How can you wash a suede dress? Such products are far from new these days. It can be natural and artificial. This material is used to make jackets and shoes, trousers and other items of our everyday wardrobe.
Things made from suede are strong and durable, although they require special care. Let's consider the features of washing in a washing machine and by hand.
- Properties of artificial and natural suede
- Handwash
- Machine washable suede items
- Dry cleaning
- How to soften and restore
- Proper drying
- Care Tips
Properties of artificial and natural suede
Natural suede has the following qualities:
- porosity;
- hairiness;
- ductility.
This material is obtained by combined tanning of sheep or deer hides (cattle are allowed). Suede absorbs moisture, and after swelling it becomes almost waterproof. It is a good, comfortable and breathable fabric. In appearance, it is a pile material, so products made from such suede are distinguished by velvety, and in softness it is very similar to fabric.
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Irina. Housewife.
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Things made from natural suede retain their structure perfectly, and it doesn’t matter whether you soak them or wash them in soap and water. This fabric will still be soft. It is also called washable leather.
Pollution comparison
Artificial suede is produced differently from natural suede. It is, if you can call it that, synthesized. Faux suede is made in two ways - woven and non-woven. When produced using the woven method, the material is of very high quality and reliable, it retains its strength and flexibility.
The essence of this method is special microfiber threads. They are used to weave material for future suede, after which it is passed through a special machine that creates pile on the fabric. This is how quality material is obtained. True, this method is very expensive and not accessible to everyone.
Another option for producing artificial suede is the non-woven method. It is based on the technology of gluing pile onto fabric. This material is of the lowest quality, but in appearance it is very similar to suede, so it can be confused with natural.
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In order to distinguish these two types, you need to pay attention to the inside of the fabric. If there is a difference with the outside, this means that the suede was produced using a non-woven method.
Preparation
Any product made of natural or artificial leather is not friendly with water. A material exposed to it for a long time will lose its original characteristics and become significantly deformed.
To avoid this, you should remember one important rule: you need to wash leather items quickly
Before starting the cleaning process, preparations are carried out:
- The first step is to study the information labels; they indicate cleaning methods and the necessary recommendations for their implementation.
- Be sure to do a test wash. To do this, specially sew on a piece of fabric that comes with the kit. Its reaction to water and detergent will indicate what will happen to the item of clothing that is being cleaned.
- If the manufacturer did not equip the jacket with such a patch or it was lost, a test wash is carried out in the most inconspicuous place.
- Before washing, conduct a thorough inspection of the item, remove stains and make sure that such a radical cleaning method is necessary.
- Before loading the washing machine into the drum, it is better to fasten all the zippers, buttons, buttons on the jacket, and check the pockets. Turn the product inside out and send it for washing.
If the stains are very strong or the test wash gave poor results, it is better to contact a dry cleaner. A damaged item cannot be restored.
Handwash
If you decide to wash your suede product by hand, you should know that it loves care. Washing should be done carefully and quickly. Under no circumstances should things be soaked for a long time. This material does not like this attitude.
Handwash
- Fill a container with warm water.
- Add laundry detergent or suede shampoo.
- Soak the item briefly.
- Take a brush and begin to gently and carefully rub, starting from those places that are most dirty.
- When finished, drain the soapy water and gently wring out the product.
- Fill up with new water without detergent and rinse your item. It is necessary to rinse until the water in the container becomes clear.
- Squeeze lightly and hang to drain and dry.
Do not squeeze too hard, this will damage the material. And if your suede was obtained using a non-woven method, then you shouldn’t get the whole thing wet at all.
Dilute soapy water and scrub the dirty part with a foam sponge. Afterwards, treat in the same way only with a clean sponge to rinse.
How to wash a suede jacket at home
To more effectively remove stains and street dust from the surface of the material, it is better to wash the jacket by hand. In order not to spoil the product and bring it into proper shape, follow the following sequence of actions:
Pour water into a large container; its temperature should not exceed 40 degrees. Add washing powder or gel and thoroughly beat the foam. Wash the product using a foam sponge and a soft brush
It is important to know that strong rubbing with your hands is undesirable. After washing, rinse the jacket several times in warm water. Remember that you cannot wring out suede; the product will lose its shape.
To remove water, wrap the item in a sheet or towel, so the thick fabric will absorb excess moisture. Hang your clothes on hangers and send them to dry. During the drying process, it is necessary to periodically adjust the product to prevent dents and creases from forming.
To prevent the jacket from becoming rough after washing and the suede from becoming hard to the touch, treat the material with a glycerin solution.
Machine washable suede items
So, for SMA washing, you need to remember to be gentle with your suede fabric. First of all, carefully examine the label for symbols prohibiting machine washing. If there are none, then we can continue.
