How To Clean Velvet Shoes: The Easiest Guide

Velvet shoes are beautiful, elegant, and classy. They require proper attention and regular maintenance to retain that new-like look for as long as possible. Velvet shoes have the potential to galvanize any outfit.

You’ll need a clean pair of velvet shoes to rock any attire, but cleaning them can be a bit tricky. I’m sure you don’t want to experiment and ruin your precious shoes.

Worry not! To prevent you from going through this hassle, I’ve come up with some effective DIY techniques which will ensure your shoes remain as good as new for a long time.

Velvet And Its’ Types

A specialized loom fabricates two thicknesses of the material at the same time. Next up, the two pieces are cut apart to create the signature pile effect than the two lengths of fabrics are wound on different take-up rolls.

It was traditionally made from silk and used to be a sign of royalty and wealthy aristocracy.

You’ll find a variety of velvet blend fabrics out there; some of them are Crushed velvet, Panne velvet, Embossed velvet, etc.

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Of all the velvets out there, two of the most commonly found in the apparel industry are:

1. Silk and cotton velvet: If you find the care label saying your shoes are made of silk and cotton velvet, it is highly recommended you get them to a dry-cleaner or shoe cleaner.
2. Polyester-mix velvet: If you find a care label saying polyester-mix velvet, you can easily wash your shoes yourself.

To make life easier regarding this sensitive fabric, you just have to know the type you’re dealing with.

Now that you know what velvet is let’s look at how you can ensure proper cleaning and the tools required for your velvet shoes.

Clean Your Velvet Shoes Using The Following Methods

Velvet Shoes tend to get dirty in many ways. They’re quite a few methods you can use. First of all start with a velvet brush. Once you return home and you see your shoes a bit dusty, simply bush them off using the velvet brush. Below are the methods that require a bit more effort.

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Method-1: Wash Away Water Stains/Spills of Velvet Shoes

When you find staining substance on your shoe, the first thing you need to do is blot up the area as soon as possible. This is because the quicker you blot, the less chance you have of a permanent mark.

Requirements:

Here’re the steps to clean the remaining marks of your velvet shoes:

1. Dry of any excess liquid using the paper towel.
2. Half fill your bowl with water and add a few drops of dishwashing liquid/ detergent powder.
3. Mix the concoction until you see suds form on the surface.
4. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, scoop up some of the suds from the water’s surface onto the stain.
5. Make sure your shoe isn’t too wet; use the solution sparsely.
6. Gently scrub the stained part with your soft-bristled toothbrush.
7. Allow the solution to sit on the stain for a while.
8. Using the dry cloth, wipe off the remaining solution.
9. Blot the area to remove extra moisture and dry it off.
10. Air dry your shoe.
11. Now brush your shoe with the velvet brush.

Pro tip: Suppose you see the stain has remained or hasn’t diminished according to your liking, repeat steps 4 and 8. Do not be aggressive with your approach. As velvet is a delicate material, being bold may damage it.

As an alternative to the cleaning solution, you can use baking soda and lemon juice. Add a couple of baking soda spoons to some lemon juice in a bowl and stir them until it suds. Clean the stains using a soft-bristled toothbrush.

Method-2: Removing Mud of Velvet Shoes

Despite your best efforts, you’re unable to prevent your precious footwear from getting the mud treatment. Now that your shoes have managed to achieve the unwanted, what do you do? No worries! If there’s a problem, there’s also a solution. Let’s have a look.

Requirements:

Here’s how you can remove mud from your velvet shoes:

1. If you clean wet mud, that may damage your shoe. So it’s for the best you air-dry the dirt entirely before trying to remove them.
2. Wipe off the dirt from your shoe using a clean cloth. Remember to work in one direction all the time. Doing in one way prevents the fabric from getting damaged.
3. Brush the area very gently if it does not work. Again, remember to use it in one direction.

Pro Tips

Follow our other guide to know how to Stretch Suede Shoes.

Method-3: Remove Dust and Lint of Fabric

Dust and Lint are bound to build up around velvet shoes. The fabric has a distinct surface that attracts these unwanted headaches. If not dealt with accordingly, the fabric tends to lose its distinctiveness.

Requirements: 

Remove dust and lint with the following steps:

1. Brush your velvet shoe using the lint brush
2. What you’ll notice is those little fibers of cloth stick to the brush.
3. Wrap the masking tape to your hand make sure the sticky side facing away from your hand
4. Dab the tape gently against your velvet shoe to remove lint
5. You’ll see a similar result to that of step 2
6. Use the lint roller to get a similar result as well.

