Summer rain in suede trainers – my attempts to remove water stains

It actually doesn’t matter what your problem is. When you google for the solution, you’re guaranteed to see vinegar in the suggestions. The same goes for unsightly discolouration on suede leather. In my case I have dreamy summer rain beating down on my carelessly non-impregnated trainers to thank. Rubbish. But vinegar, the holy grail home cleaner, is supposed to do the trick, according to the internet. So I’ll try that first.

Attempt 1: household vinegar

The internet says I should mix it in a ratio of 1:2 with water, then rub it over the stains with a soft sponge or microfibre cloth. OK then. I’m worried about fading the cheerful colour of my trainers, so I start by carefully testing it on an unstained area at the heel of the shoe.

The initial result is anything but satisfactory. Instead of reducing the water stain, a new discolouration appears wherever I apply the vinegar mixture. I keep it as the trial shoe and wait and see whether the new, larger stain will dry overnight and disappear as if by magic.

But the stain stays. So, the next day, I do what I probably should have done at the very start – go to a shoemaker and ask for professional advice. He advises gently treating the discolouration with a suede brush or use a special cleaning foam. I get both.

Attempt 2: the suede brush

I give the vinegar-free sneaker a patient, careful clean with the brush. Scraped fibres begin to gather on the floor around it. The stain? Not any better – just different. Just like the leather around it, it turns slightly grey-blue.

That’s not how I imagined things to go. Now I have only one remaining option...

Attempt 3: cleaning foam

The instructions on the bottle tell me to pour the cleaning agent onto a clean sponge, lather generously and then work it into the problem area. That’s fine with me. So I lather both trainers and leave the result to dry overnight.

Oh well, I can live with the result. Not that I have a choice. I do wish I hadn’t tried the vinegar treatment. The trainer (on the left in the photo) is still more discoloured – and the vinegar smell hasn’t gone away. Thanks for nothing, internet. Careful brushing and cleaning foam were clearly the better tools.

The verdict

Obviously, don’t forget to impregnate your belongings! I’ve definitely learnt my lesson.

Do you know a hack that could save my shoes? Let me know in the comments!