How to clean suede

Aug 10, 2010 10:46 PM by Molly Cerreta Smith

Posted in How-To / Home How-tos / Cleaning How-tos

Tips To Clean Suede

Suede is such a luxurious fabric, but many avoid it because it's gotten something of a bad rap for being tough to clean, however, it can be done. Here are some tricks to clean suede fabric and furniture.

Suede stain

Seek a professional

If you've stained a piece of suede clothing or shoes, it might be best to take it to a professional suede cleaner to have it treated and cleaned properly.

wet stains

If you have a wet stain on the suede article, blot it gently with a clean, dry paper towel or washcloth.

dry stains

If the item has a dry stain, gently rub the area with a pencil eraser or a suede eraser. Brush gently with a suede brush.

Suede furniture

For a simple way to clean your suede furniture, wipe down the surface with a damp (not wet!) cloth to remove dust or dirt without actually getting the suede wet.

Suede cleaner

If you need to treat a stain with suede cleaner, be sure to test the product on an inconspicuous area of your couch before tackling the stain, just in case the suede cleaner reacts adversely to your suede furniture. Follow the directions on the suede cleaner. If you don't have suede cleaner, you can dab the stain with a tiny bit of vinegar (again, test the material first!), then blot with a clean, dry cloth.

Brush it down

After you've removed any stains and allowed any damp spots to dry completely, brush your suede furniture down with a metal suede brush. Use gentle circular motions, applying a bit more pressure on areas with residual stains.

More stain cleaning tips

Tags: cleaning suede cleaning suede furniture dry stains how to clean suede remove stains stain removal stains on suede suede cleaner wet stains

Comments

Comments on "How to clean suede"

This is one of the most useful and applicable articles I have read in a long time. I own a few suede pieces and my number one complaint is how quickly they get dirty. I was very interested to see that a pencil eraser can help clean suede. I have always been too afraid to clean them on my own but now I know what to do for the next time!

If you use anything lqiuid, you will be left with water marks that are nearly impossible to remove. You can, however, use dry carpet cleaning granules which will remove both dirt and grime as well as stains. Resolve and Capture both make them. Simply apply, agitate with a suede or soft brush, leave it sit on the surface for 30 minutes and then vacuum. There is not enough moisture in them to cause damage.

Thanks for this. Due to cleaning purposes I'm not a huge fan of suede but we do have a few pieces of furniture made of it. Thanks!