Suede shoes are very elegant and require special care. If you do not properly care for your suede shoes, they will lose their beauty over time.
Then you will have to buy a new model again next year. To avoid this, you can paint the products. There are several methods you can use to dye suede at home.
Reasons for the loss of the previous appearance
The quality of wear depends on both the quality of the workmanship and the season. For example, models for wearing in the summer are made of suede, with a small thin velvet pile. Winter boots are made from thicker material. Therefore, depending on the suede, the necessary care is selected.
The main cause of wear and tear on suede shoes is improper wearing and care of the shoes, boots or sneakers. If you wear shoes out of season, they also quickly become unusable.
Interesting! Suede products should not be wetted too much, as they absolutely do not tolerate moisture. Therefore, when caring for it, it is important to use dry cleaning, as well as use special products for the care of suede shoes.
The wrong size also affects the quality of appearance. Since suede is considered a soft material, the model can easily become deformed.
Features of the material
Natural suede is created by tanning the skins of small animals. It is soft, thin, does not have a front layer - the material is velvet on both sides.
Due to its plasticity, strength, and water resistance, it is used to create clothing, shoes, and accessories. Now they are creating artificial suede, from which they make shoes, boots, boots. These shoes require special care.
Rules for choosing paint
There are certain rules for choosing paint. Their implementation will make dyeing shoes at home correct.
- Buy paint at a shoe store or online.
- To match the color, it is advised to bring the shoes with you to the store. Because for a model that has not yet been worn, it is advisable to choose a color that matches the shade of suede, and for a worn one - a tone darker.
- Select the tone color taking into account the structure of the material. For example, if the villi are large, then it is good to paint them with a liquid product or cream. If the pile is short, then an aerosol is best.
- In order to apply some patterns, it is best to purchase special acrylic paints. They are able to withstand dirt and moisture.
You should not skimp on dyeing suede. It is necessary to buy only high-quality drugs. Only then will it last for a long time, during which it will not require re-application after just a few days of wearing.
The best means
How to dye black suede shoes? You also need to pay attention to the manufacturer. The best ones include the following:
- "Salamander".
- "Dividik."
- "Colorstar".
When performing your own restoration, you should not save money. The paint must be of high quality. Usually the product costs 800-1000 rubles. The winter boots will need more paint. It is important to calculate the feasibility of restoration; sometimes it is easier to purchase new shoes.
Stage of preparation for coloring
Before you start repainting suede shoes in a different color, you should first prepare them. Preparation is carried out in several stages:
- Wash the sole well and remove all dirt from the surface using a suede brush.
- Take out the lacing.
- Clean all stains. For example, if you apply paint on top of shiny spots, this will highlight them.
There are several ways to clean stains. For example, by using plain milk with baking soda. For one glass you will need one teaspoon of soda. Moisten the required area with this solution and leave until dry.
To clean shiny areas, you can use a simple paper eraser. It should be white. Gently rub the desired area until the stain disappears completely. You can use vinegar and water in proportions of 1:3.
Interesting! Suede material may react negatively to vinegar. Therefore, before using it for cleaning, you need to test the reaction on a small area of the material.
Since paint has a specific smell, it is advisable to paint shoes not indoors, but in the air. If this is not possible, then you should prepare the room in advance. First of all, you need to cover the floor with newspapers or plastic bags. Since coloring materials contain aggressive substances, you need to wear rubberized gloves.
First you need to set aside clean rags and accessories for work. Children and animals should not be in the room. On the shoes themselves, you need to smooth out the fibers well for better paint impregnation. It is recommended to seal the sole with tape so as not to spoil it.
Methods for dyeing suede
Of course, the simplest, most reliable, and also the fastest way of dyeing would be professional work in a workshop or dry cleaner. There will be no waste of time searching and selecting the required color. In terms of price, it will be more expensive, but the likelihood of damaging the shoes is minimized.
