One of the most coveted items in a woman’s closet is a designer purse, but after spending your hard-earned money, you need to make sure it stays in mint condition. Suede purses are a staple fashion choice for many, yet it may not be someone’s first choice to use daily as they are incredibly hard to clean. The thought of getting it wet, dirty or stained shouldn’t prevent your gorgeous bag from seeing the light outside your closet. Instead of fretting over the inevitable, here is a list of the best ways to clean your suede purse to keep it looking fresh for seasons to come.
Cleaning your suede purse doesn’t need to be as difficult as you think. You simply need to follow these steps and use specific tools and ingredients that you can find in your pantry. If you have already stained your bag or you want to know how you can prevent it with the following tips, you can make it look better than the day you bought it.
Blot the Stain
If you stain your beloved suede purse, don’t fret. First things, if it is a liquid, make sure to blot the stain and allow it to dry. Be careful when blotting, as you don’t want to press the stain in deeper, so just lightly dab to soak up the excess liquid. Once you think you’ve blotted most of the liquid, allow the material to air dry before you start any other methods as you don’t want to ruin the suede further.
Use A Dry Brush
You can buy a dry brush for suede on Amazon or your local shoe store. These are great for regular maintenance to keep your bag and the suede material in perfect condition. Before using any of the other tips, you will need to brush where the stain occurred thoroughly. You need to remove the top layer of dirt carefully and make sure to brush in one direction to remove the bigger particles. Once you have gotten the surface dirt out, you can go in with a toothbrush and focus on the stained area. Here you can use more force and scrub in both directions to tackle the deeper stains.
Use An Eraser
You can find an eraser specifically made for suede, but a good old fashion school eraser will work just fine. Make sure to use a white eraser as you don’t want a coloured one to stain your bag further. Most importantly, don’t start this step until you are sure you have brushed your bag thoroughly as it could rub excess dirt in further.
Test With Vinegar Or Rubbing Alcohol
Try this method if the eraser did not work. It’s essential to test the vinegar or alcohol on a small patch just in case it reacts badly with the particular suede you are using. Try a bit on the bottom of the purse or the strap and wait for it to dry to ensure it doesn’t leave any discoloration. Vinegar works well on environmental stains like dirt or food and alcohol works better to get out ink stains. Press the liquid into the stain to make sure it soaks in thoroughly and don’t rub it. You will need to wait until it’s fully dry to see if it comes out. The vinegar can leave a bit of an odour, but it will fade after time as it air dries.
Use Cornstarch
Whether your lipgloss leaked in your purse or some food from your favourite restaurant spilled on your purse, the best solution is cornstarch. The best tip is to sprinkle it on, pat the stain gently and then let it sit for 12- 24 hours. After 12 hours, you can shake off the excess cornstarch; hopefully, the oil will as well. You can go over it with a brush and remove the remnants of the cornstarch, and it will help blend out the suede
Cleaning your suede purse may be a difficult task, but if you can’t get a stain out with these steps, always try getting it professionally clean. The biggest tip is not to use water, and after trying each step, let it air dry before moving on to the next.
Why Love Your Purse
Sometimes at-home purse cleaning doesn’t cut it, and you need to call in the professionals. The experts at Love Your Purse have been cleaning purses of all different materials, including suede for three decades! We do purse repair and purse cleaning on a wide variety of handbags. Get a free quote online or contact us today to learn more about our purse cleaning services. Your beloved suede purse will look brand new!
