How To Iron Suede? (Remove Wrinkles!)

Suede jackets are known for the luxe and rich feel that they lend to any outfit. But a major problem that comes with taking care of suede is dealing with wrinkles.

There are many questions that a layman has regarding this – Should suede jackets be ironed? Can suede jackets be steamed? And probably many more.

You will find the answers to all these articles and much more in this post. I have extensive experience in messing around with suede, so I hope that I would be able to provide value to you and make your suede jacket look better.

So, should suede jackets be ironed or steamed?

Suede jackets can be steamed and ironed like any other jacket, but proper care should be taken before ironing. If you don’t use a pressing cloth as a placeholder between the iron and the suede jacket, you will destroy the nape and makes the suede fibers look dull and lifeless.

If you want some detailed information about how you can perform these tasks in the safest manner possible, I would recommend you to read this entire article.

how to iron suede?

oning suede can be tricky, as the heat and pressure of an iron can cause damage to the material. Here are some tips for ironing suede:

1. Before ironing, check the care label on the suede item to see if ironing is recommended. If it is not, it is best to not try to iron it.
2. Place a thin towel or a pillowcase over the suede, and iron on a low heat setting. The towel or pillowcase will act as a barrier between the iron and the suede, preventing any direct contact.
3. Do not press down too hard with the iron, as this can cause damage to the suede.
4. Move the iron around gently and in a circular motion, ironing the entire surface of the suede.
5. Do not iron over the same spot multiple times, as this can cause discoloration or burn marks.
6. Once finished, let the suede cool down completely before handling it.

It’s worth noting that while ironing may help remove wrinkles, it may not be suitable for all suede items, and some may not be safe to iron, it can cause damage or discoloration.

Also, ironing can change the appearance or feel of the suede, so it’s always best to test a small inconspicuous area first. If you are unsure, it’s best to consult a professional cleaner or take it to a professional to iron it.

Can you iron a suede jacket?

Ironing a suede jacket is a good idea if you do it in the right way. Always use a pressing cloth in order to avoid direct heat on the suede fibers, and make sure to iron your suede jacket inside out in order to achieve the best results.

The pressing cloth is there to ensure that the nape of the suede doesn’t get flattened, as that would make the entire jacket look lifeless. This cloth should ideally be made from an iron-friendly fabric such as cotton.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that the iron should always be set on the lowest heat possible. Low heat is good because it would not harm the suede fibers if you have placed the pressing cloth above the jacket properly.

And make sure that you have turned your suede jacket inside out before you start ironing; otherwise, it can lead to heat damage and discoloration of the suede.

A final tip would be to first start ironing in an inconspicuous area so that even if your suede does not take all too well to ironing, you would have relatively little to worry about.

Also during the ironing process, keep checking after the suede so that nothing harmful happens to your jacket. Even though it is made from leather, the durability of suede is considerably less.

Can you steam a suede jacket?

Suede jackets can be steamed in order to remove wrinkles or stubborn scuff marks. Make sure that you are using a quality steamer. Don’t take the steamer too close to the suede of the jacket in order to avoid heat damage.

Steaming suede is a bit different as you would have to make sure that the suede is not wet. Water and suede generally don’t go well with each other, so just ensure that your jacket is completely dry before you begin the steaming process.

One additional benefit of steaming over ironing is that steaming will also help you in removing the scuff marks and dirt that suede tends to attract over time.

This happens because the heat from the steamer enlarges the pores of the suede jacket, and makes it much more susceptible to a thorough cleaning.

If you don’t have the access to a handheld steamer, then you can try the following two methods, though I am not really sure how well they would work.

Take a kettle of water and boil it. You can direct the steam that comes out of this kettle towards the suede jacket. Focus on the wrinkled areas.

If that trick didn’t work, you can do one final thing. Whenever you go to take a hot shower next, just hang your suede jacket next to the showerhead in a way that it doesn’t get wet, but receives a lot of steam.

Furthermore, if your suede jacket is unlined, it would be better for you if you steamed the jacket from the inside.

How to remove wrinkles from a suede jacket?

The easiest way to remove wrinkles in a suede jacket is to simply send it to the dry cleaners. Apart from this, suede jackets can also be ironed and steamed, provided that a good amount of precautions are taken in this endeavor.

Sending them to the dry cleaners makes sense because you would get professional help and you wouldn’t really have to put in a lot of effort. This is what I would recommend you to do, but the only con of dry cleaning is that it costs a good amount of money.

And besides this, suede, even though it is long-lasting, tends to develop wrinkles quite often. It doesn’t make sense to rush to the dry cleaners for every little wrinkle that you spot on your jacket.

This is where good old DIY comes in.

If you own a quality iron or steamer, then you are in luck. You can use these pieces of equipment to deal with the wrinkles on your jacket. Even if you don’t have access to these, there are a few special tips that I will give in the following sections that may help you in this quest.

You can absolutely steam and iron suede clothing, especially suede jackets. Anyone that tells you otherwise is either lying or misinformed.

It’s just that doing these things requires a few special instructions and nuance. Therefore, I have made dedicated sections to answer both these questions above.

Final Remarks

My personal recommendation is that you should try to steam your suede jackets before you go for ironing them.

Unlike drying, steaming and ironing are both harmless. But obviously, steaming is much easier to figure out. It can be as simple as just hanging your jacket in the shower.

Ironing is a bit more complicated, therefore I would only suggest you iron your suede jacket when either of these three things is true –

1. You don’t have the money to spend on dry cleaning.
2. You don’t own or want to own a steamer (it’s actually cheaper than an iron).
3. The wrinkles are so stubborn that they weren’t gone through the process of steaming.