Suede is a soft and very comfortable material to wear, but at the same time it requires special care. You can remove greasy stains from suede with some household products. If the oil stain is fresh, blot it with absorbent material. Small greasy stains can be removed well with liquid dish soap. To remove old and deeply stubborn stains from suede, use special suede cleaning agents.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Removing the grease stain with starch
Step 1. If the stain is still damp, blot it with a paper towel
If the oily stain has not yet dried, blot it with a paper towel. Place the suede garment on a flat, hard surface, and then press a paper towel firmly against the stain. You may be able to collect almost all of the oil before it is absorbed into the suede.
The sooner you try to remove the stain, the better the result will be. Even if the oil is deeply absorbed into the suede, a fresh stain is much easier to remove
Step 2. Cover the stain with starch for at least an hour
Spread the starch over the stain so that it completely covers the stain. It is better to pour starch over than not enough. Starch absorbs oil well, literally pulling it out of the fabric.
- If starch is not on hand, you can use baking soda, which is similar in its absorbent properties. Talcum powder is also good.
- Leave the starch on the stain for at least 30 minutes. If you are in no rush, it is best to cover the stain with starch overnight so that it absorbs as much oil as possible.
Step 3. Remove starch from the stain with a damp microfiber cloth
Most of the starch can be simply brushed off with your hand. The remaining starch must be carefully removed from the suede with a microfiber cloth slightly dampened with warm water. Be sure to squeeze excess water out of the napkin.
Wetting the suede too much can ruin it. Rinse the suede lightly under the tap with warm water. Dry your suede garments away from heat sources
Step 4. Lift the nap on the suede with a toothbrush
Lightly scrub the suede over the stained area with a brush to lift the lint. Start at the top of the spot and work your way down. Do not rub too hard to avoid damaging the material. Brushing the stain will remove any remaining dirt particles and help soften the suede and restore it to its original appearance.
If you have a suede care kit, it most likely includes a suede brush
Step 5. If necessary, clean the stain again
Starchy stains should be covered with starch 2-3 times. If the grease stain cannot be completely removed with starch, it can be washed off with dish soap or vinegar.
Method 2 of 3: Removing grease stains with dish soap
Step 1. Blot the fresh stain with a paper towel
Press a clean paper towel over the stain for a couple of minutes to allow the cloth to absorb as much oil as possible and prevent it from absorbing deeply into the suede.
If you cannot immediately wash off the stain on the suede, try to collect as much oil as possible from the surface of the garment before the oil is deeply absorbed
Step 2. Apply a grease-breaking dishwashing detergent to the stain for 10 minutes
Most dish detergents are suitable for removing greasy stains from suede, but the most effective are those labeled as “fat-splitting”. After using the dish soap, be sure to completely rinse it off the suede.
Remember that it is not recommended to wet the suede too much, so it is better to remove small, pre-treated stains with soapy water
Step 3. Rub the stain with a toothbrush or a special soft suede brush
Rub the stain lightly, starting at the top edge and working your way down. The brush helps to rub the cleaner into the stain. A nylon brush, nail brush, and other soft brushes will work.
Don't rub the stain too hard with the brush to avoid damaging the suede. If you've cleaned your suede properly, it will be fresh and soft after cleaning
Step 4. Remove lather from the stain with a damp microfiber cloth
Lightly dampen a tissue with warm water. Squeeze out excess water and then wipe the stain from top to bottom. This will remove most of the fat.
If you decide to take a chance and wet the suede, you can rinse the soapy stain under the tap. Dry wet chamois leather away from heat and direct sunlight in a well-ventilated area
Step 5. If the stain cannot be removed completely, re-treat it with detergent
If on the first try you did not manage to get rid of the stain, repeat the entire procedure again. Lather and rub the stain again to draw any grease that has been absorbed into the suede to the surface. Old stains will need to be treated several times.
If the stain persists, you can purchase a suede cleaner and a suede eraser
Method 3 of 3: Removing the stain with suede
Step 1. Brush off dirt from the suede with a soft brush
Spread the suede on a flat, hard surface. If you purchased a suede care kit, it should include a suede brush. Brush the stain lightly, starting at the top edge and working downward gradually. Try to clean as much dirt as possible from the suede surface.
If you don't have a suede brush, you can use an old toothbrush or nylon nail brush
Step 2. Rub the stain with a suede eraser to remove grease
Rub the stain from top to bottom again, now with a suede eraser. The suede eraser looks like a regular eraser. Rub the entire stain several times until you see that the eraser is no longer working on the stain.
Suede maintenance kits usually include a suede eraser and a special cleaner. They can be ordered online or bought in stores selling leather and suede products
Step 3. Apply suede cleaner to the greasy stain
Many suede products come in spray form. All you need to do is aim the spray at the stain. If you purchased a liquid instead of a spray, apply one teaspoon (5 ml) of the product to a microfiber cloth and spread the product over the stain.
You can use table vinegar instead of suede. Soak a cloth or paper towel with 1 teaspoon of vinegar and blot the stain
Step 4. Blot the stain with a microfiber cloth dampened with warm water
Dampen a cloth with warm water and wring out to prevent water from dripping onto the suede. Wipe the stain from top to bottom. The remaining oil should be washed off, but the suede should not become too wet.
You can rinse the suede under running water, but then it is important to dry it properly. Dry the suede away from direct sunlight and other heat sources
Step 5. Brush the suede again to make it soft
Use a suede brush or other soft brush to scrub the spot from top to bottom to lift the lint and soften the suede. Do not press too hard to avoid damaging the material.
If all of the listed remedies did not help remove the greasy stain from the suede, use a dry cleaning service
Advice
- If you accidentally drip oil or grease onto the suede, dab the stain immediately with a paper towel. The remaining oil stain will be easier to remove later.
- Try not to stain your suede for long. Old, stubborn stains are more difficult to remove than new stains.
- It is not recommended to wet the suede with water. Wet suede deforms, and when dry, it can crack. Some stains will bite even more into the suede when exposed to hot water. However, you can lightly wash the suede with water.
- If you've got suede wet, it's important to dry it properly. Do not dry suede products in the sun or near heating appliances, otherwise it will dry out too quickly and crack.
- If the stain cannot be removed with improvised means, dry-clean the item. Most dry cleaners accept leather and suede products.