How to dye shoes at home. How to paint shoes or boots? How to repaint suede shoes yourself at home

Do you really love soft, beautiful and comfortable suede boots, but you don’t know how to dye suede that has lost its color? It is because of this that many refuse to buy gloves, bags, and suede shoes, not to mention raincoats, jackets, and sheepskin coats.

Let's try to understand whether your fears are justified or not.

First you need to define the concept of “suede”. What kind of material is this?

Suede is leather that is soaked in the fats of raw hides. In the store you can find suede, which is made from lamb, deer, goat, and cow skins. You can also find products made from the skins of antelopes, chamois, and wild goats.

Suede, which is natural, is distinguished by its strength, softness, porosity, and velvety feel. It is waterproof. Products made from this material look very expensive and effective. But this material is finicky and requires constant care.

What should you do if your things have lost their former appearance? How to dye suede at home?

I would like to immediately note the fact that it is very difficult to paint suede without streaks, therefore, many of the owners of products made from this material prefer to contact specialized enterprises. For example, dry cleaning is willing to accept suede items for dyeing. They will be happy to take black or brown sheepskin coats, jackets, raincoats, and boots for painting. But not everywhere they will accept colored things for painting. Therefore, you have to correct the situation yourself.

So here are some tips for you on this matter.

A fairly good option for dyeing suede items is wool dye. Before you are going to paint, the suede item must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust. To do this, you need to prepare a special soap solution of water and ammonia. The solution must be prepared in a ratio of 4 to 1. This mixture is rubbed into the item using a rubber brush and sponge. Then rinse the product in cold water, polish it with a dry, lint-free soft cloth and hold it over steam for several minutes. Sprinkle greasy stains with talcum powder.

After the product is ready, dilute one packet of paint in one and a half liters of boiled water in an enamel basin. In accordance with the instructions on the bag, add vinegar. The temperature of the solution that we prepared should not be more than 50 degrees. Rub the resulting solution into the product 3-4 times with an interval of 15-20 minutes. After the item has been painted, wipe it with 1-2 percent vinegar and rinse with running water. Once the items are dry, they will be as good as new again.

This was the easiest and most inexpensive way to dye suede items. But there is another way.

How to dye suede with special products?

Nowadays you can find many different products for painting suede in the store. These are special aerosols, liquid paints, balms, spray bottles. The dyes included in these products penetrate deeply into the skin structure and color it evenly.

You must remember that suede products require regular and careful care. Therefore, when buying a beautiful and very impressive suede item, remember that you need to take care of it, starting from the very first day.

Suede shoes are loved by the fair sex for their luxurious appearance. Unfortunately, during wear it can quickly lose its attractiveness. Now there are quite a lot of means to update boots or boots and return them to their former beauty. You can dye suede shoes quite easily at home.

How to choose paint

You can purchase a dye for painting suede boots or boots at home at any shoe store. Contact the seller for help, he will tell you which paint is best to choose and advise on the shade. Don't forget to specify that you need the product specifically for suede.

To successfully choose the shade you need, it is better to take the shoes with you to the store. If it's new enough that you just need to freshen it up, you can choose a paint tone that exactly matches your boots. In the case where the shoes are a little worn out and also have stains, it is better to take paint a tone or two darker to paint over problem areas and make the color richer.

If you want to know how to dye suede boots a different color, keep in mind that the dye may not completely cover the base shade and it will show through. This especially applies to bright colors. It is better to repaint a suede item in a darker tone of the existing color, for example, blue to blue. Then you will be insured against the possibility of unsuccessful painting.

The coloring matter can be produced in aerosols, in the form of cream paint, liquid composition or foam. For shoes that have a rough coating with large piles, for example, men's shoes, the drug in creamy or liquid form is better suited. It will be more convenient to paint thin women's boots using a spray.

The aerosol can is very convenient to use. It is easier for them to cover a large area, which is typical for women's high boots. It allows you to apply the dye fairly evenly on all sides.

If you want to further decorate your shoes, acrylic paints are suitable for this. They are easy to use and have a fairly wide range of colors.

Preparing shoes

Before you paint suede shoes in the shade you want, you need to first prepare them. Clean the outside of the boots well and also wash the soles. Let them dry. If shoes or boots have laces, they need to be pulled out. Decorative elements (pins, rhinestones, etc.) must be removed during painting.

Please note that dyes have an unpleasant, pungent odor. If possible, paint shoes outside the living room or in a room that can be ventilated later.

Children and animals must be removed during the procedure. Also make sure there is no exposed food in the room. The area of ​​the floor where the treatment will be carried out must be covered with newspapers or polyethylene. If you spray paint, be aware that the paint can be sprayed quite far. Therefore, choose a place where there are no things that you can ruin.

