How to Remove Oil Stains from Suede

Suede is known for its soft, pleasant texture and elegant beauty. Although suede is a difficult material to clean, you can remove oil stains with some basic household products. Use absorbent material to absorb fresh oil stains before it sets, followed by dishwashing liquid to clean lighter oil stains. For older and deeper stains, suede can be restored with a suede care kit with eraser tablets and cleaning solution.

Table of Contents

Clean oil with corn starch

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Blot the oil dry with a paper towel if the stain is still wet. If the stain hasn’t dried yet, soak as much oil as possible before it adheres to the suede. Place the item on a hard surface, then press firmly with a paper towel over the oil stain. It’s likely you’ll get the most of the oil out of the way before it causes more trouble. ^{[1] X Research Source}

For best results, treat the oil stain as soon as it is fresh. Even if the stain is firmly attached, it will be easier to clean afterwards.

Sprinkle a generous amount of cornstarch over the oil stain for at least 1 hour. Sprinkle cornstarch to cover the stain. It doesn’t hurt to sprinkle a lot of cornstarch, so don’t be shy. Corn starch is very absorbent and absorbs oil from the fabric very effectively. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use baking soda, a product with similar absorbent properties. Talcum powder also has an oil-absorbing effect.
Leave the cornstarch on the stain for at least 30 minutes. If you have time, leave the cornstarch on the suede overnight to absorb as much oil as possible.

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Wipe off the corn starch with a damp microfiber cloth. Most cornstarch can be easily brushed off by hand. To safely wipe away the residue, apply warm water to a cloth and wring it out so that only moisture remains. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Water will damage suede, so be careful. Wipe the suede off with warm water, then dry the shoes in a well-ventilated place and away from heat sources.

Use a toothbrush to brush on the stain for a soft cotton suede surface. Start at the top of the stain and work your way down. Gently run the brush along the treated area to avoid damaging the suede. This step helps clean up the rest of the stain and softens the leather fibers, leaving the suede looking as good as new. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If you have a suede care kit, you can use the brush in it to brush away the stain.

Repeat the above steps if necessary to complete the stain removal job. For stubborn oil stains, you may need to sprinkle cornstarch 2-3 times. You can also clean suede with a de-oiling dish soap or vinegar to remove any remaining oil stains.

Clean stains with dishwashing liquid

Blot dry with a paper towel if the oil stain is fresh. Press a clean paper towel over the oil stain for 1 minute to absorb as much of the oil as possible. This helps prevent most of the oil from sticking to the skin and becoming a tough stain to remove.

Even if you can’t clean suede right away, you should try to absorb the oil before it sinks into the leather.

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Rub degreasing dish soap on the stain for 10 minutes. Most dish soaps can clean up oil stains, but those labeled with de-oiling properties are best. You can use a lot of soap to remove the oil stain, but be sure to remove all the soap when you’re done removing the stain. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

Remember that suede is not a water-resistant material, so cleaning with water and soap will work best for small, pre-treated stains.

Brush the stain with a suede brush or toothbrush. Starting at the top of the stain, brush down with short, light strokes. You can use a nylon brush, nail brush, or other scrubbing item to scrub the soap into the stain. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Be gentle when scrubbing. Vigorous scrubbing can damage the suede. If you do it right, the suede surface will look soft and clean when it’s finished scrubbing.

Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe off the soap. Dip a towel in warm water and wring it out so that only a little moisture remains before scrubbing the stain from top to bottom. This step will help remove most or all of the oil stain. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

If you’re not afraid of the suede getting wet, you can rinse the soap off under running water. Hang the item in a place that is out of direct sunlight but well ventilated until dry.

Use suede cleaning products

Brush off the dirt on the suede surface with a soft brush. Place the item on a hard surface. If you have a suede cleaning kit, use a brush in it. Start from the surface of the stain and brush downwards with short, light strokes. Brush as clean as possible so that dirt doesn’t get trapped in the suede. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

You can try using an old toothbrush or a nylon brush if you don’t have a suede brush.

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Use suede remover to remove oil stains. Rub the stain again from top to bottom, but this time with an eraser. Suede erasers are shaped like pencil erasers. You can rub all over the stain a few times until the eraser seems to have stopped working on the stain. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Suede remover tablets and cleaning products are often included in suede care kits. You can order it online or at a leather goods store.

Spray suede cleaning solution on the oil stain. Many suede cleaning solutions come in spray bottles, so you just need to point the spray head at the stain. If the product is liquid, pour about 1 teaspoon (5 ml) onto a clean microfiber towel and rub it over the oil stain. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Another option is to use vinegar. Moisten a rag or paper towel with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vinegar and dab it on the stain.

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Use a microfiber cloth soaked in warm water to dab the stain. Squeeze a towel to prevent water from dripping onto the suede and wipe the stain from top to bottom. Thus, the surface of the leather is not wet but can still clean the remaining oil stains.

You can also safely rinse the suede under running water, as long as you dry it properly afterwards. Keep the item away from direct sunlight or other sources of heat.

Brush again for soft and clean skin. Use a suede brush or similar nylon brush to brush the stain from top to bottom. Brush in short, gentle strokes to avoid damaging the skin. This step will help the surface of the suede cotton up, returning its soft and clean look.

If you’ve tried everything and the stain still doesn’t come off, take the item to a professional service.

Advice

When you see oil stains on the suede, take a paper towel to blot immediately. Oil stains that remain, even if they become stains, are much easier to remove, so you don’t have to worry if you don’t have other cleaning products on hand at the moment.
Remove stains as soon as possible. Old stains are always harder to remove.
Suede is usually not very water resistant. Wet suede can lose shape and crack. In addition, hot water can cause stains to adhere. However, you can still safely use water to clean suede, as long as you’re careful.
If you use water to clean suede, make sure you dry it properly. Avoid exposing it to direct sunlight or near other heat sources to prevent the leather from drying out too quickly and cracking.
For stains that seem impossible to remove, contact a professional cleaner experienced in handling suede and leather products. Almost any dry cleaner can handle it.

Things you need

Clean oil with corn starch

Tissue
Corn starch
Suede brush
Microfiber wipes
Water

Clean stains with dishwashing liquid

Tissue
De-oil dishwashing liquid
Suede brush
Microfiber wipes
Water

Use suede cleaning products

Tissue
Suede brush
Suede remover tablets
Suede cleaning solution
Microfiber wipes
Water

Steps

Clean oil with corn starch

Clean stains with dishwashing liquid

Use suede cleaning products

Advice

Things you need

Clean oil with corn starch

Clean stains with dishwashing liquid

Use suede cleaning products

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