I have two pairs of suede boots, the Blundstone 1306 boots I reviewed last month, and a pair of Clarks’ Desert boots that I’ve had for almost an eternity.  

Suede is less water repellent and requires much more attention than a leather shoe, so whilst chatting to Tom Forbes from the Boot Repair Company about the naff soles on my Desert boots, and my concerns about looking after suede boots, a colleague of his offered me some Military Suede & Fabric Shampoo and waterproof Protector.

Sold in a 200ml can, the Protector invisibly protects leather, suede, fabric and wool against the penetration of water and stains, and it doesn’t affect the boots breathing ability, either. 

Once you’ve sprayed your boots, they’ll be ready to wear after 15 minutes, but for maximum protection you’re better off leaving them to dry naturally overnight.

Both my boots were clean at the time of writing, so I haven’t tried the shampoo yet, but the Protector works an absolute treat! I sprayed my Blundstone boots, left them overnight, and in the morning wore them whilst taking Lilly (the Mud Life dog) out for a very wet walk around the park.  The result - water and muck rolled off them like water off a duck’s back.  Brilliant!

price: £3.99 (each)

more at » bootrepaircompany.co.uk