I love my suede Sketchers shoes because they are the most comfortable shoes I own. The problem is that I wear them so often that I need to clean them at least once a week. However, you are not supposed to clean suede that often because you end up tearing the paint off the shoes. It is for that reason that I am a huge proponent of suede erasers.
A lot of the time there are only a few spots on the shoes that require cleaning. Using an eraser allows you to clean only the stains away, without shampooing the entire shoe.
Here are the best suede eraser currently on the market:
- Saphir Gommadin Suede Shoes Eraser – a very efficient eraser that protects the leather and has minimal impact on the color.
- X Suede Eraser – a more affordable solution, based on the same tech as the Saphir.
- Crep Protect Eraser – the modern solution, using a high tech, newly developed material.
- Shoeboy's Suede and Nubuck Care Eraser – a German made alternative coming in at a very affordable price.
- Shake Suede Eraser and Brush – a more complex solution for those who are just getting into the game.
If you would like a more in-depth analysis of each of these products and why I think they are the best on the market today, you may want to scroll a bit further down. For now, there are a few details about just what a suede eraser is and how one is used, so the reviews themselves will make sense.
What is a suede eraser?
A suede eraser is a composite material made to easily crumble apart when in contact with suede. Water stains on suede are created when the hairs on suede get gelled back due to water. Just think of how you would use water to pull your hair back and get it to stay that way. For human hair, you would need to use gel, but for the tiny hairs on suede, water is just as strong if not stronger.
Cleaning suede is just a matter of getting the suede hairs to shake off the bonding agent that makes them gel down. In most cases, a simple suede brush is just enough, but for tougher stains, you will need an eraser.
How do you use a suede eraser?
The reason you use a suede eraser is that sometimes the brush is not strong enough to lift back up the suede hairs. You could use a simple rough stone, even a piece of concrete, but then you would need to be very gentle and you would still risk permanently damaging your shoes.
The way to use a suede eraser is to first make sure that the shoe is completely dry. Next you just need to rub the affected area with the eraser in a circular motion. The eraser will immediately start to crumble, but it will also brush the hairs back into position. Finally, you can use a suede brush to clean the residue off.
So now that we have all the data we need to appreciate the qualities of a suede eraser, here is why the ones I have already mentioned are my favorite.
1. Saphir Gommandin Suede Shoes Eraser
The Saphir Gommandin is by far my favorite suede eraser despite the fact that it is a little bit pricey. In fact, it is not the price itself that might make some of you decide to go with other products. As I was saying, suede erasers are composite materials designed to crumble apart under pressure.
In fact, you can think of eraser as the brake pads on cars. You may know that performance brake pads are a lot better at stopping a car, but you will need to change them much more often. That is because they are actually softer than regular brake pads, and they wear out much quicker.
Similarly, you can think of the Saphir as the Ferrari brake pads. It is incredibly efficient, it crumbles apart very easily, but it cleans away stains without damaging the leather or, indeed even taking away the paint. It is the ideal eraser for extremely soft, frail suede shoes and sandals.
2. X Suede Eraser
The brake pads metaphor is very useful when talking about suede erasers, because, if the Saphir is the Ferrari of erasers, the X Suede Eraser is the pads on your family saloon. It is a lot more rigid and will not wear out so easily. Unfortunately, that also means it will be a little bit rougher on the suede. Not so much that it would damage it, but it simply is not as soft.
I am trying to stay away from saying that the Saphir is better than the X Suede or the other way around because they are simply different products for different situations. The X Suede will last a lot longer than the Saphir, and, provided you do not use a suede eraser as often as I do, or on extremely fragile suede, you will not really be able to see any long-term effects.
3. Crep Protect Eraser
The Crep Protect Eraser is the other product on this list that I love. The reason has nothing to do with shoes though, which is why it is on the number 3 spot. Crep Protect is a brand that is trying to reinvent these traditional shoe cleaning products. I mentioned them in my list of the best suede shoe cleaners as well, because they have extremely innovative solutions.
You may have noticed that most erasers have the same off-white color, whereas the Crep Protect Eraser is blue. That is because it was redesigned and created with an entirely different composite formula than tranditional erasers.
In terms of its performance I would say it is softer, crumblier than the X Suede eraser, but perhaps not as gentle as the Saphir. The fact that it leaves behind blue particles means I love using it on my darker shoes, but I am not so happy when using it on the white shoes because I need to spend a few more minutes cleaning away all of the particles.
4. Shoeboy’s Suede and Nubuck Care Eraser
The Shoeboy’s Suede eraser is by far the most affordable product on this list. It is not the cheapest on the market, mind you! I was very particular in choosing the suede erasers I would review because some of them are just a little softer than a pumice stone and will definitely damage suede.
The Shoeboy’s eraser is the toughest eraser, so it will last for a very long time, but you need to be just a little bit careful when applying it. For best results I would use a gentle touch and I would refrain from using it more than a couple of times a season.
5. Shake Suede Eraser and Brush
As I was saying in the small tutorial about how to use a suede eraser, an eraser is completely useless if you do not have a suede brush to go along. In a pinch, you could use a clothes brush or even a washroom brush, but you will be able to tell the difference from a situation where you would have used a brush.
The Shake Suede Eraser is on par with the X Suede Eraser so it is perfect for almost all situations and all types of suede. It also comes with one of the best suede brushes on the market so, if you are just now getting into cleaning suede, you may want to buy this set.
In conclusion, a suede eraser is your best friend if you are looking to protect your suede shoes. You can use it to target clean water spots and even tougher stains.
Provided you really care about your shoes and do not mind buying an eraser every once in a while, the Saphir Gommandin is the best product on the market. However, if you just want to have a simple accessory next to your shoe rack, the X Suede, the Shake Eraser, and the Crep Protector are all excellent alternatives.