How To Clean Moccasins

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Moccasins offer a warm color and feel, making them so popular. But, with frequent use, dirt and scuffs can develop on their surface. So, can we wash moccasins? Absolutely, yes!

Just follow this multiple method manual on how to clean moccasins and rock your shoes once again.

How To Clean Moccasins

There are many methods that you can follow depending on what household material you have available.

Person raising their feet in the air while wearing a pair of moccasins

Material Required

  • Suede brush
  • White vinegar
  • Mild soap or baby shampoo
  • Blow fryer
  • Dry towel
  • Protecting spray
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Foaming spray
  • Baking soda
  • Oxidizing detergent
  • Used tea bags
  • Bread

Method #1: Manual Washing Technique

One of the easiest and safest ways to clean the moccasins is to clean them manually. All you need to is:

  1. Brush off the excess dirt from the moccasins by using a suede brush.
  2. Wet the suede brush and start cleaning your moccasins once again.
  3. Keep rubbing the shoes until the watermarks fade away.
  4. Apply baby shampoo over the shoes and brush your shoes with gentle pressure.
  5. Rinse your moccasins thoroughly with clean water.
  6. Let your moccasins dry. You can blow dry them if you want to use them urgently.
  7. Lastly, spray a protective layer of water and stain repellent spray to protect your shoes from stains.

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Warning

Don’t put your moccasins under direct sunlight outside your decking, or under high heat to dry them.

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Method #2: Use Washing Machine

Remember! Please don’t wash your shoes on a normal spin cycle as it can damage your shoes. To clean your moccasins in the washing machine:

  1. Brush off the excess dirt from the moccasins by using a suede brush.
  2. Wet the suede brush and start cleaning your moccasins once again.
  3. Keep rubbing the shoes until the watermarks fade away.
  4. Put your moccasins in the washing machine.
  5. Don’t use hot water to wash your shoes. You can use warm-cold water to wash your moccasins.
  6. Add a mild soap or baby shampoo to the machine. Don’t use harsh detergent to wash your shoes.
  7. Set your washing machine on a gentle cycle and wait for few minutes.
Washing machine and dryer
  1. Take out your moccasins from the machine once they are cleaned. Don’t dry them in the dryer as its heat can damage the shoes.
  2. Let your moccasins dry. You can blow dry them if you want to use them urgently.
  3. Roll a dry towel and put it inside the toe while the moccasins are damp. This will secure the shoes in their place and prevent them from shrinking.
  4. Lastly, spray a protective layer of water and stain repellent spray to protect your shoes from stains.

Method #3: Spot Cleaning Technique

Stains aren’t easy to remove, especially when the staining agent is pigmented. But, by repetitive cleaning, these stains can fade away.

  1. Brush off the excess dirt from the moccasins by using a suede brush.
  2. Wet the suede brush and start cleaning your moccasins once again.
  3. Keep rubbing the shoes until the watermarks fade away.
  4. Apply baby shampoo over the shoes and brush your shoes with gentle pressure.
  5. Rinse your moccasins thoroughly with clean water.
  6. Now, to remove the stains, use mild bleach or an oxidizing detergent.
  7. Mix bleach or oxidizing detergent with mild soap and apply it to the stains.
  8. Let the solution sit on the stain for 15-20 minutes.
  9. Use a damp suede brush for better cleaning.
  10. Wash your shoes with clean water.
  11. Let your moccasins dry. You can blow dry them if you want to use them urgently.
  12. Lastly, spray a protective layer of water and stain repellent spray to protect your shoes from stains.

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Tip

To remove the smell of stinky feet, you can use used tea bags or a small piece of bread. Just place the tea bag or small piece of bread in the shoes and let it stay overnight. Wash your shoes using mild soap the next day. Mild soap can be used for various cleaning tasks such as cleaning Shungite rocks and silicone ear plugs as well.

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Here is a video tutorial on how to clean moccasins manually using various methods.

Method #4: Alternative Methods With Kitchen Supplies

Apart from the methods listed above, you can customize DIY cleaning solutions to remove stains and grime from the shoes. Here are some common DIY combinations that remove the stains perfectly.

