Carefully and quickly, or is it possible to wash suede in a machine and by hand?

Soft, elastic, velvety to the touch, suede is an excellent basis for creating amazingly beautiful, stylish things.

Clothes, shoes, and accessories made of suede will delight you for many years, provided they are properly cared for.

How to care for suede products, can they be washed in a washing machine? How to soften and restore suede items?

The answers to these questions will help you preserve the original appearance of your favorite things for as long as possible.

Is it worth washing?

Suede is a rather capricious material that requires special care. The thing is that manufacturers very often cover the velvety surface of suede with a special impregnation that preserves the material from excessive moisture absorption.

Before you start washing, it is very important to carefully study the manufacturer's recommendations indicated on the product tag.

How to wash?

The choice of washing method is determined by several factors:

• manufacturer's recommendations;
• degree of contamination (hand washing only helps to refresh the item);
• suede type (synthetic material is less resistant to moisture, so it is better to use the hand washing method for it).

Hands

Strict adherence to certain hand washing rules will help clean items while maintaining their shape and color.

Algorithm of actions:

1. A bathtub or large basin is filled with warm water (temperature no more than 35C).
2. Add a certain amount of liquid detergent for wool or suede to the water (the exact dosage is indicated by the manufacturer on the packaging).
3. The suede product is carefully immersed in a soap solution for five minutes, after which the velvety surface is wiped with a soft sponge.
4. Rinse the washed item thoroughly under running water (using a shower head will help prevent streaks).
5. Avoiding aggressive twisting and push-ups, the product is laid out on a horizontal surface to dry.

In the washing machine

Machine washing greatly facilitates the care of suede products (the main thing is that such actions are permitted by the manufacturer).

Algorithm of actions:

1. Set the water temperature to no higher than 35, wash mode – delicate or manual, and turn off the spin function.
2. Liquid detergent is poured into a special compartment.
3. The washing process is started, after which the product is immediately removed from the drum and laid out on a horizontal surface to dry.

Before loading the product into the washing machine drum, rub particularly dirty areas with laundry soap.

Dry cleaning

The dry cleaning method will help quickly remove minor dirt and dust.

Algorithm of actions:

• The suede product is carefully cleaned of dust with a special brush;
• traces of bruises and creases are additionally treated with a brush along the fibers;
• stains of dried dirt are carefully removed with a soft foam sponge.

You can quickly remove a dry stain of dirt with a regular office eraser. It is enough to run an eraser over the stain and there will be no trace left of it.

Steaming will help soften the product.

The steaming method will help quickly restore velvety and softness to suede, and remove stubborn stains.

Algorithm of actions:

1. Bring the water in a saucepan or kettle to a boil.
2. The suede product is kept over steam for at least two to three minutes.
3. Suede that is damp after steam is carefully cleaned with a special brush (movements in one direction only).
4. Already clean suede is carefully blotted with a towel, removing excess moisture.

Removing stains

Depending on the nature of the stain, various methods of removing stains are used:

1. Talc and starch will help remove grease stains. It is enough to pour absorbent powder onto the stain and wait twenty to thirty minutes, after which the stain is carefully cleaned with a brush.
2. Food stains should be washed off as quickly as possible with clean running water, and then treated with a soft sponge soaked in soapy water.
3. Hair shampoo will help remove traces of alcoholic drinks (wine, champagne). Initially, the stain is blotted with a paper napkin, after which the mark on the suede is treated with foam of whipped hair shampoo.
4. A vinegar solution will help clean suede from white salt stains (a pressing problem for owners of suede shoes). To do this, moisten a sponge with vinegar and wipe the contaminated area. Afterwards, the still damp suede is wiped with a clean cloth and left to dry at room temperature.
5. A crust of black bread will help clean the suede from dirty stains.It is enough to sprinkle the crust of bread with salt and gently rub the dirty area on the suede product.

Features of cleaning artificial material

If the manufacturer does not prohibit machine washing (you must carefully study the product tag), then cleaning takes place according to the following algorithm:

1. Set the permissible water temperature (no more than 30C), wash mode - delicate or manual, turn off the spin function.
2. Liquid detergent for wool or suede is poured into a special compartment.
3. Having previously placed the suede product in a special bag, load the washing machine drum.
4. After washing, take out the item and, without twisting it, lay it out on a horizontal surface to dry.

Hand washing will gently and delicately clean suede. Algorithm of actions:

• Take warm water into a large basin (temperature no more than 35C), add suede detergent and beat it to a thick foam;
• Using a soft sponge, soap foam is first applied to particularly contaminated areas, after which the suede product is completely treated with a soap solution;
• The already clean product is wiped with a soft, clean, damp cloth and laid out on a horizontal surface to dry.

How to dry?

Maintain the shape of a suede product after washing Recommendations for proper drying will help:

1. It is strictly forbidden to wring out suede (deformation of the material is possible). The product is only slightly squeezed with your hands so that all the moisture comes out.
2. Dry suede items only in a horizontal plane (on a layer, dryer, ironing board). If a wet product is hung out to dry on hangers or a rope, it will lose its shape under the weight of it.
3. Paper will help speed up the drying process and also maintain the original appearance of the product. It must first be wrinkled and then placed inside a suede product. Periodically, as moisture is absorbed, the paper is changed.

How to soften and restore?

Improper care is the main reason that suede loses its plasticity and velvety surface.

There are several ways to correct the situation, soften and restore suede after washing:

1. Steaming. A large container is filled with very hot water, over which a suede product is laid out. Steam from hot water, penetrating through, softens the suede and raises the fibers.

   To achieve an ideal result, the procedure will have to be repeated at least five to six times.

2. Glycerin mixture. In order to soften the surface of suede that has lost its elasticity, it is necessary to moisten it with a glycerin mixture (0.5 tsp of glycerin is dissolved in 1 liter of water), wait until the mixture is absorbed, and remove the excess with a soft cloth.
3. Vinegar. Rinsing in vinegar water will help soften rough suede (3 tablespoons of vinegar are dissolved in 1 liter of water).

Going to dry cleaning

Dry cleaning professionals will help restore the natural shine and color of suede, remove stubborn, stubborn stains, and correct mistakes in self-washing.

The price of suede dry cleaning is influenced by the speed of cleaning, the type and complexity of tailoring the product, and the degree of contamination. On average, dry cleaning of suede will cost 1500-2000 rubles.

Adviсe

The recommendations are as follows:

1. Suede washes very quickly.Prolonged soaking, washing and rinsing can completely ruin the product.
2. Dry the suede product outdoors in a cool place. High temperatures, direct sunlight, and open fire destroy the softness and elasticity of the material.
3. Warm milk (one glass is enough), in which one or two tablespoons of soda are first diluted, will help you quickly clean shiny areas.
4. Blood, egg or milk stains on suede should be washed off with clean, plain water immediately after they appear. Once the stain dries, it will be almost impossible to get rid of.

If you are interested in how to wash suede shoes, read this article. Read about washing suede sneakers Here.

You will find maximum useful information about washing clothes and various fabric products Here.

Video on the topic

Features of caring for suede items are discussed in the video:

Conclusion

By strictly following all the recommendations for washing suede, you can achieve the ideal result of cleanliness and freshness while maintaining the shape, color, and plasticity of the material.