From Stains to Shine: Expert Strategies for Effective Leather & Suede Cleaning

Does leather & suede cleaning make you nervous? It is completely understandable since these high-maintenance fabrics are expensive and difficult to clean. 

You don’t want to mess it up. Also, there are enough random solutions out there to add to the confusion. That’s why you’re here looking for expert advice. 

Look no more! We’ve compiled expert strategies from our top leather and suede cleaning specialists to help you go from stains to shine.  

Figure Out The Leather Type 

Depending upon the type of leather you want to clean, the cleaning method changes accordingly.

There are two types of leather:

• Finished, aka Treated leather 
• Suede & Unfinished leather, aka Untreated leather
  

Finished or treated leather has a protective coating, whereas suede and unfinished ones don’t. You can use soap for treated leather, but for sensitive leather, even mild soap can harm the fabric.

Dust the Leather  

Before you even begin cleaning, use a soft-bristled brush or dry towel to remove debris or dirt on the surface.

This will prevent dirt from smearing off and spreading more, which makes it more difficult to clean.   

Don’t Wash

You might feel tempted to wash your dirty leather or suede items. Don’t! Water can cause some serious damage here.

Especially suede, because it absorbs water, so washing it may set the stains in the fabric.  

It is better to gently rub it with a dry towel to remove stains or muck.

At most, you can use a damp cloth or suede leather cleaner to remove stubborn stains effectively. 

Steam Clean 

It’s true that you shouldn’t use water to clean leather or suede, but the fabric can handle a limited amount to regulate moisture. 

Overall, steam cleaning is a perfect way to clean your leather and suede furniture, clothing, and other products. 

Use Pencil Erasers  

Pencil erasers work like magic on dry stains of suede and leather. Grab one and gently rub it on the mark until you see it disappear. 

Ensure your movements are not aggressive or rough; otherwise, you can damage the material. 

Apply Cornflour

The best thing you can use is cornflour to remove oil or sweat stains. Just spread the cornflour throughout the affected area. Leave it for a few hours. 

You will see cornflour absorbing the stain out of the material. Now, you can just use a soft brush to wipe the flour away. 

Apply Leather Cleaner

You can also use a suede leather cleaner or any specialized suede shampoo. Apply the cleanser on a damp cloth and gently rub it on the stain. Try it on a small, insignificant area first to test it.  

More Effective Strategies Based On Stains  

Looking for a cleaning solution for a particular type of stain? Here you go!

Dirt & Mud Stains 

First, ensure the fabric is dry before starting the leather & suede cleaning process. 

Now, here’s what you can do:

• Use a toothbrush or a suede brush to remove the loose dirt particles 
• If you can still spot marks, loosen the dirt using a steamer
• Pat the spot with a cloth or paper towel
• Let that area dry 

Salt Stains

If you wore suede shoes or boots in snowy winters, you must have experienced this. Snow or ice melts but leaves salt stains on the suede shoes.

Here’s what you should do :

• First, try to brush it away as much as possible 
• Take a bowl of cold water and mix it with dish soap 
• Dip a clean cloth in this water solution
• Gently blot the salt stain without rubbing 
• Keep repeating until you see the stain gone 
• Let that area dry completely 

Water Stains

Suprisingly, adding water to the water stains helps to remove it. Even though this sounds counterintuitive, this method is quite effective. Here’s how you do it :

• Lightly spray water on the water stain 
• Use a suede brush or toothbrush to brush the surface gently 
• Blot it dry completely using a paper towel or clean cloth

Oil & Grease

For oil and grease stains, here’s what can help :

• Put cornstarch on the oily/greasy stain area 
• Leave it for a few hours for cornstarch to soak up excess oil or grease 
• Use a brush to scrape off the cornstarch gently 
• Repeat the process as needed until the stain is gone

Now, for stubborn and dry grease stains, you can:

• Clean the area with mild soap 
• Leave it for 10 minutes 
• Blot with a damp cloth to rinse the area 
• Let it dry 

Remember, grease and oil dry stains are tricky to remove. Any mistake here can cause decoloration or damage to the material. So consider leather and suede cleaning specialists here to avoid such disasters.  

Conclusion 

Caution is much needed when you’re dealing with expensive materials like leather and suede. After all, buying it again might make a dent in your budget if it gets damaged. 

It is crucial to point out that these strategies are not entirely foolproof, especially if you’re not careful. More than that, if you have got yourself some complex & stubborn stains or older and greasy ones, it’s better to leave those to professionals. 

Leather and suede cleaning specialists like Prime Laundry have state-of-the-art technology, expertise, and experience to resolve such problems efficiently.Since we offer fast and reliable dry cleaning services at competitive pricing, you won’t have to break a sweat. Get in touch with us to know more.