A cleaning guru has shared an innovative way of removing unwanted stains from suede shoes or surfaces. If you find your shoes fashioning any dirt, your thought may be to use a commercial cleaner but there’s something much more gentle which can complete the job. 

Chantel Mila, known as Mama Mila on TikTok, shared some of her top home hacks for 2025, including how micellar water can be a good alternative for shoe cleaning. Micellar water may be a staple in a skincare routine, but it has some amazing cleaning qualities that are beneficial to shoes. It can also double as a cleaning product when you’re in a bind.

Chantel explained that micellar water can be used to help remove tough stains from suede.

How to clean suede with micellar water

Simply apply a generous amount of micellar water to a clean cotton pad or reusable makeup pad, then rub the micellar water on the stain. Allow the suede to air-dry.

Just like that, the stain should begin to vanish. It’s a good cleaning alternative as it contains tiny cleansing oil molecules – known as micelles – which help lift dirt and oil. 

The micelles will grab onto dirt particles and draw them out from the suede without drying out the fabric. However, if the stain is particularly tough, don’t worry if it doesn’t come out straight away.

Ugg Express recommended letting the shoes dry, and then beginning the process again. It’s always advisable to spot test the micellar water on suede beforehand, just so it doesn’t affect the colour or texture on the material.

Cassandra Green wrote for Mamamia: “In desperation, I turned to the internet, where I discovered people were using micellar water to clean suede. 

“Skeptical but with nothing to lose, I grabbed my Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water (the one with the pink cap that costs about $6 at Chemist Warehouse) and a few Q-tips.

“I dabbed a Q-tip into the solution and gently worked it over one of the stains. To my absolute shock, the mark started to dissolve before my eyes. Thirty minutes later, my heels looked almost new again.

“Granted, there’s some scuffs you’ll never get out. But the overall look was much cleaner.”

Chantel’s video has been viewed over a massive 274,000 times, receiving 7.057 likes and ten comments. One person said: “So many good tips! Can’t wait to try the micellar water trick on my sneakers!!”

Sierra agreed: “So many good hacks!”