Suede Care
Suede Care at Home: Cleaning, Stains, Color and Jackets
A simple suede care routine (brush, erase, blot, protect), what not to use, and step-by-step guides for stains, ink, dyeing, jackets, coats and nubuck.
Good suede care comes down to a few habits. Brush it dry, rub small marks out with a suede eraser, blot spills straight away, and keep it out of soaking water.
Spray it with a protector when it is clean. Everything else, from ink to dye to a grubby coat collar, has its own step-by-step guide below.
Key takeaways- Suede is the napped underside of the hide. It soaks up liquids fast, so speed matters more than products.- Brush in one direction with a brush kept only for suede.- Read the care label first. If it says dry clean only, don't wash or spot-treat it.- Sellers disagree on home care versus a specialist, our partner store included. We show both views.
The basic suede care routine
- Check the label. Follow the maker's care advice before any treatment.
- Brush off dust. Use a soft suede brush, gently, in one direction.
- Lift the nap. A rubber or crepe brush raises the pile again. Don't press hard.
- Erase small marks. Rub a suede eraser over scuffs in the same direction you brushed.
- Protect. Spray a protector on clean, brushed suede, and top it up every few weeks on shoes you wear often.
Store suede clean, in a breathable cotton or canvas bag rather than plastic. Jackets and coats go on a wide hanger in a cool, dry place.
What not to use on suede
| Avoid | Why | Fact |
|---|---|---|
| Soaking or the washing machine | A shoe retailer warns it can warp or discolor suede | – |
| Liquid cleaners and conditioners meant for smooth leather | Makers say to brush suede and nubuck only | – |
| Saddle soap, mink oil, shoe cream | The store's care page says these may damage leather | – |
| Hair dryer or iron | A dry cleaner warns heat flattens the nap | – |
| Rubbing a fresh spill | Blot instead; rubbing pushes it deeper | – |
Home care or a specialist? Even the store disagrees
Leather Collection's own product pages give suede owners two different answers. One jacket's FAQ says to brush it with a soft suede brush and try a suede eraser on small marks.
Another says the jacket is dry-clean only, by a suede specialist. A third says to take it to a dry cleaner who knows suede.
The store's general care page sends serious stains to a professional leather cleaner. It also warns that normal dry cleaning strips leather's oils.
We don't pick a side. Our guides cover the home methods and say clearly when a specialist is the safer call.
If you are shopping rather than cleaning, the Cambridge suede jacket page shows the store's goatskin suede and its care notes. The store sells no cleaning products. For help choosing between suede, nubuck and roughout, see leatherguide.org's guide to napped leather.
Stains and marks
- How to remove stains from suede: water marks, oil, mud and general spots, plus drying times.
- How to remove ink from suede: ballpoint and pen marks, and when to stop.
Suede jackets, coats and clothing
Collars, cuffs and pocket edges pick up the most dirt on suede garments.
Water, heat and wrinkles
Protecting suede
Dyeing and color
Suede takes dye made for suede. One dye maker warns that its leather dye can leave suede hard.
Everyday cleaning guides
Nubuck and roughout
Nubuck is buffed on the grain side, so it is tougher than suede but still marks easily. The care is similar but not identical.
FAQ
What should you not use on suede?
Skip soaking, washing machines and liquid cleaners or conditioners made for smooth leather. Keep heat from hair dryers and irons away from the nap.
Is suede ruined once it gets wet?
Not always. A shoemaker reports suede boots drying fine on their own after a downpour.
The Laundress says most real suede should not be exposed to water. If it does get wet, let it dry at room temperature away from heaters, then brush.
Can you put Dawn dish soap on suede?
We found no suede maker that recommends dish soap. The Laundress warns that water and heavy chemicals can permanently alter real suede.
Brush and eraser come first. The stain removal guide above covers what to try next.
What is the best cleaner for suede?
Start with a suede brush and eraser. Shoemakers use a suede shampoo over the whole item for a deep clean, then brush once it is dry. Test any product on a hidden spot first.
hosob Editorial Team
hosob articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.