In order not to paint over those areas of the shoe that cannot be painted (light soles, inserts of a different color), cover them with regular or masking tape. It is recommended to fill boots or shoes with a light lining with newspapers completely to the very top. This way you will protect the lining from paint getting on it. In addition, the operation will be more convenient.

If there are stains on the boots, they must be removed before the dyeing process. Use a special suede cleaner, which is sold in shoe stores. Apply a small amount of the product to the stain using a cloth and rub lightly. After removing the stain, allow the surface to dry.

How to paint

Painting suede shoes yourself at home is quite simple. In order to properly process and restore the appearance of your boots, you will need:

  • suede brush;
  • coloring matter;
  • brush, sponge;
  • gloves;
  • protective care product.

Take clean and dry shoes prepared for the dyeing process. Using a special suede brush, go over the entire surface to lift the pile. If the boots are very thin and delicate, do this carefully. This operation is necessary in order to paint the coating more evenly. Pay special attention to hard-to-reach places and the spout of the product.

Before you start painting, carefully inspect the boots, especially the nose and areas near the sole. Quite often they get scuffed. It is recommended to paint such areas separately using cream paint. It is also better to treat the junction of the sole and suede (welt) with the same product.

Wear gloves when painting to avoid getting your hands dirty. Gently apply the product with a brush to problem areas and wait until completely dry. Then you can start painting the entire shoe.

Using an aerosol

If you spray your shoes, shake the can well. Then start spraying the dye from a distance of 25-30 centimeters from the coating. Do this sequentially, smoothly moving from one area to another.

Try to keep the can at the same distance from the surface. Otherwise, the coloring may turn out uneven with spots.

When the first layer has dried, repeat the operation. Cover the boots or shoes with two or three coats of paint, depending on how intense the color you want to give to the shoes. Wait until the surface is completely dry, then treat it with a care product that will fix the color. When the boots are completely dry, use a brush to lift the lint.

Liquid or cream paint

If you decide to work with cream paint, you will need a piece of foam sponge or a medium-width brush. Some people paint shoes with a toothbrush, as it allows them to paint the pile more thoroughly and evenly.

Treat the scuffs first and let them dry. Then apply the dye sequentially to each area over the entire surface of the coating. Since cream paint has a denser consistency than an aerosol product, it will be enough to paint the shoes in one layer. If you are repainting a pair or going for a deeper shade, reapply the paint once dry.

After painting, treat the boots with a color fixing agent and a water-repellent compound. This will help the shoes stay in good shape much longer.

Now you know how to paint suede boots yourself at home. Take proper care of your shoes so that they always look beautiful.

Even the strongest things, which have gone through all the hardships and adversities with us, sooner or later begin to decay. It fades, scuffs and an unpleasant shine appear. This is life) Fortunately, we have the opportunity to extend the stay of our favorite things in our wardrobe. You just have to cheat a little, using long-tested means, and you can restore suede yourself at home so that no one will think that these boots are 100 years old.

This is the result you can get if you do everything right


After applying the methods described below, you will see that the suede at least looks much better and not everything is as sad as it seemed. Well, at the very least, everyone will ask where you bought such cute new boots). Let's get started!

We restore suede.

The first step is preparatory.
Before you begin to renew your suede yourself, it must be cleaned of dirt and stains. I wrote how to do this in a previous article. If you skip this stage, you will not only not resuscitate your shoes or handbag, but you also run a high risk of smearing dirt and dust on it, making the situation much worse.
Act two is the main one.

We lift the pile, remove scuffs and grime using effective home methods.

Act three is the final one.

After all manipulations, be sure to thoroughly dry the product away from heating devices.

Point zero. Buying paint.

Point one. Get rid of the public.

While painting, send your family and pets on a visit or for a walk so that they do not inhale harmful substances.

Point two. Warm-up.

Point three. Basic.

Aerosol painting. Spray the product slightly at an angle at a distance of 20-30 cm . from the object, trying to apply the paint evenly, at the same distance. It will be better if you move around the object yourself so as not to touch it, turn it over or smear the paint. Apply the first layer let it dry
. Check the results in the light. Then apply the next layer, carefully painting over the areas that you previously “whitened.” On the Internet they advise painting “in stripes”: first apply a strip, dry it and apply the next one in order to clearly see the painted and unpainted areas.

Often paint not only adds color, but also protects against moisture and dust.

Painting with liquid paints.