Washing suede in the machine
What is necessary:
- If the item is without lining, turn it inside out; if with it, there is no need to turn it inside out.
- If there are any stains on the fabric, rub them with laundry soap or gentle bleach, scrub a little with a brush.
- Now put your things in the machine.
- It is advisable to choose a washing program “silk” or “delicate”.
- Temperature is not higher than 300.
- The number of revolutions during spinning is no more than 300.
At the end of washing, remove the item from the machine and dry it. If you need to treat suede shoes, then you should put them in a bag and wash them along with your old clothes. This is done in order to protect the drum of the machine from damage. You should not wash more than one pair of shoes at a time.
Dry cleaning
This type of washing is the optimal way to clean suede products. In addition to the fact that this is a noble material and prefers dry cleaning, some products made from it cannot be washed at all. If on the label of the item you find a symbol prohibiting washing, congratulations, you will have to use dry cleaning using the methods outlined below.
Dry cleaning suede
Ethanol
It is good for removing makeup or greasy stains.
Despite the fact that ethyl alcohol is essentially an aggressive substance, it is good for removing such contaminants or, for example, a shiny area. Instructions for use:
- wet a piece of clean cloth with alcohol;
- treat the stain until it disappears;
- let things dry.
Soap solution
Another possibly suitable option. It is unlikely that grease can be removed this way, but simple mud stains can be removed. And this is done like this:
- To begin with, you need to use a rubberized or regular brush to remove dirt from the area that needs to be cleaned.
- Then, dilute a weak soap solution of laundry or baby soap in a container.
- Soak a cloth, rag or sponge in the mixture and apply it to the area to be cleaned.
- Then, in the same way, remove any remaining soap (rinse).
- Leave to dry.
Removing stains
To remove minor stains from clothes or shoes made of artificial suede, you can use folk remedies:
- Fat. Fresh drops should be covered with starch, baby powder, and crushed chalk. After 15–30 minutes, brush off the product and carefully wash the damaged area with a cotton pad and soap solution.
- Juice, grass, pollen, any stains of organic origin can be wiped off with a cloth moistened with vinegar (9%).
- Wine. A fresh stain should be blotted with a dry, clean cloth. To remove dried marks, use a thick soap solution or shaving foam. The product should be applied to the stain, left for half an hour, and the residue removed with a napkin.
- Gum. Rub the sticky mass with an ice cube. When the gum hardens, carefully remove it from the fabric.
- Dirt. Do not touch wet drops; you must wait until they dry. Then clean the damaged area with a brush.
- Glue, varnish, traces of cosmetics . Gently rub the marks with a cloth moistened with nail polish remover without acetone.
How to soften and restore
It often happens that after washing or wearing, our favorite suede items become rough and hard. In order not to throw them away, you need to give them their original softness. First of all, we can simply add a little vinegar when washing. It helps soften the fabric and protect against color loss. In general, it definitely won’t hurt to use it.
Another proven method is steaming. The essence of this method is to use steam to make the suede softer. In this case, we will need special steam engines or brushes.
Also, a steam iron is quite suitable. True, you need to be careful with him. The sole of the iron should not be brought closer than 5 centimeters to the suede. This threatens to burn the material.
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Alternatively, you can hang the item over a container of boiling water. This method is safe.
Glycerin can be another savior. It must be diluted, half a teaspoon of glycerin per liter of water. Treat the material with the resulting mixture, and remove the residue with a dry cloth. A simple combing of suede with a special brush is quite capable of giving the item neatness, fluffiness and softness.
Machine washable suede
Removing contaminants
Before washing, you need to examine the jacket for various contaminants. Most, even the most difficult stains at first glance, can be removed not only with the help of expensive specialized products, but also by using available materials.
Small greasy areas can be revived with vinegar, one tablespoon of which must be dissolved in a liter of water.
You can get rid of a greasy stain with ordinary table salt, which you need to apply in a thick layer to the stain, and then brush off the excess that has absorbed the dirt.
To remove most known stains on dark suede jackets, coffee grounds can be used, which will not only remove the dirt, but can also refresh the appearance of the item.
Potato starch, which can be used for light suede too, is a great remedy for abrasions. Talc may be used as an alternative.
ON A NOTE:
To tidy up a white suede jacket, you need to use a separate cleaning kit, in particular a separate brush, otherwise there is a high probability of forgetting to treat the common part and ruining the light-colored material.
Proper drying
Drying the material is possible and even recommended at normal room temperature. The fact is that with greater heating, insufficient humidity and prolonged treatment at high temperatures, suede deteriorates and dries out. As a result, it becomes rough, cracks and fails.
