pee-drenched shoes--help!

[Anonymous]

Hi there--

My toddler (2.5) is potty training, and doing really well. BUT we had a couple of accidents yesterday, and she soaked her shoes. They're purple suede. Any suggestions on how best to clean them?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Bwahahah, welcome to my world. I got so fed up with stinky shoes, I just chucked them in the washing machine (on cold) -- leather, nylon, and all. Air dried and they are just like new. DC doesn't have any all-suede shoes, though. I'd still be desperate enough to try it though, and then take a stiff brush to them after they are thoroughly dry.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm... the only really good thing to do with suede shoes is to spray them with a water repellant protector before first use.

Here is an article that suggests how to handle water stains. Maybe this wetting and blotting will work. But in the end it seems like you are going to have to really rinse them out or they will smell like pee.

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Suede-Shoes

[Anonymous]

I think what I'm really looking for here is the courage to throw them in the washer. They were $3 at a consignment sale, so I shouldn't be so afraid, but I like them a lot.

I think the wetting and blotting isn't going to cut the scent enough.

[Anonymous]

Wash away!! They're basically trashed with all of that pee. So if you wash them and they're ugly too, then you just HAVE to throw them out, instead of sitting there looking at stinky pee shoes wishing you could figure out how to clean them. The fact that they were $3 makes the decision even easier!

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I'm the washing machine PP. I threw $40 Striderites in there -- his only pair -- I was desperate. Now he gets $10 shoes from Target until he's better trained.