Tips for Cleaning Suede Leather
Suede leather, a by-product of tanning and buffing the flesh side of animal skin, is leather with a nap. Spectrum of naps ranges from velvet (goat hide) to coarse (cow hide). Suede is found in clothing such as blazers, jackets and vests. Some footwear such as shoes, shoes with a suede trim and boots are made of suede leather. Other items include handbags, bags and furniture. Tips for cleaning suede leather are necessary in order to extend the life of quality suede leather. Does this Spark an idea?
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Pre-treatment
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One of the tips for cleaning suede leather is to spray the suede item with a suede protection spray before using or wearing suede leather. In the case of furniture, use an upholstery protector. By doing so, future stains will not be as hard to clean, and will be more water repellent. When buying the suede leather item, ask about a suede leather protector.
Stains
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Stains discolor the suede leather. Try using a suede brush or a tooth brush to brush the nap in different directions to remove any debris. Another tip for cleaning suede leather is rubbing the stain with a pencil eraser or sandpaper. The objective is to restore item to its original nap, as much as possible. If the stain is from water, blot with a sponge or cloth as quickly as possible. In the case of a dried water stain, apply steam to lift the nap.
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Scuff Marks on Shoes
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Scuff marks on shoes cause the suede leather nap to become shiny and unattractive. A tip for cleaning suede leather is with a brush, try brushing back and forth to restore to the original nap. If this is not successful, carefully use the blade of a sharp knife to lift the nap.
Mud Removal on Shoes
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For mud on suede shoes, another tip for cleaning suede leather is to let the mud completely dry. Take a brush and go back and forth removing debris, and raising the nap. Also, pay attention to getting mud off the detail of the shoes such as seams or stitching of the shoe.
Storage of Shoes
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To store shoes, wrap in tissue paper from toe to heel and store in a dark, dry place. Sunlight can discolor suede leather.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit leather image by Andrii Oleksiienko from Fotolia.com
