×
Back Button

How to Remove Crayon From Suede Couches

Michelle Miley

Use these methods to remove crayon stains from your suede couch as soon as you find them. Waiting could allow the stain to become permanant.

It's important to act quickly once you've discovered crayon marks on your suede couch. The longer the stain sits, the more difficult it will be to remove.

Suede cleaner and some ice may be all you need to remove the stain, and you should always keep some suede cleaner on hand if you have suede furniture. If you don't have any suede cleaner handy, white vinegar can serve as substitute in a pinch.

Suede Couches

    Freeze the Wax

  1. Place an ice cube in a freezer bag and set the bag on the crayon stain for a few minutes. This will freeze and harden the wax residue so you can scrape it off with the dull side of a butter knife. Scrape gently and keep the knife perpendicular to the couch; don't hold it an an angle or press hard enough to dig into the fibers of the couch. The goal is to remove as much wax as possible from the surface of the suede.

  2. Use a Dab of Vinegar

  3. Lightly dampen a white cloth in undiluted white vinegar. Always use a clean white cloth or sponge: a colored cloth may transfer its dye onto the couch rather than absorbing the color of the crayon.

  4. Use the cloth to blot the solvent onto the stain, starting at the edges and slowly working your way toward the center of the stain. Don't saturate the cloth, as the goal is to keep the couch as dry as possible. The stain should transfer off the suede onto the cloth.

  5. Press a clean, dry white cloth into the couch when you are finish to absorb any remaining vinegar.

  6. Apply a Suede Cleaner

  7. If any stain remains, dip a clean white cloth into some suede cleaner and blot the stain with it. Once again, work from the edge of the stain toward the center. Soak up any additional cleanser left on the suede with a dry white cloth.

  8. Brush the Couch

  9. Brush the couch with suede brush when you are done cleaning to restore the nap of the suede fibers. If you don't have a suede brush, use a clean, white bristle brush in a circular, swirling motion.

Microsuede Couches

    Spray Alcohol

  1. Pour some rubbing alcohol into a spray bottle and mist the stain completely.

  2. Rub the Stain

  3. Rub the stain with a new white sponge. As you do, the crayon will transfer onto the sponge. Swap your sponge for a new one after it collects some of the crayon to avoid spreading the stain.

  4. Dry the Couch

  5. Allow the couch to dry completely and then brush it with the suede brush.

Warning

Suede can be a very temperamental material. Always spot test any cleaning solution on a hidden part of the couch to make sure you don't do more harm than good. Never use water to clean a suede couch.

Warning

Use a suede cleaner or a dry-cleaning solvent safe for suede. Suede and leather require special cleaners and can be damaged by dry-cleaning solvents safe for other fabrics and upholstery. You should be able to purchase a suede furniture cleaner from any store that sells leather furniture.

Tip

If neither the suede cleaner nor the vinegar removed the stain, call in a professional to remove the stain. Suede furniture is expensive, and the risk of ruining it with the wrong cleanser is too great for experimentation. This option costs more than doing it yourself but will be well worth the investment if it saves your costly couch.