An unusual hack for cleaning suede shoes with a beauty product has gone viral on Twitter. Kiera Ohagan tweeted photographs of her suede heels – before and after she used micellar water –  a water-like cleanser to remove makeup – to get rid of stubborn dirt. 

Suede shoes are notoriously tricky to clean. Unlike patent boots or leather sandals, you cannot wipe away last night’s mistakes. However, a scuff or a stain need not be the end of their dancing days. You just need to employ the right technique depending on the type of dirt.

Mud Stains

Wait until the mud has dried down and instead of using any liquid on the stain, scrub at the mark with a brush in a single direction and the mud will flake off. 

Water Stains

Though it may seem odd, a good way to get rid of this type of stain is to coat the suede shoe in water and dab away any excess. Then ball up paper and place it inside the shoe while it is drying so it retains its shape. (Don’t use newspaper as the ink will spread onto the shoe). Once dry, brush them out with a suede brush.

Oil Stains

If none of the above is working, the chances are that you have an oil stains on your hands – or should I say feet. Use cornstarch to lift the stain. Apply and brush off with gentle strokes, as you don’t want to ruin your shoes because you’ve been impatient. 

Difficult Marks

For the even more troublesome scuffs and stains that are clinging to your suede shoe, invest in a suede eraser (Kiwi Suede And Nubuck Brush, £3.10 from Tesco).

Watch the video below from The Idle Man for more tried and tested advice: