Rain, Snow & Salt
Caught out in the rain, or walked through salted sidewalks? What you do in the next few hours matters more than any cleaner. Dry them slow, lift the salt before it sets, and suede and leather come back fine.
Overview
How often
Whenever a pair comes home wet or with white salt lines. Re-apply protector once they're dry, then every 3–4 weeks of regular wear, sooner when water stops beading.
What you'll need
- Jason Markk Repel Spray (PFAS-free)PFAS-free protector once fully dry
- Crep Protect SprayUniversal protector for suede, canvas and leather
- Jason Markk Premium Suede Cleaning KitBrush and eraser for suede and nubuck once dry
- Nikwax Fabric & Leather ProofMembrane-safe reproofer for Gore-Tex pairs
- Nikwax Nubuck & Suede ProofMembrane-safe reproofer for Gore-Tex suede and nubuck
- Bickmore Bick 4 Leather ConditionerThin coat on full-grain leather that dried stiff
Picked for the material, not paid for. Test anything new on a hidden spot first.
Step by step
Step 1: Blot, don't rub
As soon as you're in, blot the outside with a dry towel. Take out the laces and insoles so the inside can breathe.
Step 2: Stuff and dry slowly
Stuff with plain white paper (or cedar shoe trees once they're no longer soaking) and swap the paper when it gets damp. Dry at room temperature, away from heat and sun. Give it 24 hours.
Step 3: Lift salt lines
Mix white vinegar and water 1:1. Dab it on the white salt lines with a soft cloth, then wipe with a cloth dampened in plain water. On suede and nubuck, dampen the whole panel evenly rather than one spot, so it dries without a ring, then brush once dry. Test on suede in a hidden spot first.
Step 4: Suede and nubuck: brush once dry
Only when completely dry, brush with the nap using a suede brush to lift it back up. A suede eraser takes out water marks that are left.
Only for Suede, Nubuck, Synthetic suedeStep 5: Leather: condition once dry
Rain can leave smooth leather stiff. Once dry, a thin coat of conditioner brings it back. Full-grain leather only: skip it on synthetic, patent and coated (corrected-grain) leather, and give cordovan its own cream.
Only for Full-grain leather, Tumbled leather, Nappa / soft leather, Oiled / Crazy Horse leatherStep 6: Re-protect
Once fully dry, re-apply a water and stain protector. Then every 3–4 weeks of regular wear, sooner when water stops beading.
Skip for Waterproof membrane, Patent leather, FoampositeStep 7: Re-protect: membrane-safe reproofer
Waterproof lining: once fully dry, reproof only if water no longer beads, with Nikwax Fabric & Leather Proof (or Nubuck & Suede Proof on suede). Not an ordinary protector.
Only for Waterproof membrane
What to avoid
- Heat to dry them: radiators, hair dryers, heaters, direct sun
- Brushing wet suede or nubuck; wait until it's fully dry
- Leaving salt lines to dry in; they set and crack leather
- Wearing the same pair again before it's dry inside
Watch for
- Salt set in. Vinegar lifts the white but can't undo cracking. A conditioner softens the look.
Between wears
- Drying. Room temperature, air moving, out of the sun. Patience beats heat every time.
- Rotation. Give a pair that got soaked a full day off before wearing it again; damp insides break down glue and lining.
Related guides
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Cleaning & Conditioning Leather
Most of your Jordans, Dunks, Air Maxes, Sambas, and Stan Smiths land here. Modern leather uppers are forgiving — what wrecks them is dirt sitting in crease lines and leather drying out from neglect. A clean every 25 wears or so, plus a light condition when it feels dry, keeps the grain alive.
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Reviving Suede & Nubuck
Suede care is more about technique than product. You're brushing the nap, not soaking the surface — water is the enemy. A soft brush, an eraser for marks, and a protectant spray before the first wear keep these looking sharp for years.
