How To Clean Your Suede Purse: Tips To Keep Your Suede Purse Looking Brand New!
Suede purses and handbags are stylish and timeless, but if you own one you know how quickly they can get dirty and how difficult they can be to clean. Because of how delicate the leather fabric is they are quick to show everyday wear and tear, spills, and dirt.
Thankfully with the proper tools and techniques, restoring your favorite suede handbag to its original beauty can be quick, easy, and painless!
In this article, I’ll outline some helpful tips to get your suede purse clean and looking brand new, as well as how to protect your handbag from future stains and damage.
How To Clean A Suede Purse
What is Suede?
Suede is a type of leather that is softer, more flexible, and more delicate than other types of leather. While this makes it a beautiful and popular choice for handbags and other leather items, it also makes the care and upkeep of these items a bit more high-maintenance.
Suede is also more prone to staining than other types of leather, so it’s important to take the proper steps to keep it clean and looking good. The key is to act quickly when spills or other stains occur, as the longer a stain sits on suede, the harder it is to remove.
With the right tools and a few helpful tips, you can make sure that your suede leather bag remains in pristine condition and no longer needs to be reserved solely for special occasions.
What You Need to Clean a Suede Purse
Before you start cleaning your suede purse, you’ll need a few supplies. These are some of the products you may need depending on what kind of stain you are dealing with:
Suede Brush
A suede brush is one of the most important items to have on hand when you own a suede bag. Not only is it great for helping to remove stains but for maintenance as well!
Clean Cloth
A clean, dry cloth is also a necessity for cleaning suede material. Always use a white colored cloth to prevent the transfer of color from your towel to your leather items.
Talcum Powder
Talcum powder is great for soaking up liquid or grease stains off your suede. Corn starch can also be used in place of talcum powder.
Suede Eraser
Surprisingly, you don’t even need a special suede eraser, as a soft pencil eraser can work wonders on stains. Gently “erase” the stain away using a clean eraser and then use a dry brush to gently brush in a singular direction (rather than a circular motion) returning your bag to its former glory!
If you do prefer an actual suede eraser, you can grab both the suede brush and suede eraser in a combo pack here.
White Vinegar or Rubbing Alcohol
These are two great, and inexpensive, cleaning solutions for suede leather products. Both vinegar and rubbing alcohol dry without leaving water marks making them a great option for stained areas.
Warm Water
While excess water can be a suede bag’s worst nightmare, on certain stains (such as water spots) water can be helpful – we’ll get to that below! A damp cloth of soapy water can also be used to wipe down the inside of your handbag.
Suede Cleaning Kit
Investing in a cleaning kit is a great option if you’d like to have everything in one place. Cleaning kits come with everything you might need from brushes and clothes to cleansers and polishes.
Cleaning kits are especially useful to clean suede shoes as they typically need to be cleaned much more often than a suede handbag.
Steps to Cleaning Suede Items
For general dirt and debris on suede items, the cleaning process is quick and easy and should be done routinely to keep your suede handbag looking its best.
The first step is to simply use a suede brush to remove any surface dirt from the material. It’s extremely important to not rub too hard as it can permanently damage the suede fibers and ruin the texture of the suede thus ruining your purse (or other suede product).
Next, lightly dampen a white, clean cloth with either vinegar or rubbing alcohol and gently wipe the surface of your bag. The material should be damp – not soaking wet. Then allow your handbag to dry completely.
Side note – even if there’s no visible dirt and debris on your bag, this step is great for helping to maintain your bag. It helps to brighten and refresh your purse keeping it looking like new!
Finally, after your suede purse has completely dried, use a clean dry brush to brush the suede in a single direction in order to brush it back up again.
How to Clean Grease Stains on Your Suede Purse
Grease stains can be tricky to remove from suede, but with the right supplies and technique, it’s definitely possible. Start by blotting up any excess grease with a clean cloth or tissue paper.
Next, sprinkle a light layer of talcum powder or cornstarch over the stained area and let it sit for several hours to overnight. The talcum powder will help to absorb some of the grease and make it easier to clean.
Once the talcum powder has had a chance to work its magic, use a dry brush to brush off the powder. At this point, you can use a suede eraser or clean pencil eraser to remove any stubborn stains that remain.
Once the stain has been removed use a brush to brush the suede back up!
How to Clean Ink Stains on Your Suede Purse
If you’ve got an ink stain on your suede purse, don’t panic! With ink stains, the most important thing is to remove them before the stain sets.
Just like with a grease stain, start by using a dry cloth to blot the stained area. This will help remove any excess ink and prevent it from spreading any further.
Next, use a cloth or paper towel dampened with rubbing alcohol and blot the stained area. Then, blot the stain with a dry paper towel. Repeat this process until the stain is gone.
After the stain is removed, allow the bag to dry completely before brushing.
How to Clean Water Stains on Your Suede Purse
Water stains on your suede purse can be a real pain, but thankfully they’re not impossible to remove. One of the best ways to remove water stains is by using water – ironic, I know.
For water stains, you can use a clean, water-dampened cloth to blot the suede material over the entire surface until it is completely and evenly wet – however, you don’t want it soaking wet.
Allow your bag to dry completely before using a brush to refresh the suede by brushing it up in a single direction as opposed to a circular motion.
How to Clean Stubborn Stains on Your Suede Purse
Can you wash a suede purse in the washing machine? It is not recommended.
Most purses have another material somewhere on the bag even if you can’t see it and most of them are not suitable for being put in a washing machine.
So can you dry clean a suede handbag?
If you find yourself with a stubborn stain that you can’t seem to remove after trying the steps above then yes, it may be time for a professional suede bag cleaning. A dry cleaner or professional suede cleaner in your area may be able to help restore your bag to its pristine condition.
While dry cleaning is certainly more expensive than the above at-home steps, it’s better than needing to replace your purse altogether. Additionally, an occasional professional cleaning can also help to keep your suede products looking brand new.
Tips For Keeping Your Suede Purse in Perfect Condition
Now that you know how to clean your suede purse, here are a few tips to help keep it in perfect condition.
- Use a suede brush to remove dirt and debris from your suede purse on a regular basis. This will help to keep your bag looking clean while removing dust and preventing stains from setting in.
- Consider using a waterproofing spray on your suede purses and handbags. These are special products that help repel water on rainy days as well as other liquids. These sprays help to prevent water spots and stains, also making it easier to clean if something does happen to spill.
- Store your suede purse properly. Keep your purse in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. This will help to keep the leather looking just as it did right out of the box.
- Use a specialty suede conditioner to periodically condition your leather bag to keep it looking brand new!
Shop These Favorite Suede Leather Items
Conclusion
While cleaning and maintaining a suede purse can be a delicate process, it’s more than possible to keep it looking as good as the day you brought it home with just a couple simple tips!
Ultimately, you need to be sure to act quickly when spills or other stains occur, and use the precise steps outlined in this blog post to keep your suede leather purse in its perfect condition.
With a little bit of time and care, your suede purse will stay looking great for years to come!
