Material file · Leather and suede
Suede and nubuck: what it can take
Covers suede and nubuck shoes, boots, jackets and bags. Suede should not get wet at all if you can help it: work with solvents, powders and brushes.
- Water
- Avoid
- Max temperature
- 30 °C (86 °F)
- Rubbing
- Never
- Stain files
- 25
01 What it is
Suede is unfinished, brushed hide with no topcoat, so liquids soak straight in.
Suede has a nap whose look depends on the fibres lying the same way, so pressure and heat leave marks.
Suede cannot be rinsed through, so whatever you put on it partly stays in it.
02 House rules
- Suede should not get wet at all if you can help it: work with solvents, powders and brushes.
- No rubbing at all; every step is a press-and-lift.
- No soaking, so each treatment is applied, given a few minutes, and blotted away.
03 Field notes
- Suede is the brushed inner side of a hide, with no protective topcoat, so liquids soak straight in.
- A pencil eraser or suede eraser lifts surface dirt by friction without any liquid at all.
- Water stains on suede come from minerals and tanning salts carried to the edge of the wet patch, the same tide-line effect as a coffee ring.
04 Every cleaner, rated
| Cleaner | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Baking soda | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Cornstarch | Test first | Brush out every trace; white powder can lodge in dark pile. |
| Lemon juice | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Rubbing alcohol | Test first | A light dab can lift ink from suede; test first and brush the nap once dry. |
| White vinegar | Test first | No material-specific permission is established by this general entry. Check the exact item and product labels and pretest; if compatibility is unknown, consult the manufacturer or a professional. |
| Dish soap | Avoid | Liquid soap leaves water marks on suede; use a suede eraser or cornstarch first. |
| Enzyme cleaner | Avoid | Soaking suede to the depth of a stain leaves water marks and stiff nap. |
| Acetone | Never | It dissolves suede dyes and hardens the nap. |
| Borax | Never | It discolours suede. |
| Chlorine bleach | Never | It leaves permanent pale blotches on suede. |
| Citrus adhesive remover | Never | Its oil leaves a dark patch in suede. |
| Bio detergent | Never | Laundry detergent leaves suede stiff and water-marked. |
| Hot water | Never | Hot water mats the nap and leaves tide marks on suede. |
| Household ammonia | Never | It discolours suede. |
| Hydrogen peroxide 3% | Never | Peroxide leaves pale blotches on suede. |
| Magic eraser | Never | It strips the nap from suede. |
| Oxalic acid cleanser | Never | It burns suede. |
| Oxygen bleach | Never | It will bleach and stiffen suede. |
| Steam cleaner | Never | Steam mats and stains suede. |
| WD-40 | Never | It leaves a permanent dark oil patch in suede. |
05 Stains on suede
| Stain | Difficulty | Never |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate | Specialist | Soap and water, Oxygen bleach |
| Drool and yellow pillow stains | Specialist | Soap and water, Oxygen bleach |
| Lipstick | Specialist | Soap and water, Oxygen bleach |
| Mildew and mould spots | Specialist | The dryer, Soaking it |
| Nail polish | Specialist | Acetone, Soap and water |
| Ballpoint ink | Tough | Soap and water, Hairspray |
| Grease and cooking oil | Tough | Soap and water, The dryer |
| Ice cream | Tough | Soap and water, Oxygen bleach |
| Red wine | Tough | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Salad dressing | Tough | Soap and water, The dryer |
| Tree sap | Tough | Soap and water, Hot water |
| Urine (pets and people) | Tough | Chlorine bleach, Ammonia |
| Bird droppings | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Blood | Stubborn | Hydrogen peroxide, Hot water |
| Butter | Stubborn | Soap and water, The dryer |
| Coffee | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Cola and soda | Stubborn | Oxygen bleach, Hot water |
| Foundation and concealer | Stubborn | Soap and water, Rubbing |
| Gravy | Stubborn | Soap and water, Hot water |
| Hair and body oil | Stubborn | Soap and water, The dryer |
| Mud and dirt | Stubborn | Soap and water, Water first |
| Perfume | Stubborn | Soap and water, The dryer |
| Water stains and rings | Stubborn | Spot-wetting, Soaking it |
| Beer | Manageable | Hot water, The dryer |
| Bronzer, blush and eyeshadow | Manageable | Soap and water, Water first |
06 The most common mistakes on suede
Counted across all 25 stain files for suede:
- Soaking it with water (25 files). Suede dries to a darker ring wherever it was wet.
- The dryer before it is gone (20 files). Dryer heat locks in whatever is left. Air-dry and check first.
- Soap and water (16 files). Liquid soap leaves water marks in suede; dry methods come first.
- Hot water (13 files). Heat helps tannins bond to the fibres, and any milk or other protein in it cooks on.
- Rubbing or scrubbing (13 files). It spreads the stain and grinds it deeper; blot instead.
- Oxygen bleach (OxiClean-type powder) (8 files). It will bleach and stiffen suede.
07 What the suede files use most
These are the products the 25 stain files for suede rely on most. Cornstarch leads because absorbents pull fresh liquid and oil out of a material by capillary action, like a wick.
08 When to call a professional
Suede jackets and anything where water has already left a ring.
Specialist-rated stains on suede: chocolate, drool, lipstick, mildew and nail polish.