The velvety, rich appearance of suede has always been its most attractive feature. Despite its durability and classy look, suede is actually a far more sensitive material than leather. If you have any suede jackets and other garments, you probably know how easy it is to stain, scuff, and flatten the material. This just means that you need to take extra care of all your suede garments. Here are some quick and easy tips you can do to make your jackets last longer and look good at all times.
What You Will Need for Cleaning Suede
Any piece of suede garment that you have should come with its own set of cleaning instructions on its label. This can help a lot when caring for your clothes. Depending on your reason for cleaning or caring for your garment, you will need the following materials:
- Brush for Suede
- White Towel
- Suede Eraser or Pencil Eraser
- Newspaper or Crumpled Paper
There are chemical suede cleaners available on the market that you can use. However, please be cautious when using them as they can produce powerful fumes that might be harmful to your health. Wear a mask to protect your lungs, and wear gloves to protect your skin. Make sure there’s enough ventilation in the area you’re working in.
How to Remove Stains on Suede
As mentioned above, suede is quite a delicate material to deal with. Your best option is to go to the nearest Ottawa dry cleaning service. If, however, you want to do some DIY cleaning, here’s what you need to do:
- Oil or Grease: The best way to deal with oil or grease spills is to use cornstarch. Sprinkle a little on the stain and let it sit overnight. The next day, brush away the powder, followed by lightly wetting the stain with a damp brush. Then try to gently brush the stain away.
- Wax or Gum: When dealing with wax or gum, place the garment in the freezer to harden the gum or wax. That’ll make it easier for the wax and gum chunks to break off in chunks. Finish by brushing away the smaller particles.
- Water Stains: Using a damp brush, lightly wet the stain. Then, soak up any excess water with a paper towel. Let it dry overnight in a cool, dry area. Keep it away from sunlight as it might cause the colour to fade.
- Mud: For mud stains, let it dry completely before cleaning. Once it’s fully dry, break the mud off in chunks and brush away any small debris.
- Ink: Ink can be a little tricky to clean, especially when the ink has already set. Using a paper towel, dab at the ink and let the paper towel absorb as much of it as possible. If it still hasn’t come off, try rubbing alcohol to lift the stain. If you have a suede eraser, scrub the ink off gently.
- Blood: A quick and easy way of removing blood stains is to pour a bit of hydrogen peroxide on a paper towel and lightly dab at the stain until it comes off.
Conclusion
Taking care of your suede garments requires extra effort and some attention to detail. While most stains on suede can be removed by water, alcohol, or a suede eraser, it’s still best to bring them to a dry cleaning professional for the best results.
Trust Goodfellow Cleaners to take good care of all your clothing and make it look brand new again. With over 25 years of experience serving the residents of Ottawa, our team of professional cleaners can handle any type of garment, fabric, dress, or clothing item. Contact us today and take advantage of our same-day dry cleaning services.