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Elegant -> RE: Cleaning Suede (3/24/2008 8:07:35 AM)
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Have No Fear...Underdog Is Here!
(Remember the cartoon?...Underdog is Shoeshine boy's alter personality)
First and most important step: Get that suede out of the house, away from all leathers, materials etc. Mildew spreads quicker than good gossip.
Now..removal of mildew from suede is different from removing it from topgrain leather...and not always successful.
Have a supply of old soft rags that you are willing to throw out. Start wiping away any surface mold with a damp rag. Wipe and capture as much of the mold as you can then throw the rag away. Don't rinse and reuse your rags. That only spreads the mold spores. Use an old toothbrush to clean stitching lines and crevices.
Dry the leather in the sun to take advantage of the disinfectant properties of the sun's ultraviolet light. (Hint: Do this on a breezy day so that there is less time the leather needs to remain in the sunlight). Leave it out for a few hours.
Vinegar, household bleach or alcohol can also be used to remove mold and mildew from leather but do know that they can all damage the fibers, will cause excess drying of the leather and could cause extreme discoloration. For heavily mildewed leather I suggest a 50/50 mix of 70% isopropyl alcohol and water. After washing the leather as noted above spray a fine mist of the alcohol solution over the leather, wipe with a clean soft cloth and let air dry in the sun.
Unfortunatly, suede cannot be conditioned as such products will matt and clog the nap. To soften the suede roll it up, unroll and then reverse the roll. Do this over and over.
More information http://www.fantasiesinleather.com/humidity.htm. An article I researched and wrote that has been reproduced on many website around the world.
Don;t hesitate to contact me if you need help.
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