Can You Use Leather Polish on Suede Boots?

Do you use shampoo for your face?

Or

Do you apply face cream on your hair instead of hair cream?

You don’t, right?

So, how can you apply leather polish on suede boots?

This is not right!

Leather fibers and suede fibers are differently built. Suede is the innermost layer of animal skin that is usually very soft. Therefore, suede is more sensitive and delicate than leather.

Leather on the other hand, is tougher than suede. So, leather care products and suede care products are different as both the materials need different levels of treatment!

Leather polish can damage the suede fibers as they are harsh for the soft fibers of the suede. Leather polish will stain and harden the suede fabrics!

In this article, I have covered the best ways to polish your suede boots and shoes, top 3 products for polishing suede boots and have shared the reasons and my personal experience on why you should not use leather polish on suede boots!

My Experience of Using Leather Polish on Suede Boots

In 2017, I bought a pair of reddish-brown suede boots. I just loved them and had received a number of compliments for them!

But over time, the color of the boots started fading and I locked them inside my shoe rack, thinking they were of no use anymore. But, during the lockdown phase which we all are familiar with I believe (the covid 19 scenario), I had some spare time to revisit my closets and that is when I took my beloved boots out once again and thought of bringing them back to life!

I will not lie, but yes, I used my regular boot polish spray on one of the boots on a small part and oh my god! I literally thought I ruined my suede boots forever. The boot just soaked up the leather boot polish spray at once and gave no shine at all, instead the spray just got settled as a stain mark on the boot.

I immediately took a tissue paper and dabbed on the spot with no change to the damage. Then I thought of a trick and used the dryer to dry the area. When dried, I sprayed a little water over the area and used a tissue paper again to gently take off the spray stain from the boot and this time it worked thankfully!

After that I again used the dryer to dry the area of the boot and used my suede brush to brush the area to get back the natural texture of the suede.

I immediately rushed to the nearby boot store and grabbed a suede polish! Yes, my entire day went into working with the boots, but at last success did not leave me and I was able to polish my suede boots with the suede polish and brought the lost shine to them while brushing with the suede brush!

Can I use leather polish on suede?

No, you cannot use leather polish on suede boots because suede will absorb the polish and leave behind a stain on the boots. Your suede boots can also be discolored forever! Now, this happens for a reason and that’s because of the nature and composition of the suede fibers. Don’t worry, I will explain you the reason behind this in details…

Suede is basically a type of feathery leather that has a great fascination for liquids, that is suede is hydrophilic. Now, leather polishes are generally made of wax, glycol, colorants, lanolin and other gel-based or water-based substances. 

So, as soon as you apply the gel-based or water-based leather polish on suede, the suede fibers will immediately absorb it leaving behind a stain on your boots!

Can you use boot polish on suede?

No, you cannot use boot Polish on suede boots because boot polishes are generally tinted and applying that boot Polish on your suede boots will change the color of your suede fabric forever which you cannot alter later.

Also, polishes for suede are specially designed keeping in mind the fabric and therefore do not take any chance by using your regular boot Polish four suede boots.

How do you polish suede leather shoes?

Polishing your suede shoes and boots is in fact, quite easy! You can do it by using either of the two options I am going to mention below:

Polishing sued boots using a suede brush:

Take a suede brush and start brushing your suede boots forward and backwards strokes gently. If you do not have a suit brush you can alternately use any soft bristled toothbrush for the purpose and it will work exactly the same way as the suede brush.

Polishing suede boots using a damp white cloth:

In case your suede boots are a bit dirty, you can first wipe the boots gently using a dampened white cloth. Then use a dryer to try the boots completely. Once dry, take the suede brush and gently move in forward strokes with a brush. Your boots will be bloody clean and give out the lustrous shine you wanted.

Polishing suit boots using suede Polish:

Suede Polishes are especially designed keeping in mind the texture and characteristics of the suede fabric and also the fact that suede has a great affinity for liquids.

After cleaning your suede boots using the suede brush, you can now apply the suede Polish on the boats, but remember to apply a very thin layer of the Polish.

Let the polish try on the suede boots for a day, and then use the suede brush to bring on the lustrous shine on the suede boots.

How to clean suede boots?

Cleaning is the only thing that your suede boots prefer and is the only solution to all your suede problems! Effective cleaning of suede boots will protect the suede fabric, restore the shine and bring back the faded color of the suede boots.

While using a suede brush will solve most of the problems, yet there are also other ways of cleaning the suede boots.

Top 3 Suede polishing products

Best suede polish brush:

Suede Shoe Brush Cleaning: Soft Buffing Bristle Swayed Brass Small Complete Wooden Schima Superba

This brush is especially designed to buff the suede fabrics so that they get back their lost luster and shine. Just apply the strokes in the direction of the suede fabrics with the help of this brush and your boots will keep shining on and on.

Best suede renovator/polishing/protecting spray:

Tarrago Nubuck Suede Renovator Spray – Protects/Waterproofs Leather Shoes & Boots

This suede protector spray helps to restore the original color of the suede boots, protect the suede fibers from the weather, replenishes the natural oils of the suede fabric and helps to condition the suede fabric and waterproof the suede boots.

All you need to do is first clean the suede boots off any loose dirt using the suede brush and then spray this protector all over the boots and let the boots dry for 30 minutes or so. When completely dry, use the suede brush once again to buff the boots and the shine of the suede boots will be restored.

Best suede polishing microfiber cloth: 

MusicNomad Microfiber Suede Polishing Cloth (MN201)

If your suede boots are stained and have become discolored, you can just use this soft microfiber cloth especially designed for suede fabric to remove the stain and bring back the shine on the boots.

You can dip the microfiber cloth in water and rub on the stained area of the boots and then let the boots dry completely and lastly finish off using the suede brush to buff the boots.

It’s time to bid Adieu!

Remember the best way to polish your suede boost is just by brushing them using the suede brush! Applying polish can only harm the suede fabrics and harden and stain them!

That’s all with polishing your suede boots!

I hope you enjoyed reading this article! Stay tuned for more articles on leather and suede boots! Till then….

Take care, stay safe and have a great day ahead!