Can suede be washed

Suede is a material that is capricious in terms of care, but due to its beautiful appearance, it is often used in outerwear, bags, shoes and gloves. Suede products do not tolerate prolonged contact with water. In this regard, when washing suede, it is necessary to observe a number of restrictions that relate to the temperature of the water, the cleaning agents used, the washing technique, and the drying of products.

We have prepared a list of recommendations for competent washing of suede products. Follow them to keep your suede in its original appearance for a long time.

General recommendations

You can wash suede, but preferably as little as possible.

1. Powder and bleaches are not used when washing suede products. We recommend buying a soap solution or shampoo designed specifically for suede;
2. The maximum water temperature is 35°C. If the temperature is exceeded, there is a risk of deformation of the product;
3. Suede products cannot be soaked;
4. The suede item is completely washable. If you wash only one or two sections, then stains will appear on its surface;
5. Before washing, we recommend turning the products inside out first;
6. Such products cannot be squeezed and twisted — this will lead to their deformation.

There are special cleaners for certain suede products. For example, for shoes, you can purchase a cleaning foam: just apply it to the contaminated area, spread it over the surface, remove the remaining product with a flannel cloth and dry it.

Read the label before washing any suede product. The manufacturer indicates the restrictions and acceptable ways to clean things.

It’s also worth doing a test. If the suede item has a small test piece of material, wash it, dry it and evaluate the result. In the absence of such material, try washing an inconspicuous area of ​​the thing.

If the pollution is small and appeared recently, it may be worth limiting to dry cleaning.

Hand wash suede

Hand wash is the best option for suede products, especially gloves and bags. When washing the bag, check all pockets and internal compartments for keys, coins, cards, etc.

Next, prepare the soap solution:

1. Grate a little baby or laundry soap on a coarse grater (you can use a knife);
2. Dilute the chips in a container with warm water;
3. Wait until the soap is completely dissolved.

4. Place the thing in the solution. Clean the product using a brush with hard bristles. Do not use a sponge, otherwise the dirt will penetrate deeper into the material.

5. It is not necessary to completely place the suede product in a container of soapy water. You can moisten the brush in the solution and, putting the thing on a horizontal surface, clean all the dirt from it.

If you wash gloves, then put them on your hands — this way you will keep the shape of the products. Wash suede gloves as infrequently as possible, as they shrink a lot.

The final stage of washing is rinsing. Add a little vinegar or ammonia to a container of clean water. Thanks to vinegar, the suede product will again become soft and velvety, and alcohol will well remove shiny shine from the surface. It is advisable to rinse the product several times — thereby minimizing the risk of stains.

Washing suede in the machine

A suede dress or jacket is more convenient to wash in a typewriter. If you are washing suede shoes, place them in a mesh bag. Also add a few towels or other heavy items to minimize the deformation of the shoe. However, if you are washing a dress or gloves, then you should not add other things to them.

Set the minimum temperature and the delicate wash. Spinning is necessarily turned off, and rinsing is set to a minimum.

Washing time is minimal, since a long stay of suede in water risks leading to cracks on the surface of the material. The best option is no more than 15 minutes.

Expensive things are recommended to be washed in dry cleaning. Specialists can use special methods of cleaning suede — for example, wet cleaning.

Folk ways to clean suede

1. Chalk removes grease stains. Crumble it, pour it on the stain and iron it with a barely warm iron through a paper towel;
2. By wiping glossy spots with an ordinary school eraser, you will quickly remove them;
3. Baking soda also removes grease stains. Add it to a container of warm water when washing things;
4. To restore the shade of brown suede shoes, apply fresh coffee grounds to it and wipe the product;
5. If your suede is heavily soiled, hold it over a pot of boiling water or under a hot steam iron.

How to dry suede

Squeeze gently to remove excess water. Lay it out on a flat, horizontal surface. If you hang a suede jacket, dress or even a bag on a coat hanger, then the weight of the absorbed liquid deforms the whole thing.

To keep the shape of gloves or shoes when drying, place soft paper inside. Change it from time to time to speed up the drying process. It is not necessary to stuff the product too tightly with paper so that it does not stretch.

Dry the product away from heaters and other heat sources.

Attention! If, after drying, creases have formed on the product, they are eliminated with the help of hot steam. Use a kettle with boiling water or a steamer.

Most often, drying products takes up to 2 days. After drying, clean and knead the item using a brush. If you need to restore the softness of the product, use glycerin by wiping the surface of the suede.

And in order to wash the thing as infrequently as possible in the future (and keep its appearance for a long time), follow 4 rules:

1. Dust your suede regularly with a soft brush;
2. Do not wear suede items in rainy, wet weather;
3. If you find a stain on suede, remove it immediately — this way you minimize the contact of the material with moisture;
4. Never use cleaning agents containing chlorine, acetone.

Store suede products in a special case that prevents dust and moths from entering.