Using Sno seal can be a great idea for you to waterproof your leather products. And of course, applying Sno seal to your leather goods or footwear or more specifically your suede will make the product more durable against water without compromising the leather quality.
Can You Use Sno Seal on Suede?
If your boots do not have a waterproof feature built-in, then it might be too hard for you to make them waterproof with any product. But because of its fiber and porous surface, applying sno seal can protect your boots from weather effects and prevent stains as well.
Especially, if your boots are made from full-grain leather or soft grain leather, sno seal will be more effective. And once the process is completed, the boots will be odorless.
Also, the natural pores will not be clogged after finishing. As a result, the leather will not be soaking up the water and at the same time, it will allow the leather to breathe. So, it will prevent you from carrying some extra weight and you will be lighter on your feet.
On the other hand, this waterproofing process will make the leather softer without compromising the ability of the boot to support your feet.
On the downside, you can face some complications with this process too. There is a huge possibility that it may affect the color of the leather. And sometimes, the compatibility of the leather and the sno seal is questionable.
What Is Sno Seal Made Of?
Beeswax is considered to be the key ingredient of sno seal. This natural and versatile material has been used for thousands of years in many sectors. To allow you to work with the sno seal ease, a temporary chemical solvent is used in the making process.
How to Apply Sno Seal to Your Boots?
Before applying sno seal to your boots, you need to do a simple patch test. Apply a little portion of sno seal on a small section of your boot. And afterward, check if the color of your boot is affected or not. If you like the result, you are free to go. You can follow this simple step and the waterproofing will be easierq
Required Tools
- Sno Seal
- Clean Rag
- Shoe brush
- Hairdryer or Heat lamp or Oven
Step 1: Cleaning
Use the shoe brush and clean off your shoes from any dirt or other contamination. If the shoe brush is not enough to clean your shoes, then you might need to use a dedicated leather shoe cleaner.
Step 2: Drying
Now when it comes to applying sno seal, you need to dry it up before applying. Because with the porous surface, there can be all kinds of moisture or humidity stuck there.
There are so many ways to dry them up. But one of the most efficient ways is the use of the oven. Now while using the oven for drying, you must follow some strict instructions as you do not want to mess it up. The temperature of the oven should be between 120 to 170 degrees Fahrenheit and you have to dry it for up to 2minutes.
Now if the oven is not an option for you, then you can follow some other efficient process. You can use both a hairdryer or heat lamp for this process, whichever you can use with ease.
But if you don’t want to use any tools, that is okay. You can always sundry it for an hour or two and get a nice outcome.
Step 3: Applying Sno Seal
Apply the sno seal using your finger in a circular motion. While applying, do not forget any section of your boot and afterward, check the boots thoroughly. If any section of the boot remains dull, you have to apply more sno seal in that particular section.
During the process, you have to pay extra attention to the stitches, welts, and seams. Because these are the area that can let the water go through your boots.
Step 4: Drying after applying the sno seal
After the sno seal is applied perfectly, you have to dry them up again. As we have mentioned before, drying with an oven is always the most efficient way. But you can choose the other ways as per your preferences.
Step 5: Applying a second coating
A second coating is not always essential, sometimes a second coat is proved to be more effective. For the second coat, the process is just the same. After drying the first coat, apply the second coat and dry the boots again. Once you are done, you are good to go. There is no need for you to apply more than two coats to your boots.
You can follow an easy process to know if you need more coatings or not. For that, you have to check the shine of your shoe and that will indicate that the shoe can not absorb any more wax or sno seal.
Step 5: Finishing
You have to use the clean rag to remove the excess products from your suede. Finally, give your shoe a fine finish with the shoe brush and have durable and waterproof leather.
Pro Tips
1. You can use a pair of leather gloves to apply the coating.
2. Do not heat the sno seal in its container. This will make the sno seal hard and that is not what you want.
3. Reseal the container of the sno seal after the process for further use.
4. For a greater finish, applying shoe polish is always a good idea.
5. remove the shoelaces from your suede before applying or drying them. This will ensure that they will not come into contact with the sno seal.
6. Before wearing them leave them for one night to dry naturally.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is snow good for suede?
Ans: Snow might contain some substances that can cause damage to the suede’s texture. The salt in the snow might cause stains and dirty water might be the worst for suede.
Q: What else can you use sno seal on?
Ans: There are multiple applications of this sno seal. Keep in mind that compatibility matters. all kinds of leather goods made of full grain leather or soft grain leather go well with the sno seal. You can use sno seal on gloves, handbags, jackets, etc.
Q: Is using an oven for drying bad for suede?
Ans: Oven drying is not going to damage the leather if you follow the right instructions. If the temperature of the oven is too high, or if you let the shoe dry on the oven for too long, there might be a different result and your suede might get damaged.
Q. Can suede be worn in the rain?
Ans: We discourage wearing suede in the rain. But after applying sno seal on your suede you can wear it in the rain.
Conclusion
Sno seal will help your suede to have proper moisture on the surface. As a result, you will get proper waterproof leather and it will prevent any kind of cracking on the leather. So if you are sure that the effect on the texture of the leather will not be an issue for you, go for it.
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