#1 Vinegar And Salt

  1. Brush off the excess dirt from the moccasins by using a suede brush.
  2. Wet the suede brush and start cleaning your moccasins once again.
  3. Keep rubbing the shoes until the watermarks fade away.
  4. Apply baby shampoo over the shoes and brush your shoes with gentle pressure.
  5. Rinse your moccasins thoroughly with clean water.
  6. Now, to remove the stain spots apply synthetic vinegar in small amounts.
  7. Rub the vinegar over the spots using a cotton swab or sponge.
  8. Take a teaspoon of sea salt and rub over the stain using the same sponge.
  9. Keep rubbing vigorously on the stains to get rid of them.
  10. Wash your shoes with clean water.
  11. Let your moccasins dry. You can blow dry them if you want to use them urgently.
  12. Lastly, spray a protective layer of water and stain repellent spray to protect your shoes from stains.
Baking soda

#2 Vinegar And Baking Soda

  1. Brush off the excess dirt from the moccasins by using a suede brush.
  2. Wet the suede brush and start cleaning your moccasins once again.
  3. Keep rubbing the shoes until the watermarks fade away.
  4. Apply baby shampoo over the shoes and brush your shoes with gentle pressure.
  5. Rinse your moccasins thoroughly with clean water.
  6. Now, to remove the stain spots apply synthetic vinegar in small amounts.
  7. Rub the vinegar over the spots using a cotton swab or sponge.
  8. Take a teaspoon of baking soda and rub over the stain using the same sponge.
  9. Let the fizz do its work.
  10. For better results, keep rubbing vigorously on the stains to get rid of them.
  11. Wash your shoes with clean water.
  12. Let your moccasins dry. You can blow dry them if you want to use them urgently.
  13. Lastly, spray a protective layer of water and stain repellent spray to protect your shoes from stains.

#3 Lemon Juice And Salt

  1. Brush off the excess dirt from the moccasins by using a suede brush.
  2. Wet the suede brush and start cleaning your moccasins once again.
  3. Keep rubbing the shoes until the watermarks fade away.
  4. Apply baby shampoo over the shoes and brush your shoes with gentle pressure.
  5. Rinse your moccasins thoroughly with clean water.
  6. Now, to remove the stain spots apply lemon juice over them.
  7. Rub the lemon juice over the spots using a cotton swab or sponge.
  8. Take a teaspoon of sea salt and rub over the stain using the same sponge.
  9. Keep rubbing vigorously on the stains to get rid of them.
  10. Clean your shoes with water.
  11. Let your moccasins dry. You can blow dry them if you want to use them urgently.
  12. Lastly, spray a protective layer of water and stain repellent spray to protect your shoes from stains.
Pair of moccasins

#4 Foaming Spray

  1. Brush off the excess dirt from the moccasins by using a suede brush.
  2. Wet the suede brush and start cleaning your moccasins once again.
  3. Keep rubbing the shoes until the watermarks fade away.
  4. Apply foaming spray over the shoes and brush your shoes with gentle pressure.
  5. Let the foam sit for a while and do its work.
  6. Rinse your moccasins thoroughly with clean water.
  7. Let your moccasins dry. You can blow dry them if you want to use them urgently.
  8. Lastly, spray a protective layer of water and stain repellent spray to protect your shoes from stains.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There Another Alternative Method Of Removing Dirt And Soft Stains From Moccasins?

An alternative method to remove light stains from the moccasins is to use an eraser. Just rub the eraser on the spots vigorously and see the results, they are even effective for cleaning suede bags.

How Can I Remove Oil Stains From My Moccasins?

Grease marks are tough to remove as they stain the fabric quickly. To remove oil patches from the moccasins, you can use talcum powder or corn starch. Sprinkle a small amount of talcum powder or corn starch on the shoes and let it sit overnight. Wash your shoes using the spot cleaning technique. 

Conclusion

Even though moccasins are very comfy, some people might develop skin allergies from them naturally over time if not kept clean and hygienic. If that happens, according to a study, dermatologists suggest using urea cream to cure such Moccasin type Tinea Pedis.

Thus, to prevent skin allergies, wear clean socks before wearing shoes, avoid shoe bites, use a sponge to cut the contact with the shoe, and always… Keep your shoes clean!