When Did You Last Clean the Inside of Your Shoes? Suede Boots, Step by Step

You cleaned the outside of your shoes… but when did you last clean the inside?

Inside of a suede ankle boot after cleaning, next to the finished boot laced up

Real photos. No filters, no exaggeration.

These suede boots weren’t badly stained. The back of the heel was a little dark, but nothing serious. So why clean them? Because they were worn all winter.

After a whole winter, the inside needs cleaning first. Honestly, that goes for every pair of shoes you own. Here’s how we clean suede boots, inside and out.

How to clean suede boots, inside and out

1. Laces out, dust out. Take out the laces. Brush out the dust, outside and inside.

Step 1: Laces out. Dust out, outside and inside.

2. Wash the soles. Use water and a little detergent. Do this before you touch the suede.

Step 2: Washing the sole with water and a little detergent.

3. Clean the suede with foam. Make a nice foam with a suede cleaner. Clean with a soft brush, using just the foam, then wipe it off with a clean towel. Do the outside, then the inside the same way.

Step 3: Foam with a soft brush, wipe with a towel, then the inside the same way.

4. Dry for at least 12 hours. 24 hours is even better.

Step 4: Drying for at least 12 hours.

5. Lift the nap with a silicone brush. Once dry, the suede nap is flat and pressed down. Use a silicone suede brush to lift it back up: brush one way first, then the other way.

Step 5: Lifting the pressed-down nap with a silicone brush.

6. Protector spray, outside only. Spray outdoors and give it a good, even coat. Never spray the inside. Then let them dry for at least 12 hours.

Step 6: Protector spray, outside only. We sprayed outdoors.

7. Do the water test. Once dry, drop a little water on the suede. If it beads up and rolls off, your protector spray is working.

Step 7: Water test. Drops of water beading up on the suede toe.

8. Condition the heel. Wipe the wooden-look heel with a leather conditioner.

Step 8: Leather conditioner on a cloth, wiped onto the wooden-look heel.

Lace them back up, and they’re ready for winter.

About protector spray: it’s your call

Spray it on the outside only. Never on the inside.

Look at the suede first. If it looks like it can take it, go ahead. On a pair of brown UGG boots we cleaned before, we didn’t use protector at all. On this pair, we did.