These Cleaning Tricks Will Keep Your Suede Spotless

From House Beautiful

Suede gets a bad rep for it's high maintenance finish. With the invention of high performance fabrics, suede and microsuede no require child and pet-free households. To clean suede properly it's best to understand the material of your furniture. Suede needs to be cleaned according to its finish and material composition, so checking your furniture specifications is important before applying a fabric cleaner to the surface. We broke down best way to clean two popular versions of the material: pure suede and microsuede.

How to Clean Suede

You'll need starch and a soft bristle attachment to clean the more delicate fabric. Unlike leather, suede can't handle spills as easily and moisture needs to be absorbed as quickly as possible.

  1. Clean the surface of any dirt with the soft bristle attachment of your vacuum on a low setting.

  2. Sprinkle starch over the spill to absorb moisture.

  3. Blot any excess.

  4. Repeat starch and blotting steps as needed.

To restore the suede fibers, brush the fabric gently with a suede brush. If the suede has been wrinkled in the process, don't iron! Co-founders of The Laundress, Lindsey Boyd and Gwen Whiting, recommend steaming to remove wrinkles instead.

How to Clean Microsuede

Microsuede is usually easier to clean, but the durability depends on the kind of finish. The Laundress doesn't recommend wetting your suede if it hasn't been labeled as washable. "Suede garments and accessories are not generally washable, although certain finishes will allow it to be safely washed," say Boyd and Whiting.

We recommend spot cleaning microsuede with a quick dry option like isopropyl alcohol instead.

  1. Clean the surface of any dirt with the soft bristle attachment of your vacuum on a low setting.

  2. Dab isopropyl alcohol over the stain.

  3. Dampen a sponge with water and blot the stain.

  4. Use a clean sponge to absorb excess moisture.

Once the stain has disappeared and the fabric is dry, run the vacuum attachment over the microsuede in a higher setting to push the fibers back into place.

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