Protecting & Cleaning the Uppers
Suede
Despite its appearance, suede is hard wearing and resistant. If you want to keep the nap of the suede looking fresh and new then you can use a suede brush to gently tease the nap, removing dirt and particles and raising up the nap. If you want to give added protection you can apply a suede protector. You will need to do that when the product is box fresh before any particles of dust or dirt settle on the suede. We do not supply spray, but most shoe repair stores will be able to recommend and supply you with a useful product.
Most importantly if your suede shoes are wet or dirty then you need to wipe them down with a cloth and dry them out. Do not dry them on a direct heat source
Leather
For leather products you need to take the same level of care as is needed with Suede.
If leather shoes are wet or dirty, then you need to wipe them down with a cloth and dry them out. Do not dry them on a direct heat source. Using a cream or polish on leather is the same as using a moisturiser of skin care on your own skin. Leather breathes and using a cream will keeps it softer and younger!
Before you clean your shoes remove any dried in mud or dirt with a dry shoe brush or a damp cloth. You can clean your shoes with a good quality shoe cream or polish. Making sure the footwear is dry, you can then work the polish or cream into the leather with a shoe brush or a cloth. Make sure that the cream or polish is worked into the grain and let the shoes stand a while. Once the polish has had time to penetrate the leather then you can brush off the surplus with a polishing brush or cloth (but not the same one that you used to apply the polish). For a deep shine you are going to need to put effort in and keep polishing until you achieve the sheen that you want
Vegan
Finding a substitute for leather that is ethical, aesthetic, environmentally friendly and that fulfils our technical requirements, has been our goal when offering a vegan friendly option. The microfibre that we use is resilient and resistant. It can be cleaned with warm water and a clean cloth, and a shoe cream can be applied to it for an extra finish.
Authentic Tartan
Our authentic tartan provides excellent wear but as a woven fabric we do suggest that you take a little extra care in those circumstances where the shoe is exposed to dirt and rain. The fabric can be cleaned with a fabric cleaner or hot soap and water. We would recommend that you protect the shoe upper with a fabric protector. You will need to apply that before wear to make sure that dirt and particles are not “trapped “by the spray
Patent leather
The patent leather that is used by Underground is a leather base with a coating. The coating provides the polished sheen finish. We do not recommend using a protective spray. The shoes should be cleaned with a damp cloth
Pony
Although referred to as “pony “most leather with the “hair on “is cowhide. This is the leather that we use at Underground. Due to the texture of the leather, we do not recommend applying any protective spray or cleaning creams. The leather can be wiped clean with a damp cloth.