Care of Suede Bags

Those days when that  beautiful suede work of art rarely sees the light of day because you're scared to bring it out are gone.. Suede is one of the more delicate bag materials but there are ways to look after it so read on.

Suede is soft and luxurious but unfortunately it's quite porous so that makes it a stain magnet. It's not washable so you either need to get an item professionally cleaned or try a few of these methods to get the job done yourself.

For clear surface marks and water spots, a dry cloth will do. The rule of thumb with suede is to avoid using any water, as the water will discolour the suede. Use a clean cloth and gently rub your bag to remove surface marks. Don’t press too hard to ensure not to ruin the texture of the suede.

Two of the best homemade suede bag cleaning solutions are vinegar and rubbing alcohols  as they can help brighten the material after it has gotten dingy or dirty over time. Pour a small amount onto a clean cloth, just enough to make the cloth damp, and then proceed to rub the suede with the cloth to clean it. You may need to make several applications depending on how dirty the cloth has become. Let the suede dry completely after using vinegar or rubbing alcohol.

To clear dust from your bag and re-store its fine appearance, use a brush— but not just any old brush; you’ll need a specialty one easily obtained. Brush the suede in one single direction to clean away dust and dirt from your purse, or you can use small back-and-forth motions to help loosen up specific stains.

Stains are a suede bag’s worst nightmare; however, it doesn’t have to be the end of your beloved bag. Try using a soft pencil eraser and literally erase away the stain. Afterward, when the stain is gone, try the first tip. Make sure the eraser is clean and hasn’t been used before.

After you’ve cleaned your suede bag, it’s often a good idea to condition it. Using a specialty suede conditioner, add a little onto a buffing cloth and rub it gently into the bag with short, steady strokes. Don’t forget to do the seams and corners.

And yes, Lastly Freeze it!   Yes, really. When you get in a particularly, erm… sticky, situation, like you get chewing   gum or wax stuck to your suede bag, don’t fret, you can still recover. You can remove it by freezing your purse first.. This will harden the wax or gum, and then you can pull it off or chip it off in pieces using your fingers (no sharp objects) without ruining the material.