Brandy asked: Thank you for your time, I have 3 suede couches that are badly stained. Most of the stains are soda, food and water. I haven’t done anything yet about it because I’m scared I will ruin them. Is there any way I can get these stains out?
Table of Contents:
Suede offers a natural beauty that is hard to match. Taking care of suede can be a bit tricky because the cleaners need to be gentle and non-abrasive. Remember, you are working with natural hide and it can easily be damaged with harsh chemicals. A general cleaning can be used to remove most day-to-day stains. For easiest removal, be sure to remove the stain as quickly as possible. The longer it sets on the suede, the more difficult it will be to remove. For more difficult stains, it will be necessary to contact a professional and/or have them professionally cleaned and removed.
You Will Need:
- Plastic Spoon
- Mild detergent (no soap)
- Suede cleaner (optional)
- Soft white cloths
Steps to Clean:
Different types of suede-cloth will react differently to cleaners. Test a small, hidden area first to ensure that there are no adverse affects to the color or texture of the suede.
- Begin by scraping away as much of the stain as possible with a plastic spoon.
- Mix a small amount of mild detergent with water in a bucket.
- Agitate the water to produce a good amount of suds.
- Use the soft cloth to gently apply some of the suds (suds only – no water) to the stained area.
- Blot to lift the stain. As you are blotting, you will see some of the stain transferring to the cloth.
- Use a clean portion of the cloth and continue to blot the stain adding more suds as needed.
- When the stain is completely gone, blot with a dry cloth to dry.
- If the nap of the suede has been affected by the cleaning, it can be restored by brushing it with a suede brush.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Smaller dry stains can be moved by erasing them. Use a brown eraser to gently rub the stain away. If a pencil eraser does not work, fine sandpaper can also be used to carefully rub the stain away. For more information on removing dried stains, see How to Remove Stains from Suede Fabrics.
- Avoid harsh chemicals and only use solvents that are specifically designed for suede.
- If the above methods do not remove the stains, you may need to contact a professional.
