A women's bag made of suede is a very popular accessory.
The unique advantage of such things is the combination of convenience, practicality and sophisticated elegance.
But in order for such a thing to last as long as possible, it wouldn’t hurt to know basic rules for caring for bags of this kind.
Differences between suede
Natural suede is soft polished leather of a specific manufacture. This type of leather has a pleasant pile feel and is velvety on both sides. This material stretches easily without losing its shape. Thanks to the fat treatment, suede is resistant to moisture.
Reference! Suede is made from the skins of elk, deer and sheep using fat and formaldehyde-fat tanning.
Artificial suede is a material that looks almost no different from natural one. The composition of this material is quite simple: cotton, polyester and PVA-based glue.
To increase resistance to various kinds of negative influences, suede is coated with Teflon. Faux suede successfully combines the softness, elegance and style of natural suede with the wear resistance of modern materials.
How to care for (clean) a suede bag at home?
Often, representatives of the fair sex refuse to purchase a suede bag due to the widespread opinion that it is difficult to care for such material. Meanwhile, it is not at all that difficult, you just need to take into account some important nuances.
Faux suede
Treatment with water-repellent aerosol
It is necessary to shake the container with the product, apply a thin layer evenly on a clean and dry surface of the product and leave for 10 minutes so that the aerosol is fully absorbed. After this, you just need to comb the surface of the bag with a special suede brush.
Washing suede with shampoo
It is necessary to dilute a little shampoo in a small amount of water (no more than 20 g per 1 liter of water) until a thick foam mass is obtained. Then, using a sponge with a hard pad, you need to apply the resulting solution to the surface of the bag and rub the contaminated areas. After finishing cleaning, rinse the sponge well under water and use it to remove any remaining soap solution from the treated areas.
Special products for suede
To care for such a product you must have:
- a polymer sponge or a soft cloth with small lint;
- double-sided brush for cleaning suede surfaces with rubber bristles;
- special water-repellent agent;
- aerosols for removing stains from suede.
What should not be used?
Do not use a brush with metal or too hard bristles to clean the suede surface.This can cause punctures to appear, as a result of which the item will become unusable and will have to be thrown away.
Also, do not use acetone, chemical stain removers or degreasing solvents to clean such bags.
How to remove grease stains?
Before starting cleaning, you must first remove dirt and dust from the surface of the product, using a soft bristle brush for this purpose.
Absorbent
A fresh grease stain should be blotted with a paper napkin to prevent its further expansion. Then any absorbent substance (soda, tooth powder, talc or crushed chalk) must be sprinkled on the contaminated area and left for several hours, after which the remaining product must be removed with a brush.
Detergent
You can clean such a bag from heavy contamination by using liquid soap or dishwashing detergent for this purpose. 20 ml of this product should be dissolved in 1 liter of water. Then you need to treat the surface with this solution using a brush, then removing the residue with a dry sponge. After this, the product must be dried.
Ammonia
To clean a suede product in this way, you need to prepare an appropriate solution. To do this, ammonia must be dissolved in water in a ratio of 1:4. You need to moisten a cotton pad in the resulting solution and apply it to the required areas, blotting them afterwards with a damp cloth. After this, the product must be dried and treated with a special brush.
Refined gasoline
This substance should be used in purified form and with caution so as not to damage the bag. It is necessary to moisten a cotton pad in gasoline and gently wipe the contaminated area of the surface of the product with it.After 10 minutes, sprinkle the treated area with fine salt, then shake it off and sprinkle it again. After 5 minutes, the product must be treated with a brush with rubber bristles.
How to treat shiny areas?
Over time, shiny areas may appear on the suede surface. This happens because a significant amount of dirt accumulates in the suede fibers, which is compressed under the influence of moisture or fat. Such areas can be tidied up in one of the following ways.
Eraser
The suede surface can be cleaned using an ordinary eraser (eraser), which is used to erase a simple pencil. To do this, you need to carefully rub the shiny areas with an eraser. The softer the rubber, the better the result will be.
Important! The eraser must be completely clean. Otherwise, this method may lead to even greater contamination of the surface of the product.
Soda with milk
You can use a composition made from soda and milk with a low fat content. The ingredients must be taken in a 1:1 ratio. The resulting mixture should be applied to the contaminated areas and left for 10-15 minutes. Then use a slightly damp cloth to remove any remaining liquid and dry the bag.
This mixture will not only remove shine from shiny areas, but also refresh the color of the product.
Specifics of cleaning light, brown and colored bags
If the bag has shiny folds, they can be tidied up by sanding with minimal grit sandpaper. To remove stains It is recommended to use natural materials on the surface of the product: dried coffee grounds (suitable for brown products), salt or semolina (suitable for light products).
For dark bags A crust of rye bread is also suitable, with which you need to rub the shiny area.
Bright products Can be cleaned with ammonia. To do this, mix 1 part ammonia with 5 parts water. Moisten a sponge in the resulting solution and treat the contaminated areas of the surface. Then the treated area must be wiped with a cotton swab soaked in a vinegar solution.
Can suede be washed?
If there is a need to wash a suede bag, this should be done very carefully. Products made from such material are best washed by hand in a basin with slightly warm soapy water.
You should not get the material too wet; you just need to rinse the product.
Important! You cannot rub or twist such a product!
Proper drying
Suede must be dried naturally at room temperature, away from heat sources. The product should be placed on any flat surface and left for 10-12 hours. Do not dry suede in direct sunlight; with such exposure, this material fades very quickly and becomes rough.
Preventing contamination is the key to ensuring that the product will last long enough.while maintaining an attractive appearance. With timely and careful care, a suede bag will delight its owner with its elegance for a long time.
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