The $7 Brush That Made My (Heavily Worn) Slippers Look Almost New
In August of 2020 I wrote about the Birkenstock Amsterdam Clogs, and how I absolutely had to have them. I obsessively checked the Birkenstock website, I even searched for pairs on eBay and Poshmark, but they were nowhere to be found. To be fair, there were felt Amsterdams available all over the place, but I specifically wanted suede with shearling lining, to most accurately mimic the Jenny Kayne clogs I can never justify spending $375 on.
I kept a tab with the Amsterdam clogs available at all times, so I could check at least a few times a week to see if they were restocked. Then, in April of 2021, they were there. ONE pair in MY size! I ordered them as fast as I could, and hoped they would work out. They ended up looking more slipper-like than I expected, so I wore them as house shoes. I always wear house-specific shoes/slippers in my house, because arthritis, and these have been the best house shoes I have ever had (even better than my summer slippers, AKA EVA Birks). I’ve been wearing them non-stop, and they’re starting to look a little rough.
I wanted to clean them, but I wasn’t sure if I needed some kind of solvent or if I could just use a nail brush and some Woolite… so I Googled. Turns out, all you really need is a brush. A suede brush, to be specific. So I got one, and wouldn’t you know, Google was right.
This suede brush is actually four tools in one, and can address just about every nook and cranny of your shoes. i didn’t even know what some of these pieces are for, but luckily, the directions are printed right on the package.
I started with the nubby side (1), to try and get off any dirt or debris. Then I went around the edge where the top of the shoe meets the sole with the grooved edge (3). As a final sprucing step, I brushed the suede with the bristle brush (2), all in one direction. My shoes came out looking fantastic.
There is a tiny spot on the left shoe that I think is oil, and the very frontmost part of the toes is a little worn, but overall, this one brush made my shoes look new again. And for $7 and about 3 minutes of effort!
