When furniture or clothes shopping is on your to-do list, an attractive appearance and the fit of the item are top reasons to head to the register. The only problem with buying items primarily for aesthetics is the maintenance process often gets pushed to the back burner.

Suede is no exception. A stationary suede couch can become as much of a task to keep clean as wearing suede shoes on a rainy day. Made from the animal skin of lamb, goats, calves or deer, the end result is much softer and more flexible than other materials like leather. However, that velvety structure comes with an additional price.

How To Clean Suede the Wrong Way

One of the worst ways to clean suede is with water, which is usually the go-to for handwashing other items. Skip the detergent and the soapy water because water will leave stains on suede, along with making it look dull and worn-out. Additionally, the soft appearance of suede will appear stiff and chalky once dry if harsh chemicals like detergent are used.

Keeping a suede couch in a damp basement is also not ideal. Even if the basement is finished, if suede furniture is in a high-volume area where refreshments are common, homeowners may find themselves spending more time spot cleaning the couch than sitting on it. One major spill from the kids or houseguests could ruin a perfectly good piece of furniture. A dry room is a much less stressful location.

How To Clean Suede the Right Way

Instead of detergent and traditional fabric cleaners, start with a dry brush to loosen a suede stain. Then, use a rubber eraser or a suede cleaning block to try to remove the stain. If those two don’t work on their own, and the suede stain is much tougher to remove, there are suede-specific liquid options that can be used.  Try suede-cleaning solution.

If you’d prefer to use homemade ingredients from around your home, rubbing alcohol or white vinegar may do the trick. Pour a small amount of one of the three liquids onto a soft, clean, microfiber cloth and rub it in until the stain disappears. Once you’ve gotten the stain out, make sure to use a dry towel or hair dryer to fluff the suede back to its usual condition.

Steam cleaning on a low vapor mode is also an option for cleaning suede. Unlike putting water directly onto the material, steam uses a minimal amount of moisture to loosen dirt and stains without soaking suede.

Tips for Cleaning Faux Suede

For vegan-friendly homeowners, faux suede has a little more wiggle room. Faux suede (made from polyester microfiber and a polyurethane binder, or nylon) can be cleaned by using a mixture of dish soap and water to blot the stain. Avoid harsh rubbing or scrubbing.