Description
Slitesterk Leather Cleaner Décapant 100ml – the strip-back step that makes every dye job work
This is the bottle nobody thinks they need and everybody wishes they had bought. Slitesterk leather cleaner is a décapant: a strong cleaning product made to strip built-up dirt, grease, old shoe polish and previous care layers off smooth leather, leaving a clean and even surface behind.
Here is why it matters. Shoes that have been polished for years carry an invisible sandwich of wax, cream and dirt. New products cannot get through it, which is why a dye goes on patchy or a cream refuses to soak in. Strip that layer off first and everything you do afterwards works properly the first time.
It is the essential first step before recolouring, before applying a penetrating dye and before any serious restoration job. It is also worth doing once a year on shoes you polish often, just to reset the surface and let the leather breathe again.
One 100ml bottle goes a surprisingly long way, because you use it on a cloth rather than pouring it on. Work in a well-ventilated room or outdoors, and take your time – several gentle passes are far kinder to the leather than one aggressive one.
Why choose Slitesterk Leather Cleaner Décapant 100ml?
- Removes old polish and wax completely. Years of build-up come off onto the cloth, so you are working on the leather itself rather than a layer of product.
- Degreases as well as cleans. Grease and body oils are lifted out, which is exactly what a dye needs if it is going to take evenly.
- The right preparation for dyeing. Skip this step and your dye job will look blotchy; do it properly and the colour goes down beautifully.
- Restores an even surface. Patchy, over-polished leather comes back to a uniform base you can build on again.
- Handy 100ml bottle. Enough for several pairs, and small enough to keep in the shoe care box rather than the garage.
- Also useful before intensive care. A once-a-year strip-back lets creams and conditioners get into the leather again on shoes you polish regularly.
How to use Slitesterk Leather Cleaner Décapant 100ml
- Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated room, and lay newspaper down to protect your surfaces.
- Brush the shoes clean and remove the laces so you can reach the whole upper.
- Dampen a cotton cloth with a little of the cleaner – never pour it straight onto the leather.
- Rub the leather in gentle circles; you will see the old polish transfer onto the cloth. Change to a fresh area of cloth as it loads up.
- Repeat until nothing more comes off, using a cotton bud to get into the welt and around the sole edge.
- Let the shoes rest for several hours so the solvents flash off, then dye, recolour or feed the leather as planned.
Specifications
- Volume: 100ml bottle
- Type: Leather cleaner and décapant (polish stripper)
- Use: Preparation before dyeing, recolouring or intensive care
- Suitable for: Smooth leather shoes, boots, bags and belts
- Not suitable for: Suede, nubuck and patent leather
- Brand: Slitesterk
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe on my leather?
It is strong by design, so treat it with respect. Test a hidden spot first, use it on a cloth rather than pouring it on, and build up with several gentle passes instead of scrubbing. Feed the leather with a cream afterwards, because stripping removes the nourishment along with the wax.
Do I really need it before dyeing?
If your shoes have ever been polished, yes. Dye needs to reach the leather, and wax stops it. This is the single most common reason a home dye job comes out patchy, and ten minutes with a décapant prevents it.
Where can I buy Slitesterk Leather Cleaner in the UK?
You can order Slitesterk Leather Cleaner Décapant 100ml 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.
Lucie T. –
Works well
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Raymond Wassing (verified owner) –
Reasonable enough
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John (verified owner) –
Good quality.
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Miranda Koldemeule-Oosterbroek (verified owner) –
Good. It works well.
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Trijnie Nanninga (verified owner) –
Works fine
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N Aboosy (verified owner) –
Very good
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Marja Knops (verified owner) –
Good preparation for dyeing
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Bren (verified owner) –
Works really well!
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Ivdm (verified owner) –
Great! Works very well.
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Ruben Lankhorst (verified owner) –
If you follow the instructions the dye adheres well ?
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Irene Bultman (verified owner) –
The dyeing turned out really well.
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R. Feitsma (verified owner) –
Does what it should do. Do close the bottles properly before shipping though.
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Saskia Reijerkerk (verified owner) –
Cleans well.
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Nicole Hoeben (verified owner) –
Would do it again
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Bianca Thomassen –
Good product
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Madeleine Opheij –
?super!!!!
Kitty Gerritsen –
Works brilliantly
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Sonja Bradley-Bekenkamp (verified owner) –
Great !Really happy with it ?
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A. Gorski (verified owner) –
does what it’s supposed to do ..
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CAM (verified owner) –
Does its job – does indeed have a strong smell. So leaving your shoes outside in the open air for a night after treatment is a good idea.
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Christianne Meulendijks (verified owner) –
Does stink but cleans well.
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Gert Sijl (verified owner) –
Cleans quickly and well,
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Cathy (verified owner) –
It takes a lot of rubbing before old dye/shoe polish comes off.
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H Overduin (verified owner) –
Good …works well
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Sheila Van der Puyl (verified owner) –
Dye takes well after cleaning.
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Lois (verified owner) –
Works well.
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Angelique Bertens (verified owner) –
Good product for preparing shoes for dyeing
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GJ (verified owner) –
Does its job fine.
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Jan Bavelaar (verified owner) –
Good quality and quick dispatch. Aftercare by way of an email with a few extra tips, perfect.
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Karen Steenbergen (verified owner) –
Good stuff, and not expensive!
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John (verified owner) –
Works fine
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Antoine Dapremont (verified owner) –
I give you 5 green stars
Rita Tuerlinckx (verified owner) –
Leather cleaned perfectly.
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May Van Campfort (verified owner) –
Cleaner is the basis for dyeing.
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Angelique Zijlstra (verified owner) –
Very good quality
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J. Boerlage (verified owner) –
Excellent
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Mirjam Hendrikse (verified owner) –
See above
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Chrisje Coppens (verified owner) –
Good quality
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jeroen wilhelm (verified owner) –
Cleans deeply and leaves a surface that’s easy to work on.
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Lambertha Manuputty-Bruins (verified owner) –
It’s great
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