Unlike leather, suede is a very delicate and soft material. So the products used to maintain leather boots are different from suede.
Mink Oil is a proven leather care product that provides conditioning benefits and a weather coating.
But does mink oil work equally well on suede boots?
To find the answer, I smeared my favorite suede boots with mink oil.
Want to know the results of my experiment?
Let’s dig deep…
What is mink oil?
Mink oil is said to be obtained from the adipose tissue of the mink, but very few commercially available mink oils contain the original mink fat. It is made up of a mixture of glycerides.
Benefits of mink oil:
Mink oil contains the very essential omega-7 fatty acids that are known to restore moisture to the surface. will be added.
Disadvantages of mink oil:
Mink oil is absorbed into the pores of the skin and prevents the material from breathing. Another factor is the darkening of the leather surface to which the mink oil is applied.
What is suede made of?
The main difference between suede and leather is that leather is made from the hard outer skin of sheep, goats, camels, etc. Suede, on the other hand, is made from the inner layer of these animal skins.
This suede has a softer, more supple and delicate texture than leather. Also, suede has more bristles than leather, giving it the feel and feel of a softer fabric.
Is it okay to apply mink oil to suede boots?
If you use mink oil and your suede boots start to wrinkle, look dull and dry, you can use it for conditioning, but is it really safe to apply mink oil to suede?
To find out, I decided to apply mink oil to my light brown Chelsea suede boots.
How to apply mink oil to suede boots ( right way)?
Materials needed:
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- suede brush
- mink oil
- microfiber cloth
- tissue
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process:
Step 1: Cleaning suede boots:
Applying mink oil will trap surface dirt in your pores, so make sure your suede boots are clean first. So I used a suede brush to gently remove dirt and dust from the surface of the boot.
The boots weren’t that dirty, so they didn’t need to be washed. However, if you need to do a thorough cleaning with soapy water, don’t hesitate.
Step 2: Apply Mink Oil:
Be very careful with the amount of mink oil you apply to suede. Too much product can trap excess moisture and damage your boots. So I decided to work with drops on a small area of the boot.
I put a drop of mink oil on a microfiber cloth and gently massaged it with the small surface of the boot until I did the same with the entire boot.
Step 3: Removing Excess Mink Oil:
This is a very important part and where most people go wrong. They think that once the mink oil is applied, the job is done. No!
Next, I took a paper tissue and gently tapped it on the surface of the suede boot. Soak a tissue paper in excess oil to prevent the oil from getting into the suede pores and blocking the breathability of the boot. .
Step 4: Polish your suede boots:
Mink oil will dull the look of suede a bit in the long run. For this, the suede brush was again used to gently brush the surface of the boot.
This not only gave the suede a shine, but it also helped even out the patches that used more mink oil than the rest.
Step 5: Rest your boots:
This is also a very important part of mink oil application. If you step outside immediately after oiling your boots, your suede boots will trap more dirt and become dull and dusty.
So I let the suede boots dry under a fan overnight and had very little sun exposure the next day.
Final result:
My suede boots looked lifelike, soft and gorgeous, but they darkened the light brown suede a bit (which, frankly, wasn’t too bad).
Did mink oil add water resistance to suede boots?
To test the water resistance of mink oil, I ventured into a puddle. Unfortunately my suede boots got wet very quickly.
But did water damage my suede boots?
No! If you add water too early, the suede boot will become stiff after it dries. But this time it wasn’t. After my suede boots dried, they remained just as soft and smooth.
Did mink oil darken your suede boots?
yes, I did, but it only darkened the shade. It’s not like turning a light color into a dark one.
Long-term benefits of applying mink oil to suede boots:
I really enjoyed the effect mink oil had on my suede boots and started applying it far too often.
After applying mink oil for about 6 months, my boots became too dark from the excess moisture and eventually the boots looked dull and lost the feel of soft suede bristles.
How often to apply mink oil to suede boots?
After my bad experience with regular application of mink oil on suede boots, do not apply more than twice in 6 months. (How often to apply mink oil to leather boots?)
Alternative to mink oil for suede boots
1.) Regarding water resistance:
- This water repellent treatment keeps nubuck, suede and waterproof breathable footwear safe, keeps your shoes looking great and your feet dry.
- It’s easy to apply in a spray-on formula and keeps your favorite hiking shoes and boots clean and stain-free.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API:
Product prices and availability are correct as of the date and time indicated and are subject to change.Information about prices and availability displayed in [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] Applied at the time of purchase of this product.
2.) To minimize contamination:
- Repels water from suede and nubuck leather
- SAFE TO USE: Leather protector spray is safe to use on all types and colors of suede and nubuck leather products.
- Odorless: The spray dries clean and odorless so you don’t have to worry about your fabrics as you start your life.
- Proactive Coverage: Easily applied with suede spray to repel water and salt stains that can ruin your clothing and accessories.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API:
Product prices and availability are correct as of the date and time indicated and are subject to change.Information about prices and availability displayed in [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] Applied at the time of purchase of this product.
3.) Color protection:
- Repels water, dirt, oil and dirt on all suede and nubuck shoes, boots, handbags and clothing
- Provides maximum protection from rain, dirt and moisture
- Keeps all suede and nubuck colors looking new longer
- Premium quality formula, UV protection prevents fading from the sun
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API:
Product prices and availability are correct as of the date and time indicated and are subject to change.Information about prices and availability displayed in [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] Applied at the time of purchase of this product.
At the end
When it comes to moisturizing dirty boots, nothing beats mink oil.
However, to keep your suede boots looking their best, use them sparingly every six months.
