7 Simple Make-Your-Own Suede Cleaner Recipes (2024)

I’ve discovered some super straightforward and inexpensive ways to clean and maintain suede items at home.

• Invest in a suede brush or use a soft-bristled brush.
• Gently rub off stains with a pencil eraser.
• Insert paper inside suede shoes during cleaning to maintain their shape.
• Buff suede with a nail file to tackle scuff marks.
• Clean blood stains with hydrogen peroxide.

To clean your suede items effectively and affordably, you can start by brushing the surface with a suede brush. This helps to remove any loose dirt and maintain the fibers’ direction. I also like using a pencil eraser to gently remove dry stains; it’s especially handy for small marks and doesn’t cost much at all.

When I’m cleaning suede shoes, I stuff them with crumpled paper. This simple trick keeps them in shape and makes it easier to clean the exterior without worrying about the shoes becoming misshapen. A nail file is another budget-friendly tool I use to carefully buff away water stains or smooth out minor scuffs.

For blood stains, I’ve found that dabbing a bit of hydrogen peroxide on the affected area does the trick. It’s a powerful cleaner, and since it’s already in my medicine cabinet, I don’t have to go out and buy anything special. Just remember to always test these methods on a small, less visible area first to make sure they don’t affect the suede’s color or texture!

Suede items are very delicate and are easy to stain and get scuff marks. Because the material is from either cowhide, pig, or doe, dirt enjoys clinging to it.

Even with a suede protector or wax, suede can still get dirty. We all know that it is tough to clean; that is why a lot of people believe that only professionals and shoeshine experts can do suede polishing or cleaning.

If you don’t have time to go to a professional suede cleaner and are interested in making a DIY suede cleaner, you have come to the right place. Here, we have some tips and tricks to keep your suede shoes, suede jackets, or suede boots clean and stain-free using a homemade suede cleaner.

Easy Homemade Suede Cleaner Tips and Recipes

Get a suede brush

Alice Gilbert, a seasoned authority on home organization, suggests, “Investing in a suede brush is a smart move for maintaining your delicate items.” If you do not want to buy a suede brush, it is also possible to make a DIY suede cleaner brush. Just get any soft-bristled household brush or an old toothbrush.

Be sure that when you use your brush, avoid moving it in a back and forth motion. Always brush your suede shoes or suede boots when they are dry, and go along in the direction of the suede fibers.

Use your pencil eraser to rub off stains

As an alternative to a suede brush, you can use a pencil eraser as a stain remover for items like suede gloves, jackets, and boots. For example, whencleaning Uggs that are stained by salt, dirt, and other dry stains, use your suede brush on the affected area to remove the large clumps.

Then, use a pencil eraser and gently remove the remaining stain. Finally, thoroughly clean it with a lightly damp cloth and let it dry naturally.

When cleaning suede shoes, insert paper inside

Before brushing and cleaning suede shoes or suede boots, get crumpled paper or newspaper and put them inside. Doing this will not help remove dry stains or scuff marks, but it will keep the natural shape of your suede shoes.

Polish your suede shoes with a nail file

You can also use a nail file to clean your suede boots and shoes. To do that, gently buff the areas with water stains or marks using a nail file.

Use hydrogen peroxide to clean blood stains

Blood stains are difficult to remove, especially when they have dried and set in on suede garments. Blood has a protein content, and the best way to remove the stains is by using an enzymatic cleaner to break down the protein in the blood.

To clean light bloodstains, pour a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to the cotton balls or paper towel. Lightly dab the paper towel or cotton ball on the stain until it comes out.

For tough stains, you can pour hydrogen peroxide on the entire blood stain on your suede garment and let it sit for a few minutes. After that, use your suede brush for thorough cleaning.

Use white vinegar for tough stains

For tough grime and stubborn stains such as soil, colored food, grease stains, and some dark liquids, you can use vinegar as a natural suede cleaner.

Using vinegar is the best way to clean suede items because of its pH level. The vinegar’s acidic nature will help in breaking down basic or alkaline substances.

Dip the clean towel in the vinegar. Rub the stain gently. Make sure not to soak the suede too much.

For large stains, you can pour the vinegar into the spray bottle and use it to sprinkle vinegar on the stain. Let it dry and then brush the fabric using your suede brush.

Baking soda for cleaning suede

Another way to clean suede shoes or suede furniture is with baking soda. If you do not want your suede to get wet with liquid cleaners, a dry cleaner like baking soda is beneficial.

Sprinkle the baking soda on your suede leather or any suede items, and rub the baking soda on the area that is dirty with a suede brush. Let the baking soda sit on it for 10 to 15 minutes and remove it afterward.

Things to Consider when using DIY Suede Cleaner

If you are going to try any of the tips and tricks we shared in this article, be sure that before you do your cleaning, test any liquid or dry cleaner in an inconspicuous area on your suede garments first. Checking the ingredients that you will use will prevent further damage to the visible parts of your suede items.

Stain removal is not always as arduous as it sounds. With these tips, you can keep your suede items clean with a natural suede cleaner.

Recipe for DIY Suede Cleaner

DIY Suede Cleaner

Yield: 1/2 cup

Vinegar - a household favorite for cleaning almost everything!

Materials

• 4 ounces of vinegar

Tools

• 8-ounce spray bottle
• Measuring cup
• Suede brush

Instructions

1. Pour the vinegar into the spray bottle.
2. Spritz the suede lightly.
3. Let the vinegar dry.
4. Brush the stain to eliminate residue.

Notes

Do not soak the suede with vinegar to prevent damaging the material.

We hope you discovered beautiful ways to use DIY suede cleaner. If you liked our suede cleaning tips, please share these easy tricks in cleaning suede items with your friends on Pinterest and Facebook so they can enjoy using their suede items without worrying about stains, too!