According to the experts at Crockett & Jones, the well-known brand of fine English footwear, “Suede can often be revived using steam from the kettle and gently cleaning with a rubber suede brush.” Start the process by brushing your shoes with a regular shoe brush to remove all surface particles and dirt. Their preferred choice here is to use a horse hair brush.

You invested heavily in that suede jacket, so you're wearing it a lot, right? Good. But now take a look around the pockets and the collar. A little dingy? Maybe some oily discoloration? Don't worry. Conventional wisdom is that these stains are impossible to remove, so hesitation is understandable. But don't back down from this fight. Products you almost certainly have at home—baking soda or cornstarch—are the key to working these greasy stains out.

If you've got a suede item, say a bag, that's in need of real cleaning, you might want to use a dedicated cleanser. The Crockett & Jones team recommends Saphir's Omni'Nettoyant. “This unique formula contains solvents and surfactants, which lift dirt and marks from the surface, leaving it clean and renewed.” A brush with natural bristles is included in the box to help work out any stains without damaging the surface of the suede.

First give your bag a good brushing to remove any surface dirt and dust. Then dilute the cleanser with water in a one-to-three ratio. Use the brush to apply the Omni'Nettoyant mixture to the bag's surface and gently scrub in a circular motion. Rinse the brush with plain water and brush it again so that no trace of the cleaner remains on the suede. (You'll recognize it because it won't foam up anymore.) Then let the bag dry thoroughly overnight, or ideally for 24 hours. Once dry, you might want to brush with a dry brush just to refresh the nap of the suede.