Slitesterk Leather Cleaner and Preparer 250ml – Deglazer for Dyeing Shoes

Description

Slitesterk Leather Cleaner and Preparer 250ml – Deglazer for Dyeing Shoes – the prep step that decides whether your dye job lasts

Every disappointing recolouring job I have ever been shown has the same cause. Not the dye, not the technique – the prep. Leather leaves the tannery with a finish on it, and if that finish is still there when the colour goes on, the dye has nothing to grip. A few weeks later it is lifting at the creases.

This is a leather cleaner for dyeing shoes that does two jobs in one bottle. It cleans off dirt, grease, old cream and wax, and it acts as a preparer: it dissolves the factory topcoat so the pores of the leather open up and the dye can key in properly. That is the difference between a colour that lasts a season and one that lasts years.

People often reach for neat acetone from the hardware shop instead, and I would steer you away from that. Pure acetone strips out the oils and tanning agents that make leather leather, it can burn the fibres, and it happily melts synthetic trims, foam midsoles and plastic eyelets. This is a properly balanced formula: strong enough to open the surface, controlled enough to leave the leather healthy.

It comes in a generous 250ml bottle, which is the size that makes sense if you are dyeing a whole pair or working through several. Slitesterk is our own brand – the name is Norwegian for hard-wearing – and this one was put together from years of watching what actually goes wrong on the workbench.

Why choose Slitesterk Leather Cleaner and Preparer?

• Cleaner and preparer in one bottle – it lifts dirt, grease and old polish and removes the factory finish in the same wipe, so you are not buying two products to do one job.
• Opens the pores of the leather – once the topcoat is gone the dye soaks in and bonds instead of sitting on a sealed surface waiting to peel.
• Kinder than neat acetone – hardware-shop acetone dissolves the tanning agents and can melt plastic trims and midsoles. This formula opens the surface without wrecking what is underneath.
• Generous 250ml bottle – enough to prepare several pairs properly, and far better value than the small bottles included in a single dye kit.
• Also brilliant as a deep cleaner – even if you are not dyeing anything, it strips years of built-up wax off neglected shoes so your cream can finally reach the leather.
• Made for the job by people who do it – we put it together from our own experience of what makes home dyeing succeed or fail, which is why the prep step is front and centre.

How to use Slitesterk Leather Cleaner and Preparer

1. Remove the laces, brush off all loose dirt and stand the shoes on newspaper in a well ventilated room.
2. Dampen a lint-free cloth or a cotton pad with the cleaner – you want it damp, not dripping.
3. Wipe the leather over in firm, even strokes. You will see colour and old polish coming off onto the cloth; keep turning to a clean part of the cloth as you go.
4. Work over the whole panel until the surface looks matt and even, with the shine gone, then take a fresh cloth to the seams and welt.
5. Let the shoes dry for fifteen to twenty minutes at room temperature before you start dyeing or painting.

Haico’s tip: matt is the target, not bare. You are removing the finish, not sanding the leather back, so stop as soon as the sheen has gone evenly. And do test it on a hidden spot first – on some heavily corrected leathers the surface colour lifts faster than you expect.

Specifications

• Volume: 250ml bottle
• Type: leather cleaner and preparer (deglazer)
• Use for: preparing smooth leather before dyeing or painting, and deep cleaning
• Suitable for: smooth leather shoes, boots, bags and belts
• Not suitable for: suede, nubuck and patent leather
• Brand: Slitesterk

Frequently asked questions

Why can I not just use acetone or nail polish remover?

Because they are far more aggressive than they look. Neat acetone dissolves the fats and tanning agents that keep leather flexible, dries the fibres out, and melts synthetic trims, foam and plastic eyelets on contact. A purpose-made preparer removes the finish and stops there.

Do I have to use it before every dye job?

Before every one where you want the colour to last, yes. Almost all shop-bought shoes have a sealed finish, and any pair you have polished has wax on it too. Both block the dye. Five minutes of prep is the cheapest insurance there is.

Can I use it just to clean shoes I am not dyeing?

You can, and it is very good at it – it strips years of layered wax and cream off neglected leather. Follow it with a nourishing cream, though, because it leaves the leather clean and bare and wanting to be fed.

How much does 250ml cover?

Comfortably several pairs. You are wiping with a damp cloth rather than pouring it on, so a pair of shoes uses very little. That is why the 250ml bottle works out so much better value than the small sachets in a dye kit.

Where can I buy Slitesterk Leather Cleaner and Preparer in the UK?

You can order Slitesterk Leather Cleaner and Preparer directly from Shoespecialist.co.uk. We offer free delivery on orders over £50, same-day dispatch when you order before 5pm, and a 60-day return policy, so you can buy with complete confidence.

It is not the exciting part of recolouring a pair of shoes, but it is the part that decides how the job looks a year from now.