They are sold in the form of a bottle with a sponge on the neck, and sometimes without it. Point four. Bonus..
  • Bonus one. How to dye ugg boots economically.
  • I read that especially advanced citizens use wool dyes It must be diluted with water according to the instructions. The advantage is obvious - big savings in money, since they are much cheaper than specialized ones. In addition, you can adjust the intensity of the color yourself by diluting.
  • There is also a minus - although the color saturation depends on you, it is not so easy to choose it. By scientific poking and nothing more. Make a sample, dry, understand - dilute more or leave it like that.
Most likely, after such painting and complete drying, you will need to treat the surface with a weak
  • vinegar solution to fix color and dry completely again. Bonus two. How to make a pattern on suede using ugg boots as an example.
  • First you need to apply the drawing to the desired area. For a light product, a simple pencil is suitable,
  • for dark people, special white pencils and markers are sold
  • . In sewing stores you can also find markers, crayons and pencils, which disappear after a certain time after application.
  • Cover all areas that you are not going to paint with film (you can pin them with needles) or lightly cover them with masking tape.
  • Let it dry completely for a day and apply a protective spray for suede products.
  • Zy.Sy. If you have nothing to lose, do it drawing on suede through a stencil using aerosol paints in cans) Individually and creatively)

Point five. Final.

  • After painting, the product must be thoroughly dried naturally in a ventilated place.
  • After complete drying, comb the pile with a brush and treat with a protective spray twice with intermediate drying. After this, the item can be used or sent for storage.
  • Clean up the paint room and throw away used tools that are no longer useful.
  • It is advisable to wash yourself completely with soap.

The last point is a saving one.

If you realize that you are not a resuscitator and the product has not improved, contact a professional. Such operations can be carried out in dry cleaners, shoe repair shops or suede factories. It will be more expensive, but the result will be better. Most likely, they will be more willing to paint in popular colors, like black or brown; with colored ones, you may have to tinker and persuade them to bring their own paint. But nothing is impossible when it comes to the well-being of your favorite thing.

It's worth it)

Home remedies for dyeing suede.

Professional paints for suede are not cheap, have chemical odors and involve some hassle. Not everyone likes it. For those who want inexpensive and environmentally friendly methods, I offer the following options. Remember that the item should already be clean and dry.

You can dye dark brown suede coffee grounds. If you drink coffee, leave it until you have about the size of a cup. The time will come - fill it a third with boiling water and let it get a little wet and brew. If you are not a coffee lover, to dye suede coffee, brew about 150-200 grams of ground coffee. You can buy the cheapest coffee in the supermarket specifically for these purposes.

Drink coffee, paint grounds.


Apply the wet grounds with a sponge, brush or hands and rub gently into the material until the desired color is achieved. It is best to lightly blot the suede with coffee water after rubbing and leave for a day.

I haven’t seen it anywhere on the Internet - is it possible to use instant coffee? Perhaps it also gives a good effect, why not? If anyone has tried or knows that such a trick can be done, tell us in the comments, we are all interested)) And it will be even cheaper, by the way.

For black suede, rubbing gives good results. black copy paper. And for a dark blue suede jacket you can use blue carbon paper.

White, milky suede is painted with a mixture of full fat milk, talc or crushed white chalk, magnesia and turpentine. For cooking, everything is taken in equal quantities. Apply the resulting product for an hour, then comb and dry.

These options do not give as long-lasting a result as when painting with aerosols, but they save money, do not harm the environment, and can be repeated endlessly until the item departs for a better world.

For Eco-suede The dyeing process is the same, with the only difference being the means. It requires special ones suitable for artificial materials. Be sure to check this by reading the manufacturer's information on the bottle. Make a choice in favor of Eco-suede, take care of animals).

I tried to find all possible options for painting suede at home and take into account possible problems. I hope the article helped you and the coloring process was successful. Share and brag about your success in updating suede boots, shoes or even an entire sofa))

Suede shoes are the pride of the owner, especially at the initial stage of wear. Such shoes look expensive, aesthetically pleasing, and emphasize the status of their owner. Models made of suede, be it ankle boots, boots, boots, loafers or pumps, are on the crest of popularity from year to year. Such shoes are not cheap, but without proper care they lose their appearance very quickly. Almost after the “first release”, such shoes become saturated with dust and lose their original luster, the color fades.

That is why shoe care cosmetics manufacturers offer different sprays and paints to maintain the appearance of suede shoes. Paint for suede shoes is a special spray with a strong, specific odor that is applied to the surface of the shoe and maintains its appearance.

Painting suede shoes

Suede shoes before and after painting


First of all, before painting such shoes, it is necessary to clean them of contaminants: dust, dirt, grease stains. Once the cleaning process is completed and the shoes have dried, you can begin painting.