But you can do this at home. There are several methods for dyeing suede shoes at home. They depend on the material, as well as on the dye itself. Popular methods are:
- use of aerosol;
- due to liquid paint or foam;
- use of wool dye.
Aerosol painting
The fastest way is to use an aerosol. It ensures uniform distribution of paint over the surface. Before work, you need to place your shoes on the floor or table, which is covered with oilcloth or newspaper. Then you need to shake the can, place it in a vertical position from the shoes at a distance of 30 cm. If the position is less, then sagging may appear on the surface, and if it is more, the surface will not be densely filled with paint.
Interesting! It is important to keep the can at the same distance while working. This will ensure even paint application.
The paint should dry well. On average, drying takes 15 minutes. But for an accurate result, it is best to expose your shoes to fresh air. If after drying the density is insufficient, the procedure can be repeated. Then the surface is coated with a special compound to make the pile soft.
Painting with foam or liquid paint
Liquid paint is sold in a bottle, and a sponge can be attached to its neck. If it is not there, then you can use a brush, brush or toothbrush. The procedure is carried out as follows:
- If a sponge is included, then the bottle must be turned over so that the sponge is saturated with the substance. If you don’t have a sponge, then simply dip the coloring material into the liquid.
- Put on a respirator and rubber gloves and apply paint to your shoes.
- If necessary, apply another layer. Repeated layers are applied only after the previous one has completely dried.
- When all the layers have dried, you need to carefully comb the fibers so that they all rise well.
To make the pile soft, apply a special softening agent to the surface. When choosing this product, it is important to take into account seasonality: in the summer - a dust-repellent agent, and in the autumn - a water-repellent agent.
Wool dye for suede shoes
It is also possible to dye suede shoes using wool paint. The shoes must first be prepared: rub with ammonia and soap solution in a ratio of 1:4. Using this solution, all accumulated dirt and dust are cleaned from the surface. This solution will need to be rinsed off with running water and wiped thoroughly with a dry cloth.
If there are greasy stains on the surface, they are removed using simple talc. To do this, talc is applied to the stain for a while, and then it is simply removed. The paint is diluted in accordance with the instructions that come with the product. The substance is applied in one layer, if necessary, then another.
Interesting! The paint will adhere better and remain stable longer if you add 2-3 drops of table vinegar to the solution.
Comprehensive cleaning
Before you repaint your shoes, you need to prepare them for this procedure. First comes cleaning and drying.
Why wash? If this is not done, particles of dirt and dust will not allow the paint to apply correctly. There will be streaks and stains. The paint will not apply evenly.
Before this, shoes need comprehensive cleaning. It needs to be washed well not only outside, but also inside.
First, remove stains.
Traditional methods of removing contaminants:
- Baby powder, talc, starch, flour or soda can help remove greasy stains. The powder is poured onto the contaminated area. Leave for several hours. They will absorb fat. All you have to do is shake off the residue with a soft cloth.
- Salt stains will be removed by a liquid solution prepared from a glass of water, 0.5 tbsp. l. ammonia and 1 tbsp. l. liquid soap. Wipe the surface with this composition. The composition is removed after five minutes with a clean piece of flannel fabric.
- Milk and soda will help get rid of the shine. Pour 200 ml of milk, add 1 tsp. soda, mix well and wipe shiny areas.
After removing stains, you should thoroughly clean your suede boots. Prepare a soap solution, remove laces and other decorative elements, and clean the surface of the shoes.
No matter how hard you try, suede absorbs water strongly and the boots become wet from the inside. Don't worry, there's nothing wrong with it, you can dry them.
Drying is carried out in a well-ventilated area. Do not place on or near heating appliances.
It is not advisable to dry it outside in summer. Too dry air dries out the material. Just like leather, ultraviolet rays are harmful to suede.
This material is similar to nubuck, care is almost the same.
At the end, the sole is dried. Remove all pebbles and dirt. The sole must be perfectly clean. During the painting process, you may have to hold the shoe by it, as a result, dirt will be transferred to the boot, ruining all your efforts.
