Suede clothing and shoes are absolute must-haves in the cold season. But how do you properly care for suede? You can find out the most important care tips and which household remedies can help when cleaning suede here. Whether jackets, pants or skirts made of suede, suede shoes or even bags – suede or often called suede is a very popular material. Pieces made of rough leather are among the absolute favorites in the wardrobe, especially in autumn and winter. Because the material warms, feels nice and soft and also looks extremely classy.
The problem: suede is unfortunately very sensitive and prone to stains . The natural product is particularly sensitive to moisture in any form. But especially autumn and winter usually come with rain, snow and mud. And that leaves unattractive marks on the material, which are not always easy to remove. We’ll show you how to properly clean suede, which home remedies work best and what else you need to consider when caring for suede.
Important before wearing for the first time
Since suede is quite sensitive to dirt and especially moisture, you should always impregnate new pieces – especially shoes – before wearing them. This protects the material from moisture and prevents stubborn dirt from sticking. Impregnation sprays are available in shoe stores, drugstores or at Amazon and should always be used exactly according to the operating instructions. It is best to choose a colorless spray so that there is no discoloration.
Note: As a matter of principle, suede should be impregnated again after each cleaning in order to maintain protection. By the way: suede is often colloquially referred to as suede. Suede is the leather from the skin of animals such as deer, roe deer, elk, kangaroo or antelope. But it also happens that the hide of cattle and pigs is used for suede shoes or clothing. Suede, on the other hand, is an umbrella term for rough and velvety types of leather. The term “velours” comes from French and is translated as “velvet”.
How to remove stains from suede: these home remedies will help
There is now the right home remedy for almost every stain problem . This also applies to stains on suede clothing, shoes and bags. Which home remedy is the right one depends entirely on what type of stain it is. Basically, the sooner stains are treated on the rough material, the easier it is to remove them completely.
Important: Home remedies should always be tested on a small, inconspicuous area beforehand to prevent the material from being damaged. Those who want to be on the safe side prefer to bring their suede favorites to a professional cleaning service.
Remove water stains on suede
Unfortunately, water quickly leaves unsightly stains on suede. But there are a few tips on how you can remove water stains on shoes, jackets and the like without leaving any residue. Fresh water stains should be dabbed off as quickly as possible with a dry, clean cloth (alternatively, kitchen paper is also possible) to remove excess moisture from the leather.
You can tackle dried-up edges of water with more water. Yes, you heard right. If you carefully rub the entire material with a damp, clean cloth in circular movements, the original water marks usually disappear. Be careful with suede shoes. They can deform quickly while drying. To avoid this, you should stuff your shoes with some (newspaper) paper or insert a shoe tree.
Onion against snow edges on suede
Anyone who has ever been out in the snow with suede shoes knows the problem that unsightly edges of snow can quickly form on the shoe. But even these can usually be removed again, namely with a raw onion or lemon. Carefully rub the affected areas with the raw onion or lemon. Then treat with clear water and possibly a little mild shampoo . Finally, let the material dry well.
Remove coffee, tea or juice stains with vinegar
Vinegar is a real all-rounder. It is often used for cleaning in the household, but also for various stain problems. If, for example, tea, juice or coffee landed on your suede clothing, then you should use vinegar : Put a little vinegar on a soft cotton cloth and use it to carefully rub off the stain. Then treat the wet area with another cotton cloth, let everything dry well and then work on suede with a brush. Before you start, however, the vinegar should first be tested on an inconspicuous area, because the popular home remedy can cause discoloration. For this reason, vinegar is also often used on light suede.Vinegar is a real one All-rounder. It is often used for cleaning in the household, but also for various stain problems. Is for example tea, juice or
Remove dry stains from suede
Dry stains on suede are best removed with a special leather eraser or leather brush. Extra tip: The dried-on stains can be removed particularly well if you rub the inside of a crust of bread that is no longer fresh with the eraser on the stain.
Washing-up liquid for very stubborn stains
If the home remedies do not help and the stains are really stubborn, you should use detergent or mild detergent to get rid of the dirt. Dish soap and detergent also make sense if a large area of the suede is soiled.
Simply add a little washing-up liquid or mild detergent to lukewarm water and carefully wash the material off with the lye. Then go over it again with clear water. You can also work on very dirty spots with sandpaper. Here, however, you should proceed very carefully to avoid damage.
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