Attention! Sprays for suede have a very specific, pungent odor, so you need to apply the paint in a special or well-ventilated area and wear rubber gloves.

Shoes need to be painted according to a special scheme. It is necessary to slowly spray a small amount of paint at a distance of 25 - 30 cm, and wait until it dries. If necessary, the procedure must be repeated. It is better to paint shiny areas, joints and seams with a brush.

Today, the color palette of suede paints is so diverse that everyone can easily choose the desired color. But if you are the lucky owner of a rare color, you will have to master the art of mixing colors.

After painting, suede shoes will regain their former rich color and will be able to delight you with their appearance for some time. After some time, which depends on the intensity of use, the procedure must be repeated.

Today there are many professional salons that provide painting services for suede shoes. If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to trust the professionals. For little money, you will get your shoes “brand new”.


Video on how to paint suede shoes:

Suede always looks beautiful, rich and respectable. When purchasing it, not everyone knows how to care for it and how to paint suede shoes at home. Suede leather can be different, it all depends on the manufacturer and the shoes for which season it is designed. For example, spring-summer assumes that suede has a thin, almost velvety pile, but autumn-winter, on the contrary, has a rougher and denser texture. Not only the type, but also the method of care depends on the seasonality.

For some products, it is necessary to use a spray that protects against dust and dirt, which helps to quickly clean and remove dirt; for others, a water-repellent aerosol is required, which does not allow the penetration of moisture and protects the suede from absorbing water. These preventive measures can keep your shoes looking beautiful for a long time, but sooner or later your favorite boots will become scuffed or the color will fade. You can restore the color of expensive shoes at home; to do this, you should familiarize yourself with some of the nuances in order to avoid mistakes and not spoil the suede.

Rules for choosing paint for suede

The most popular colors for suede shoes are black, red and brown in several shades, such as chocolate, dark brown and rosewood. When purchasing paint in a specialized store, you need to clarify what type of leather and product it is intended for. For boots that have large and coarse piles, it is better to purchase cream paint or foam; this product is applied using brushes or brushes, which will help to paint the pile evenly. As a rule, men's shoes are produced with this texture.

Thin and delicate suede requires more delicate coloring, so it is better to opt for buying spray paint.

The aerosol will allow you to paint a large area, be it low shoes or over the knee boots. When choosing a dye, it is better to take your shoes with you to the store so as not to make a mistake in choosing a color. Sellers always have samples of small pieces of leather dyed in one color or another.

Painting methods

So, the paint has been purchased, and all that remains is to paint your favorite shoes. To do this, you should first prepare the room in which the work will take place; the room must be well ventilated; children and animals must be removed, since the paint has a strong characteristic odor. The floor must be covered with polyethylene, brushes and an eraser must be prepared for dry cleaning, as well as sponges or brushes for painting. First, the shoes are cleaned of dirt, the soles are washed if necessary and allowed to dry thoroughly. Next, using special brushes, the fibers on the shoes or boots are smoothed in different directions, this is done for better and uniform penetration of the paint.

Aerosol paint. When using a spray, keep the can at the same distance throughout the entire painting process. Otherwise, if you spray closer, the coloring will be uneven and blotchy. The procedure is carried out several times. After the first application of the dye, the shoes are placed in a room with good air circulation to ventilate and dry. After this, the dye is applied again. If required, a third layer can be applied. This type of painting is very convenient and can be done quite quickly, the main thing is to take care of cleanliness while working. When sprayed, the spray can settle within a certain radius. You should not forget about the sole and inner lining of the boots; if necessary, it is recommended to seal the sole with tape or tape to prevent paint from getting on it. You can tightly stuff paper or towels inside your shoes, but keep in mind that drops of paint may also get on them. Also, don’t forget about the laces; they should be removed before painting. Often it is the part of the shoe under the lacing that has severe scuffs, so it is necessary to lift the fibers well there and apply an aerosol.

Paint in liquid or foam form is applied using a foam disc, sponge, brush or brush. It is necessary to work with gloves; the foam rubber can be held with tweezers or a hook. Many people prefer to paint suede with a toothbrush; it allows you to comb the fleecy surface well and apply the paint evenly. For heavily worn areas on shoes, it is necessary to paint several times, allowing each layer to dry thoroughly. After complete drying, the surface of the shoe must be combed and the pile raised using special rubber brushes or an eraser.

Many paints not only paint, but also care for suede shoes, gently and carefully preserving their respectable and beautiful appearance for a long time. If you follow the basic rules for caring for shoes made from such a delicate material, they will last quite a long time and will allow you to appreciate all their advantages.


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