Is it possible to remove salt stains from suede shoes at home?
Yes, it is possible. “If the salt and chemical stains on suede shoes are fresh and the shoes are just damp, rinse them under warm water and treat them with a medium-bristle brush,” recommends Alexey KALINCHUK, owner and director of a shoe and bag restoration workshop. “However, if a white salt crust has already formed on the shoes, you can use acetic acid (table vinegar) to remove it. Soak a cotton pad in vinegar, apply it to the stained areas for a day, and then thoroughly rinse the shoes with warm water. Sometimes this procedure may need to be repeated for several days in a row.
It should be noted that when salts and chemicals penetrate the material's structure, the dye is destroyed, and when removing the salts, some of the paint is also washed away, leading to a loss of color in the shoes. However, if salt deposits are not removed, the material from which the shoes are made becomes brittle and prone to damage.
To avoid a large amount of salts getting on the shoes during the winter, be sure to use hydrophobic, dirt- and water-repellent treatments.”
