Alden Suede Shoe Care

How to Care for Suede Alden Shoes

A great trend for fall? Suede Alden shoes and boots.

Alden suede shoes are made of fine calfskin suede and are famous for their super soft, yet supportive feel. Especially popular are unlined suede Alden shoes like the Flex Welt Penny Loafer and the Alden Unlined chukka boots.

Many men avoid wearing suede shoes because they're worried about dirt and stains. However, upkeep for Alden suede shoes is pretty simple. The key to keeping suede looking like new is prevention and regular maintenance.

Keep Suede Alden Shoes Looking Great

Our own Joe Zapatka often says "an ounce of protection is a pound of cure," a statement that applies perfectly for Alden suede shoe care. Protecting your suede footwear with a rain and stain repellent and brushing with a suede brush should help keep your suede Alden boots and shoes in top shape. 

Protect Your Suede Alden Shoes First

A layer of protection will keep water and stains from seeping deep into the suede and save you a lot of work when something inevitably falls on your otherwise impeccable-looking suede Alden loafers.

Begin by spraying with a rain and stain repellent that is safe for all materials or specifically for suede. We use either the Collonil Element Pro Tech Spray or Collonil Carbon Pro Spray.

Which spray should you go with? 

When asked which of these sprays he prefers, Joe Z. replies "whichever one I have on hand".  The most important thing is protecting the material and we use both of these products on our own suede Alden shoes. We always recommend doing a spot test on an inconspicuous spot of your shoes before using a new product (such as the inside of the shoe near the welt). Be sure to read the product instructions and proceed carefully.

You will want to lightly re-apply the spray every two or three months for the best protection.

Cleaning Suede Alden Shoes

If you have just a little dirt on your Alden suede shoes, or for regular maintenance, we recommend using a suede brush.

We recommend a Suede and Nubuck Combination Brush, which has two options: (1) a rubber surface that effectively removes light spots and stains and restores the nap of suede or nubuck leather and (2) brush bristles made from brass or another material.

Collonil's Suede and Nubuck Combination Brush

We recommend using the rubber option first, as it's more gentle. The bristles, particularly quality bristles made from brass are a great option for deeper stains, but we recommend trying the rubber side first and using the brass only if you need to go deeper. The brass is a more coarse material so we recommend brushing slowly and with a light touch. 

When You (Inevitably) Stain Your Alden Suede Shoes

If you sprayed your shoes with a rain and stain repellent, congratulations! This makes it easier to care for the shoes. The spray acts as a barrier so that stains don't penetrate quickly. If you drop something on your shoes, wipe them off with a clean, slightly damp (but not soaked or dripping!) sponge or cloth. If the stain still persists, try the cleaning steps above or researching how to remove the particular stain. 

Alden Shoes in Rainy Weather

Please also keep in mind that a suede shoe with a rain repellent is not the same as having a hiking boot with a waterproof membrane. Suede shoes with water repellent should survive a quick walk through a light drizzle, but you are not suddenly a puddle-jumping superhero with shoes impervious to water. If you know it's going to rain, consider your other options: Alden all weather walkers, chamois Alden boots, or Alden leather shoes with a pair of SWIMS galoshes (You can learn more about the galoshes on this blog).