The Ultimate Vegan Leather Shoe Care Guide
How do you care for vegan leather shoes? This guide contains everything you need to know about taking care of your vegan leather shoes!
Vegan leather, also known as faux leather or synthetic leather, is a cruelty-free alternative to leather. The production of real leather is extremely cruel to animals, but vegan leather does not require animals to be harmed.
Instead, it can be made from a variety of materials – most commonly plastic treated with polyurethane (AKA “pleather”) but vegan leather can also be made from sustainable materials like cork, pineapple leaves, fruit peels, or recycled plastic.
Faux leather shoes often look very similar to the real thing. The only difference is that you can feel good about supporting ethical fashion instead of wearing a product that is made from harming animals.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to clean and care for your vegan leather shoes.
Vegan Leather Shoe Care Guide
How to Clean Faux Leather Shoes
Are you wondering how to clean synthetic leather shoes? It’s important that you are cleaning your faux leather shoes properly so they remain undamaged and last longer.
Whether you have a pair of vegan leather boots, sneakers, flats, loafers, sandals, or other shoes, these tips will help you clean them and preserve them.
Here are some essential vegan leather shoe care products you may also want to have on hand.
These cleaning products can be used for other faux leather products, including jackets, pants, bags, and even furniture.
1. Remove dirt and smudges immediately.
It’s a good idea to remove dirt and small smudges from your vegan leather shoes right away.
This can be accomplished by taking a microfiber cleaning cloth, running it under a faucet of cool water, squeezing out excess water, and gently wiping away the dirt or smudges using the damp cloth. Then use a dry cloth to rid your shoes of any excess moisture.
It’s very important not to use hot water when cleaning your faux leather shoes, because this can damage or warp the material.
2. Remove larger stains with vegan leather shoe polish.
This polish for faux leather is great for removing larger stains from your shoes. It’s a combination of cleaner, conditioner, and polish that will keep your synthetic leather shoes looking as good as new.
To use it, spray some of the polish onto a damp microfiber cleaning cloth and gently apply it to the surface of your shoes, wiping in a circular motion until the cleaner is absorbed. Let it sit for 30 to 45 minutes, then use a dry cloth to wipe off your shoes and gently buff them.
3. Don’t scrub faux leather.
When cleaning or polishing faux leather, it’s important that you aren’t scrubbing it or using any abrasive materials.
If you are concerned about how to protect faux leather boots, sneakers, flats, or other shoes, the best way to do it is with a clean microfiber cloth that you use to gently wipe off your shoes.
4. Store vegan leather shoes carefully.
Vegan leather, especially pleather made of polyurethane, has a tendency to “chip” if you aren’t careful with it, which can really diminish the look of the item. In order to preserve your shoes and keep them looking nice for as long as possible, be careful how you store them.
Keep your vegan leather shoes on a shoe rack and make sure each shoe is separate and not touching or stacked on top of one another. You may also want to use a shoe tree to ensure that your shoes retain their shape and form.
When traveling, use a canvas shoe bag to pack your vegan leather shoes so they are not damaged.
5. Be gentle when polishing vegan leather shoes.
Do you need to polish vegan leather? Yes, much like real leather shoes, it’s a good idea to polish your vegan leather shoes to keep them looking their best.
You can use vegan leather shoe polish or coconut oil to polish faux leather shoes.
With a microfiber cloth, apply a small amount of polish or coconut oil and rub it in gently using a circular motion, then let it sit for 30 to 45 minutes before wiping your shoes with a dry cloth.
While you should polish your vegan leather shoes regularly, you don’t want to be too excessive. It’s a good idea to polish faux leather shoes no more than once a month.
6. How long do vegan leather shoes last?
If cared for properly, vegan leather shoes can last a long time.
In general, vegan leather is not as durable as leather made from animal skin. However, with proper care and cleaning, you can make your vegan leather shoes last for two to four years.
When you factor in the cost (faux leather is often less expensive than real leather) and the animal ethics factor, many people consider it a worthwhile tradeoff even though vegan leather does not last quite as long as regular leather.
7. Can I wash vegan leather shoes?
You can wash vegan leather shoes using vegan leather shoe polish, gentle shoe cleaners, or even soap and water. The key is to be gentle, avoid using too much water (wring out a wet cloth first until it’s just slightly damp), and to avoid using hot water.
If your vegan leather shoes get dirty, smudged, or have a stain, you can carefully clean them by hand.
You should never machine-wash vegan leather shoes because this can seriously tear up and damage the material.
If odor is an issue, try some shoe deodorizer balls which can be left inside your vegan leather shoes overnight to remove any unpleasant odors.
How to Take Care of Vegan Leather Shoes
This guide showed you how to clean fake leather boots, sneakers, flats, and other shoes. It’s not hard to take care of vegan leather shoes.
With proper care, cleaning, and storage, you can make vegan leather products last for years.
Vegan leather is a great cruelty-free alternative to regular leather, and many vegan leather products are made from innovative sustainable materials.
Best Vegan Leather Shoes for Women
Are you looking for the best vegan leather women’s shoes? Check out this selection of some of the most stylish faux leather shoes for women.
- Women’s faux leather white sneakers
- Vegan leather Chelsea boots from Dr. Marten
- Women’s faux leather sneakers
