Suede is a type of leather that makes for cute and warm looking garments, shoes and accessories. However, unlike leather, Suede is a more soft and vulnerable fabric that needs extra care and maintenance, because as you can tell it’s trickier to clean!
Here are a few things to keep in mind when you want to clean anything suede:
- Don’t spot clean suede with just a cloth and water.
- Don’t put liquids directly onto suede.
- ALWAYS follow the care label and instructions!
How To Clean Suede Clothing
- Remove surface dirt: For light dirt that is sitting on top of the surface of the shoes, brush off the dirt with a suede brush or a toothbrush. Always brush in the same direction as your suede.
- For water stains: Remove fresh water stains immediately by blotting with a cloth or paper towel. If the stained area turns a different colour, try wetting the entire shoe with a damp cloth and let it dry.
- For oil/grease stains: Blot out excess liquid and add a reasonable amount of baking soda (cornflour or talcum powder works too!) to the stained area. Leave it to sit for a few hours, then brush it away. You can always repeat this step until the stain is almost gone.
- For tougher stains: For more stubborn stains like coffee or ink, apply a mixture of water and white vinegar to a damp wash cloth and begin to dab/ lightly wipe away the stain.
If the stain on your suede is just way too tough and too tricky to get rid of, hand it over to a dry cleaner and let them get the stain out for you!
Protecting your suede
Here are some pointers to help maintain and protect your suede garments:
- Use suede protecting products: These help prevent your suede garments from getting dirty or stained. Best applied before wearing the garment and can be found anywhere online.
- Don’t get it wet: Ideally you shouldn’t wear suede in rainy conditions as it will ruin the fabric overtime.
- Store it well: Store your suede garments in a breathable and dry environment. Keep away from damp places!
- Use cotton/ breathable bags to pack suede when travelling.