Despite its attractive texture and feel, many furniture buyers shy away from suede because they believe it is nearly impossible to clean. While it is true that the material requires special care procedures, suede can be as durable as cloth or vinyl if cared for properly.
It is important to take preventative measures when caring for suede. This can be a key factor as to how long your couch will last you. As a first step, you should always treat new suede couches with a protective coat. Many home care companies make specialized suede protectors, which can be applied to the material by rubbing it into the outer layer. This protective coating will help ensure that the couch is water and stain-proof, and should be applied on a regular basis to keep it fresh. In addition to the protective solution being used, you should regularly brush your suede couch. There are special suede brushes you can purchase to do this with or you can simply use a clean terry cloth.
If you happen to stain the material, fear not because you can use fine sand paper (or emery) to gently rub the exterior and remove the stain. If the stain is really small, you can use a pencil eraser. Be careful not to rub the spot too hard, as a delicate application will more than suffice to clean the unit. You should always remember to use circular motions when rubbing stains out.
If your couch gets water spots, in between treatments, then you should allow the spots to dry naturally and then use a specialized suede brush. This should remove the spots in most cases. For hard to remove stains, professional cleaners can treat and remove most spots, ranging from red wine to food, to get your couch looking like new again.
If these other solutions fail you, there are stain remover solutions available in stores. If you decide to use any chemicals on your couch be sure to test it in an inconspicuous place first to see how the material reacts to it. Hopefully using the methods mentioned above will get rid of the stains before you have to spend a lot of money purchasing any chemicals. When all else fails have it professionally cleaned.
