How to make suede soft after washing?

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.

How to clean black suede shoes?

Oil stains are clearly visible on black suede shoes. To get rid of such “decoration”, take a little gasoline and wipe off all dirt with a cloth soaked in it. Another option is to sprinkle a couple of pinches of talcum powder on the greasy stain and leave for 3-4 hours. After this, you can easily clean off the dirt with a wire brush.

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How to soften suede

Effectively looking suede has its own service life. While you wear it with pleasure, it gradually becomes dirty, dull, shaggy and rough. If you notice dirt on something when you look at it, the roughness is felt by the skin and restricts movement. We noticed that something is wrong with the suede, it is no longer soft, has lost its elasticity - it’s time to get to work.

How do you initially soften the skin? It is soaked in special solutions and then crushed. In the old days, this was done manually by tanner shops. No one is forcing you to follow their example, especially since you have neither the skills nor the strength. Leather, of which suede is a type, should not be wrinkled at home. If it has become rough when worn, unnecessary movements will not help it.
Suede perfectly absorbs moisture and restores lost softness. But there is no need to rush to dip the item into the bath. Steam treatment will be sufficient. And you shouldn’t grab an iron to iron and steam the suede. If you have already chosen this household appliance with a steaming function, then hang up your jacket or lay out your accessories and shoes and walk the sole a couple of centimeters from the surface of the suede. Not once, not twice, not three times, it will take 5-6 passes for the material to become soft.
A method with steam, but not requiring your direct intervention, is to hang a suede item over a steaming boiling container, pan or kettle, for example. And leave it for half an hour, no less. Let it warm up and soak in moisture. Another option is to leave things to steam in a closed bathroom, where hot water is running (or poured into the bath). After water treatments, the suede will regain its shape; it will need to be dried and combed with a special brush (for the care of this particular material).
Vinegar has a restorative and cleansing effect on suede. All you need to do is dilute a tablespoon of solution (9% or 5%) in a liter of clean water at room temperature. Then soak a soft sponge or cloth in the product and wipe the item with it several times. Vinegar will soften the structure and get rid of any unexpected impurities.
Ammonia has a qualitative effect on softening suede. Perform the same actions as with the vinegar solution - and get the desired result.
If vinegar and ammonia do not live up to your hopes, glycerin will come to the rescue. It will take half a teaspoon per liter of water. Shake it out, apply it to the suede with a cloth, and let it absorb. Wipe off the remaining glycerin solution with dry cloths or a soft cloth.

Now the suede is sure to change its anger to mercy and become softer. True, it won’t bring back a new look, but it will serve for a long time.

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:

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.
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.
Vinegar. Rinsing in vinegar water will help soften rough suede (3 tablespoons of vinegar are dissolved in 1 liter of water).

How to dry?

maintain the shape of a suede product after washing :

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.
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.
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 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:

A bathtub or large basin is filled with warm water (temperature no more than 35C).
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).
The suede product is carefully immersed in a soap solution for five minutes, after which the velvety surface is wiped with a soft sponge.
Rinse the washed item thoroughly under running water (using a shower head will help prevent streaks).
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:

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

To wash suede products, do not use products containing chlorine, bleaches, or stain removers.

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

Adviсe

The recommendations are as follows:

Suede washes very quickly. Prolonged soaking, washing and rinsing can completely ruin the product.
Dry the suede product outdoors in a cool place. High temperatures, direct sunlight, and open fire destroy the softness and elasticity of the material.
Warm milk (one glass is enough), in which one or two tablespoons of soda are first diluted, will help you quickly clean shiny areas.
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.

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.

Special equipment, well-chosen detergents and the experience of dry cleaning specialists will quickly return the suede product to its original appearance and extend its service life.

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.

Removing stains

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

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.
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.
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.
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.
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 proceeds according to the following algorithm:

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

Faux suede should be washed as quickly as possible. Prolonged contact with water may cause deformation of the product.

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.

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.

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.

Violations of washing rules can lead to the material losing its protective layer, and with it its elasticity, softness and natural shine.

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

What is prohibited when stretching suede shoes?

To prevent the material from deteriorating, there are special recommendations for wearing it in that must be followed. In particular, there are prohibitions on what cannot be done with suede shoes:

Rice. 1 — Last for stretching suede shoes

New suede should not be wetted too much - it can shrink, become discolored and stained.
Stretchers with oil components cannot be used; they damage sneakers and other types of suede shoes.
To prevent shoes that squeeze and rub in length from shrinking, do not dry them with a hairdryer or on a radiator while stretching, use starch and crumpled pieces of newspaper.

If you want to stretch suede shoes made of artificial material in the shaft, do not ask a person with large feet to help them break them in - the boots will overstretch and may become too wide.