How to Clean Suede Sneakers: Restoring the Salehe Bembury x New Balance 991v2 with Vick Almighty

Restoring the Salehe Bembury x New Balance 991v2

Salehe Bembury’s collaborations are known for their texture, color, and premium material choices — especially suede. But suede also requires careful, intentional cleaning, and once it gets stained or matted down, the shoe can lose its magic fast.

In today’s episode of Shoe Care Academy, Vick Almighty takes on a pair of Salehe Bembury x New Balance 991v2sthat have been worn hard behind a bar. We’re talking mystery stains, sticky buildup, and suede that has completely lost its soft, plush feel.

This restoration focuses on safety, control, and texture recovery — the key pillars of suede care.

Step 1: Dry Brushing to Lift Surface Dirt

Before introducing any moisture, Vick starts with a dry Soft Bristle Brush to remove loose dirt and dust. This prevents grinding dirt deeper into the suede once cleaning begins.

Why it matters:
Suede is delicate. Starting gentle keeps the fibers from flattening or discoloring.

Step 2: Removing Stuck-On Buildup

Some of the grime on this pair wasn’t just dirt — it was stuck, hardened, who-knows-what.

Vick uses:

• A pick to carefully chip away buildup

• Slow, controlled pressure to preserve the suede nap

This part is about patience, not force.

Step 3: Deep Cleaning the Suede Uppers

Now that the surface is cleared, Vick uses the Reshoevn8r Essential Shoe Cleaning Kit with the Soft Bristle Brushand a light, foamy application.

Key Technique Here:
Work in light circles, keeping the suede damp but never soaked — over-saturation can cause color bleed or stiffness.

Step 4: Cleaning and Restoring the Midsole

The midsoles get cleaned using the Medium Bristle Brush. This brush removes grime without damaging paint or structure.

Small detail — big difference.

Step 5: Drying and Restoring Texture

After letting the shoes air-dry, Vick goes back in with a final dry brush to:

• Lift the suede fibers

• Restore the softness

• Bring back the original visual depth

This is the moment where the shoe starts looking like a Salehe again.

The suede returns to that plush, rich, touchable feel the collab is known for.

Why This Episode Matters

This isn’t just a cleaning — it’s a practical blueprint for anyone who owns suede sneakers and actually wears them.
Too many people are afraid to clean suede because they’ve seen it go wrong.

This episode shows:
✅ The right tools
✅ The right pressure
✅ The right moisture balance
✅ The right finishing techniques

Whether you’re a collector or someone who just wants their daily rotation to look clean, this method works.

Products Used in This Episode

(Production team — add store links here)

• Reshoevn8r Essential Shoe Cleaning Kit

• Soft Bristle Brush

• Medium Bristle Brush

• Pick Tool

• Microfiber Towel

Key Takeaways

• Always start with a dry brush on suede

• Use minimal moisture to avoid color bleed

• Work patiently — suede rewards control

• A final brush at the end brings the texture back to life

Watch the Full Tutorial

🎥 See the full cleaning breakdown in this episode of Shoe Care Academy on our YouTube channel.
Follow along step-by-step and bring your suede pairs back to life with confidence.