Therefore, it is strictly forbidden to dry suede items near heaters. Simply hang the product in a room or place to dry and leave it overnight. This is a smart approach.
If you washed a suede bag, shoes or some other bulky wardrobe item, then you will need paper. It needs to be shoved inside a shoe or bag. This move is necessary to absorb moisture from the inside and maintain the shape of the product.
Varieties
Natural suede is made from animal skin and undergoes a special method of dressing with specialized substances. Faux suede is made from synthetic materials and is not durable.
Suede items can be light, dark or colored. Each color has its own cleaning method.
White
There are many products that remove stains from light suede fabric and return it to its marketable appearance, and methods for using them:
Before cleaning light suede, you should prepare the surface by gently rubbing it with an eraser or salt. In this case, you should pour salt onto the stained area and rub it with a sponge to separate the crumpled pile. To remove minor stains, you can take a piece of wheat bread and roll it over the area to be treated.
You can sprinkle starch on the stain, wait (30 minutes), and brush off the residue. To remove dirt and dust, you will need: 250 ml of milk, 25 g of soda, a cotton pad, a dry cloth. Directions for use: mix milk and soda. Moisten the disc with the resulting liquid, then wipe the contaminated surface with it. Wipe the cleaned material dry with a napkin.
To instantly wash a stain from the surface, you will need: warm water (250 ml), ammonia (5 ml), hydrogen peroxide, a clean rag, a dry cloth. Directions for use: mix water with ammonia and add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide. Soak a cloth in this product and clean the stained surface with it. Wipe the treated area with a dry cloth and place it in fresh air. To get rid of greasy stains, use: teeth cleaning powder or talcum powder, rubber brush, warm water, vinegar solution, dry rag. Directions for use: add powder or talc to water to obtain a consistency like sour cream.
Carefully brush the surface with a brush containing the mixture. After this, wipe with a rag with a solution of vinegar and, after waiting for it to dry, walk over the material with a stiff brush. Toothpaste will help give an even color.
A small amount of paste is applied to the suede surface, allowed to dry completely, after which the remaining product is removed with a brush.
Colored
There are several processing rules, the observance of which will return the attractive appearance of colored suede and rid it of stains:
- A wet suede item should first be dried using crumpled newspaper sheets.
- Dirt can be scrubbed off with a store-bought brush, or you can use a crust of black bread.
- The salt remaining from the winter period is removed with a soapy sponge. The resulting foam is removed with a clean cloth.
- When stains and shiny areas appear, they resort to using a solution prepared from ammonia and water in a ratio of 1 to 3. The resulting product, applied to a soft cloth, wipes the product, and finally removes it with cold water.
- Chalk or talc will help deal with greasy stains. It is necessary to fill the contaminated area with one of these substances and leave for 60 minutes, then clean the product with a brush. To perform more effective cleaning, you can pour a few drops of ammonia into talc or chalk. Place the resulting mixture on the treated areas, wait until it dries, and clean off at the end.
- Suede items should be washed occasionally. You should prepare a warm soapy solution, then treat the product with a brush. Rinse quickly with running water and dry, gently straightening.
Dark
To tidy up black or brown suede, you can use: coffee, a crust of black bread, sandpaper or sulfur from matchboxes.
To completely remove stains from suede items and give them freshness, apply a little coffee grounds to the item previously cleaned with a brush using a sponge. Allow to dry and remove any remaining mixture with a brush.
A well-tested way to remove dirt from dark suede is to clean the stained area with bread crust or zero-grit sandpaper, combined with matchbox sulfur.
Care Tips
In order not to have to spend a long time and tediously cleaning off the dirt, steaming them and doing other annoying things, you just need to regularly care for the item. Proper and regular care will help it last for a very long time.
Are you unplugging your washing machine?
Oh yes! No
Cloth
To treat clothes, use a special brush.
It is ideal for both clothing and shoes, bags, gloves and other accessories. With its help, your suede jacket will never fall off and will always look like a new thing. And also, it is necessary to use special sprays to restore and maintain color, and water-repellent ones. How to restore suede after washing? Using the methods described above.
Shoes
Shoe care is also important.
You should also use special sprays, varnishes and paints to maintain and care for your boots or shoes to prevent them from becoming rough. If your shoes get wet, dry them immediately. At the same time, do not forget to put the paper inside. This technique will help maintain the shape of the shoes and speed up drying from the inside.
Choosing a powder or detergent
Suede is a capricious material that requires special care and special detergents. Suitable for cleaning suede products:
- pasty powders;
- liquid laundry detergents: gels and capsules;
- special shampoo;
- baby soap.
Prohibited:
- bleaches;
- products containing chlorine and other aggressive substances;
- rinse aids;
- softeners.
