Suede & nubuck.
The material most people are afraid to wash, and with good reason. Suede and nubuck have a nap that water and scrubbing flatten, so ours are cleaned by hand with a gentler method suited to the material.
Why the price starts at R150
Suede is not a separate service on our list. You book the clean the pair actually needs, and a material surcharge is added on top because suede takes longer and is done differently.
| Basic Wash, plus suede surcharge | R100 + R50 = R150 |
|---|---|
| Deep Clean, plus suede surcharge | R170 + R50 = R220 |
The booking page adds the R50 for you when you tell it the pair is suede or nubuck. You do not need to work it out.
Which clean does your pair need?
- Basic Wash for everyday dirt on a pair with multicoloured insoles.
- Deep Clean if the insoles or interiors are white or light-coloured, or there are stains to lift. A basic wash cannot be booked for white interiors.
If you are not sure, send a photo on WhatsApp. We will tell you which one it needs, including when the cheaper one is enough.
What actually ruins suede
Most pairs we see have been damaged by the attempt to clean them, not by wearing them.
- A washing machine. Nothing recovers the nap after that.
- Soaking it. Suede holds water, dries stiff and leaves a tide line where the wet part met the dry part.
- Household soap and a hard brush. It flattens the nap and takes the colour with it.
- Heat. A heater or a hairdryer hardens the material permanently.
If you have already tried one of these, we would still rather see a photo than have you assume it is beyond saving. Sometimes it is not.
Questions people ask
Can suede be cleaned without ruining it?
Yes, by hand and with the right method. Suede and nubuck get a gentler clean than canvas or leather, worked to the nap rather than against it. Every pair here is washed by hand, never put through a machine.
Can you get this stain out?
Often, but suede is less forgiving than canvas and not every mark comes out. Water rings and oil are the hard ones. Send a photo on WhatsApp before you book and we will give you an honest answer rather than take the booking and hope.
How long does it take?
Standard turnaround is 2 to 3 working days. There is a 24-hour express option for R100 extra, but not alongside whitening, crease removal, deodorising or colour restoration, which all happen after washing.
My suede has gone faded, not dirty. What then?
That is colour restoration at R450, a different job from cleaning. If the colour is still there under the dirt, a clean is all you need and we will say so.
Do you clean suede boots and heels too?
Yes. Heels, boots, other shoes, hats and bags all go under a deep clean, with the same R50 surcharge if the material is suede or nubuck. Bigger bags can cost more, so send a photo and we will confirm before you book.
Will you protect them afterwards?
We finish every pair, but we do not promise a coating that makes suede waterproof, because nothing does. Keeping them out of the rain is still the best protection there is.