Shoe Care Cleaning Guides

Quality footwear is an investment. 

We've compiled two essential guides to help with shoe care, focusing on smooth and suede leather, with recommendations on the best product to use (as well as how to use it) and other simple tips.

We carry an extensive range of Saphir creams, polishes and accessories and you can always speak with us in-store or online if you're seeking any recommendation on a product.

Illustrations courtesy of Saphir.


Smooth Leather – Weekly Cleaning Guide

Step One: Remove The Laces

Remove laces and insert suitable wooden shoe trees in your shoes.

Step Two: Brushing

First remove any surface dirt or dust, using a horse hair brush with bubinga wood handle. Gently rub the leather, paying particular attention to the folds and welt areas of the sole.

Regular brushing with a stiff brush will remove dust build-up. The abrasive quality of dust, combined with friction from wear, is what causes suits to ‘glaze’ or take on a shiny patina. Always brush in long sweeping movements and never use a circular or scrubbing motion. Brushing with the grain of the fabric will produce the best results.

Step Three: Clean The Leather

Apply Saphir's Reno'Mat or similar with a cleaning cloth. Don’t forget to change the area of the cloth when it gets dirty.

Step Four: Prepare The Leather

Apply Saphir's Renovauteur Creme with a cotton cleaning cloth.

The cream gently cleanses, hydrates and nourishes the leather so the polish is more readily absorbed. This cream dilates the leather pores so as to increase the absorption.

Step Five: Prevention

Apply Creme 1925, specially formulated to enhance and give a long life to your shoes using a spreading brush. Carefully dip the tip of the brush in Creme 1925.

Start by applying the cream to the sides of the shoes (on the welt seams to maximise the seal) using a back-and-forth motion, pressing lightly and paying particular attention to the folds. Leave to dry for a few minutes. Apply Creme 1925 between the edge of shoes and the sole. Use a spreading brush to assist.


Suede Leather – Deep Cleaning Guide

Step One: Remove The Laces

Remove laces and insert suitable wooden shoe trees in your shoes.

Step Two: Brushing

First remove any surface marks or dirt using a suede & nubuck brush. Gently rub the suede, paying particular attention if there is any sticky residue on the surface.

Don’t over brush the same spot in order to wear down the fragile surface of suede, particularly nubuck.

Step Three: Suede & Nubuck Cleaner

Pour the suede & nubuck cleaner into a small glass or cup. Take some suede & nubuck cleaner with the brush (made of natural silk hair in order to avoid any damage) & start to scrub over a basin or a sink.

Rinse the brush and take out the dirt in the direction of the nap of the surface. Repeat this operation as necessary. Let the dry away from the sun and direct heat.

Step Four: Using Gommadin

We recommend to do this step after using the suede & nubuck cleaner because in most of the cases the dirty spots are removed by this special cleaner.

If suede & nubuck cleaner has not been used or there are stubborn sticky stains on the surface, you may also use the eraser: Gommadin

Gently use the Gommadin eraser only on the dirty marks.

Step Five: Natural Crepe Brush

Brush gently with the natural crepe brush to help restore the skin’s natural feel. Always use a “back-and-forth” motion and the suede will be as good as new. The natural crepe has the unique characteristic of being naturally sticky, allowing small particles to be lifted from the suede while restoring the nap.

Step Six: Renovauteur

Cover an outside area with newspaper and fill also your shoes with newspaper to protect the lining from being stained.

Hold at approximately 25 cm from the shoe and evenly spray the surface with Renovauteur. leave to dry for 10 minutes.

It cleans, refreshens the colour, nourishes with natural almond and waterproofs. The exclusive natural vegetable oil formula of Renovauteur will be able to restore the original softness of the suede and nubuck.

Step Seven: Waterproofing

The new generation resin-based formulation prolongs lasting protection against water, grease and dirt.

You should apply the super invulner to protect shoes from getting stained or damaged.