Pro Tip: Now you can remove lint by applying any of the three techniques mentioned above. You may still notice that your shoe is partially dusty. To make your shoe completely dust-free, just brush off the partial remaining, using a velvet brush.

Now that we’re done with the cleaning part let’s look at how you can ensure proper maintenance and protection.

Guidelines To Maintain Velvet Shoes And Ensure Proper Protection

Deodorize your Velvet Shoes

Velvet shoes are shoes after all, and like any other shoes, they’re bound to smell upon regular usage. To make matters more difficult! Velvet shoes tend to pick up an unpleasant smell more than your regular shoes. I know this something you probably didn’t want to hear.

You’ve to know how to get rid of the unpleasant smell from your velvet shoes properly; otherwise, there’s a pretty good chance you may end up harming it.

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Deodorize your velvet using the following ways:

1. Gently sprinkle baking soda over your velvet shoes. Let the powder absorb the unpleasant odor overnight, then gently brush off the baking soda, and now your shoes are completely odor-free.
2. Fill up any spray bottle with a mixture of water and white vinegar. Shake the mixture gently but effectively. Gently spray the mixture all over your shoes, and air dry.

Now you know how to make a simple yet effective deodorizer. You can use your homemade deodorizer on any of your velvet items.

Protect your Velvet Shoes

Ever wondered about taking any precautions that will make your life a whole lot easier? I’m sure you’re aware of a humble item called a “shoe protector spray” (bold it). If you haven’t, then I’d suggest you become familiar with it.

Get a protectant that suits velvet.

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Steps to Apply the protectant spray:

1. Gently brush off any dirt or dust from your velvet shoes.
2. Place the spray at least six inches away from your shoe. Apply the spray from a very close range may ruin the fabric.
3. Coat your precious shoes with a gentle mist and allow them to air dry them properly before wearing them again.
4. Lightly rub the surface of your shoes with a slicker brush to get an appearance that’s as good as new.

Make sure you re-apply the shoe protectant after wearing your shoes every six to seven times. What this does is it minimizes the chance of your shoes getting stained and makes them waterproof.

Make sure not to saturate your shoes with the protectant, this lead to the nap getting clogged and the fabric ends up losing its shiny appearance.

Store Your Velvet Shoes Properly

Storage is an essential way to ensure your shoes get a longer life span. After brushing your shoes, do not keep them in an open space or somewhere in your shoe rack. There’s a high chance the delicate fabric will develop indents if it’s in contact with any other shoes over a while.

Cover your shoes in a breathable and washable cotton storage bag to protect them from dust. You may even place them in an acid-free box.

Make sure not to use a plastic container. It traps moisture, which ruins the delicate fabric.

Be very careful and always store your shoes in a cool place where the temperature is constant or the change in temperature is very low.

Reduce the Break-in Period

A prolonged break-in period can be a real “pain in the neck”! and in the foot, obviously. I’m sure you’ve tried your luck to cut this time short. If you’ve succeeded, then great if you haven’t, then don’t worry.

Fill up your velvet shoes with oats in a ziplock bag. Pour enough water inside the bag and cover the grain. The grain swells overnight and stretches your shoes. You can wear your shoes immediately after cleaning out the pouch.

This method saves both your feet from cramp and the shoes from that extra stress you put to loosen them up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are velvet shoes durable?

No, they’re less durable compared to other shoes of different materials. They require careful handling. To ensure their longevity, you can use them carefully. You can use shoe protectors to make them waterproof and prevent them from getting other stains.

To ensure your shoes remain protected for as long as possible, make sure to apply the protective spray after a certain amount of time.

How to get oil stains out of velvet shoes?

Pour a generous amount of baking soda/ cornmeal/ wheat germ over the stain. Make sure the pile is thick. About a centimeter would be great. Let the powder sit on the color for an hour or two. Overnight would be best.

Now brush off the powder using a soft bristle toothbrush. Repeat the process if not successful in the first attempt.

Should your toes touch the end of your shoes?

You should not be making contact with the end of the toe box. A pair of well-fit shoes should have a significant gap between the end of your toe box and your toe tip. You should always be able to curl up your toes inside the toe box comfortably.

Can you wear velvet in the rain?

It’s best to avoid the rain, even when your shoes are waterproofed! Velvet is quite sensitive to water and can be damaged quite easily. Try to wear them in calm dry weather.

Conclusion

Velvet is a sensitive fabric that requires proper care and attention. Velvet shoes are no exception. Now that you know quite a few easy yet effective methods to take care of your beloved velvet shoes, I’m sure caring for them shall be much easier now.

Do leave a comment, and do let me know what you think of my guide. I wish you all the very best.