How to Fade Suede Shoes Quick (Does Suede Fade in The Sun?)
It is bound to happen, one shoe loses its color a little faster than its mate. That situation leaves you in a bit of a pickle. How do you fade the better shoe and match the two shoes like before? It takes a bit of work and a bit of skill to get the shoes to align color-wise.
Does suede fade in the sun? The sun will fade suede but that takes a little longer to do. The quickest way to fade suede shoes is to rub it with a clean cloth. Many suede shoes only have superficial coloring and the cleaning cloth can wipe off the dye very easily.
To learn more about fading suede shoes just continue to read our article. It is filled with the information you need. Just a couple of minutes of your time should give you the know-how to fade your suede shoes so they look like a match set again.
Does Suede Fade?
Yes, this fabric can fade and one of the main culprits is the sun. The sunlight removes a lot of the dyes used to color the suede fabric used in your shoes. The key to identifying this issue is to make sure the lighter color is due to fading.
Some times you get a lighter color due to soap or mineral residue that was never removed at an earlier time. If the lighter color is a result of these latter two problems then a good cleaning should take care of it and you won’t have to worry about fading shoes.
The proper care for suede shoes is to not let them dry in the sun and keep them in a dark place when not in use. Leaving the shoes out in the sun for no reason is a bad habit to get into. Your shoes will be ruined before you know it.
Suede Fade in The Sun
It is not a wise move to expose your suede shoes to the sunlight. That is unless you have to walk those shoes as you go about your day. Any other time is a big no-no and you will damage your suede shoes.
Not only does the sun fade your shoes but the heat of the sunlight may also crack them. If the heat from the sun dries the shoes too quickly, then the shoes can warp as well. When these issues happen your only option is to give or throw them away.
Suede shoes and clothing items are very vulnerable to heat. They are also vulnerable to water so wearing suede puts you in a very delicate situation. It is your choice when and how you wear those shoes but choose those times very carefully.
Then be very careful when you clean them. Your options are just as limited.
Why Does Suede Fade?
The main reason for fading suede shoes or other items is that many of the dyes used do not penetrate very far into the fabric. The dyes are more on the surface than they are in the depth of the fabric. This situation means you have to be careful even when you brush your suede items.
The brush can take a lot of the dye off depending on how hard you press the brush against the fabric. Another reason why suede would fade is that you did not take the time to waterproof or spray some other protective coating over your clothing items.
To keep suede looking like new without any fading, you need to coat it. If you don’t then you are just asking for trouble. Then if you let a lot of water run across and through your clothing the water will remove the dye and make your suede items look lighter.
Can You Fade Suede Shoes?
The answer to this question is positive. There are methods you can use to get the shoes to a lighter shade and match your outfit. Which one you choose will be up to you and keep in mind that each option may take a little time.
A little patience is needed as you do not want to ruin your shoes or stain them throughout the process. Suede is a distressed leather so it does not have the strength or durability that leather has.
If you need to you can always place the suede garment or shoes in your window and let the sun’s rays fade the material. That certainly is the cheapest way although it may not be the quickest method to use.
You can also try using water but that may leave some stains as well as ruin the shoes before they are ready to wear.
How do You Fade Suede?
Besides the sun and water, there are 4 good methods you can try to lighten your suede materials. Choose the one that fits your abilities and does the job the best:
- 1. Rosin bag technique - this is said to be the most effective way to lighten suede. Rosin bags are not hard to find and you get to buy them at any sporting goods store The process to lighten your suede is simple and very easy to do.
First, just pat the rosin bag over every inch of the suede you want to lighten. This helps the rosin to absorb any moisture on or in your suede item. When you are finished patting, simply brush the excess powder off by using a clean cloth or a suede brush.
- 2. The sandpaper method - this is a very risky method to choose as too much pressure on the sandpaper can ruin your shoes permanently. Also, you can damage the suede if you use the wrong grade or grit of sandpaper.
All you have to do is use fine-grit sandpaper and rub it all over the suede item you want to make lighter. You need to do this rubbing very evenly but that is a very difficult objective to achieve.
The color should change as you work and you can see that change takes place. This leaves you in more control than other methods.
- 3. Towel method - this is like the previous option but it is a lot safer to use. The reason for that is the towel does not have a gritty finish to it and should not scratch the suede.
Plus, this method takes longer than the previous one for the same reason. All you have to do is rub the towel over your suede item and let it take the dye away. The bad news is that you may have to do a lot of rubbing, and we mean a lot, before you see any results.
- 4. The bath powder method - you can use bath powder or talcum powder for this option. Whichever one you have at home and plenty of will do the trick. The key to this method is to sprinkle a light layer of talc over the suede item.
Make sure the fabric is dry before doing that. Once that is done, take a suede brush and simply brush the powder away. After that, use a clothes brush to lightly brush the suede. That is all there is to it. This may take some time but you do not risk damaging your suede
Do Faux Suede Shoes Fade?
Even the fake suede is not going to give you any relief when it comes to the fading issue. Because the dyes are not solid and adhering that well to the fake material, it is possible to have the shoes fade quite easily.
Faux suede will fade on you. The good news is that there is a very good way to restore its original color. All you need is a dye that works on fake suede shoes or other clothing items.
Of course, you will have to clean the suede first but that is not going to be as hard as cleaning real suede. Although they are easier to clean you still have to be careful and not use too much soap. Just enough to cut the dirt and grime is all you need.
When you finish, make sure to spray a protective coating on the faux suede to make sure the dye does not disappear on you again. Then suede can be dyed to a darker color but not a lighter one.
Some Final Words
Suede is a delicate fabric and even the sun’s rays will damage the material if you get careless. You can try to purposefully fade suede but do not expect the results to be even or even a lot lighter. It is very hard to control the amount of fading that takes place.
If you are in doubt about your own fading abilities, take the material to a professional and let them hassle with the task.