How to dye suede boots
Suede boots require special care. Since they are very often covered with dust, and in certain areas they are very worn out. In order for them to retain their appearance for a long time, they must be tinted or repainted.
Suede boots are dyed in the following order:
- You should worry about purchasing spray paint in advance. It can be purchased at any specialized store.
- Cover the working surface with plastic wrap or newspapers; wear old clothes and rubber gloves.
- Before painting, boots should be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dried.
- It is better to start work from a less noticeable area. Apply the paint smoothly and carefully to avoid streaks. First, apply one strip, give it five minutes to dry, then apply the next strip next to it. With this application, you can see the uniformity of paint application.
Upon completion of the work, the boots need to dry thoroughly. If the need arises, the procedure should be repeated.
Is it possible to repaint suede sneakers this way? You can just paint them using a spray or liquid paint of white color. The procedure is similar to dyeing boots.
Homemade methods for dyeing suede
Professional paints are not exactly a cheap pleasure. In addition, such substances have a bad chemical smell and require some trouble. There are also environmental methods that are not so expensive and harmless.
One of the popular ways to dye suede shoes is with coffee grounds. It can be used to paint dark brown suede. To prepare the solution, you will need one cup of the coffee grounds that formed after brewing natural coffee. This cup must be filled one-third full with boiling water and given time to steep. To get the required dose, just brew 200 grams of ground coffee.
You can apply the thickener using a sponge, brush, or simply by hand. It is necessary to rub the thicken until the desired color is obtained. Upon completion of dyeing, the suede should be blotted slightly and left until completely dry (a day is enough).
You can use regular copy paper: black for black suede, blue for dark blue. You need to rub your shoes with paper. To dye white suede, you can use a mixture of full-fat milk with magnesia, talcum powder or crushed white chalk in a 1:1 ratio. The mixture is applied to the surface for one hour, then the wool is combed out and dried.
Coffee grounds
This is another unique method by which it is possible to dye suede shoes. The procedure will be performed with coffee. But it is only suitable for black or brown shoes:
- You need to brew a natural drink and apply the slightly damp grounds to the suede. The procedure is performed with a toothbrush. The grounds should be lightly rubbed in.
- After a few minutes, the residue is brushed off, after which the shoes should dry.
Before going outside, a water-repellent agent is applied to the shoes. This completes the procedure.
Tips for care and storage
To improve the color of your shoes, you don’t need to immediately buy paint and repaint the model. You can increase brightness using various available means:
- using regular talc;
- use of crushed white salt.
Experienced housewives recommend following simple rules and tips. With their help, suede shoes will retain their rich color for a long time and their service life will be extended:
- Since the suede model does not like moisture, it is not recommended to wear it in wet weather. This will lead to roughening of the material.
- Treat shoes with products that protect against moisture.
- Store shoes in bags that allow air to pass through.
- Periodically comb the pile with a brush designed for this purpose.
- Paint over minor scratches.
- Dry clean only.
The suede on the shoes has completely peeled off. How to redo it?
You can update your suede shoes with rhinestones and stones.
If you do not properly care for your shoes during use, sooner or later the suede will begin to peel off. This can also happen due to the poor quality of the material from which your shoes are made. What to do in this case? The easiest way is to purchase a new pair of shoes, but what if your financial situation does not allow you to make a purchase?
You can solve the problem in different ways, and as a result you will get original shoes. Try the following:
- Cover shoes with rhinestones. You can choose stones of a wide variety of shades, shapes and sizes and, using superglue and tweezers, create a unique model of shoes or sandals.
- Decorate the toe with bows, buckles or satin ribbons. In sewing accessories stores you will find a huge number of similar accessories.
- “Tie” the shoes with thick threads. For this you will need a crochet hook and an awl. You need to make holes in the designated places, and then use a hook to thread the threads into them. You can create any patterns on the surface of your shoes by combining threads of different colors.
By being creative, you can give your well-worn shoes or boots a second life.