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Jewel asked: I have a suede coat that has double sided tape on it. What can I do? It’s just a little strip, about 6 inches long and ¼ inch wide.
Removing adhesive from suede can be challenging. In more severe cases, it will require removing a small amount of the suede’s surface. Here are the steps ranging from the easiest to the most difficult. Work through them until the adhesive is removed from you suede piece.
You Will Need:
- Spoon
- Artgum eraser (white erasers)
- Emery board
- Soft cloth
Steps to Remove the Adhesive:
- Suede cannot tolerate many of the chemicals that will weaken adhesive. The methods below will remove the adhesive without applying liquids or chemicals to the surface.
- Begin by scraping off as much of the adhesive as possible. Scraping it with a spoon will help to curl the adhesive so that it can be picked off.
- Once a majority of the adhesive is removed, rub the remaining residue off with an eraser.
- If the eraser cannot remove the final layer of sticky residue, it can be sanded away.
- Use an emery board to very lightly sand the surface. This will remove the adhesive along with a small amount of the suede. Work slowly and carefully so that little suede will be removed.
- If the nap of the suede is affected, it can be restored by brushing the surface with a suede brush.
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Additional Tips and Advice
- If emery boards are not available, fine sandpaper (grade 6/0-8/0) can be substituted.
- If the adhesive cannot be removed, consider having the piece professionally serviced to remove the sticky substance. This is advisable if the piece is of high value.
- Though chemicals are not recommended, some have found WD-40 effective and safe for removing adhesive from suede. Simply spray some onto the surface and rub the adhesive in a circular motion until it is removed.
- Before trying additional cleaning methods, test a small, hidden area first to ensure there is no staining or discoloration to the suede.
This is how I removed sticky residue from my leather jacket.
I had just removed a name tag from my new leather jacket and a whitish rectangle remained! I used leather conditioner right after I bought it (so this may have helped). However, I got an old all-white cotton T-shirt and put it over the area, all the way to the edge of the jacket. I turned on my iron to medium. DO NOT touch the iron directly on the jacket. (May want to start on a low temperature.) I put the iron on the T-shirt, which was over the sticky area. Then, I moved the T-shirt to put a new area of the T-shirt over the sticky area. I did this maybe six times. Then, I gently used the T-shirt to rub the sticky area a couple times. And the sticky area was COMPLETELY removed. You cannot see it at all!
Again, I did not touch the leather jacket DIRECTLY with the iron… just used the iron over the T-shirt, which was over the sticky area to the edge of the jacket. Good luck and be careful if you decide to try this at your own risk. 🙂
Thank you so much!
I bought expensive, lovely shoes with a price tag stuck onto the suede inner sole Of course it left sticky glue behind when I pulled the sticker off, but I used the eraser and it worked. No more stickiness. Yay. 🙂
I did just as you recommended. It removed the gummy substance, and the jacket looks as good as new!
Thank you for the information. I really appreciate it.
HC
Thanks so much for this helpful info. I had purchased the cutest little suede art deco vintage purse from an antique store, but when I got it home I found price tag gunk–probably the reason it was inexpensive. I used the white eraser first, which helped, but found that the emery board used lightly really removed the deeply set in gunk. I had to use my fingernail to poke it up while I brushed with the emery board. Voila! Gunk gone. Thanks.
Need help with baking soda on wet suede. Please help & thank you!
Ange
Don’t put baking soda on wet suede. Let the suede dry naturally or use a hair dryer on cool air only to speed the drying time if needed. If you already have put baking soda on the wet suede, that’s ok, just let it dry naturally with the baking soda on it. When fully dry, tap off the baking soda, then brush off any that remains. Don’t brush it into the fibers, brush it off the fibers. Good luck!
I went straight to step 3 – it worked brilliantly! I used a white gummy eraser, rubbed it all the same direction…and, voila!
Thank you!