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How to Get a Grassy Stain Out of Suede Boots

Chris Anzalone

Suede is a soft, textured form of leather, with a smooth feel and a slightly fuzzy appearance. Suede boots offer durability and comfort, but if you spend a lot of time outdoors, your boots may become subject to stubborn grass stains.

Suede is highly sensitive to moisture.

Cleaning suede can prove tricky, because if you clean it improperly, it can permanently lose much of its texture. When cleaning grass stains from suede boots, you just need to exercise a bit of caution and care.

Tip

If all else fails, you can purchase a suede-cleaning kit from your local shoe store. This will contain specialized brushes and solvents to help you tackle extremely difficult stains. To avoid future stains, spray your suede boots with a protective leather spray or leather lotion before venturing outdoors. You can also find these at shoes stores and leather supply stores.

  1. Scrub the stains with a firm pencil eraser to loosen them. Before applying any liquids, you must try to loosen the stains as much as possible using dry methods. Suede can lose its texture if exposed to excess moisture, and a pencil eraser can safely loosen and even remove some textured stains like those resulting from grass.

  2. Scrub the stains with a firm suede brush. This can further remove the residue that you previously loosened with your pencil eraser. Use swift, rapid motions to separate the grass residue from the suede surface as much as possible.

  3. Apply a few tiny drops of white vinegar to any lingering grass stains. Do not pour vinegar or any other liquid onto your suede boots under any circumstances, but distribute just enough liquid to gently cover and penetrate the discoloration. Additionally, make sure only to use white vinegar, as it contains a minimal amount of acetic acid, and therefore will not damage your suede surface. Some vinegars have higher acidic concentrations.

  4. Rub the stain in swift circular motions with a dry cloth to kill and remove the remaining residue. The vinegar will break down the grass stain, allowing you to easily wipe away the remains.

  5. Air-dry the affected boots. If any discoloration remains, you can first apply a few more drops of vinegar and scrub the stain a second time.

The Drip Cap

  • Suede is a soft, textured form of leather, with a smooth feel and a slightly fuzzy appearance.
  • Suede can lose its texture if exposed to excess moisture, and a pencil eraser can safely loosen and even remove some textured stains like those resulting from grass.
  • Some vinegars have higher acidic concentrations.
  • If any discoloration remains, you can first apply a few more drops of vinegar and scrub the stain a second time.