brass or crepe suede brush? Clean, dry nylon toothbrush
- No Sneaker cleaning solution? A few drops of mild clear dish soap in warm water