liss@gramps.DEC (Frederick R. Liss DTN 237-3649) (02/21/86)
I have a good pair of Wells Lamont suede gloves that are
getting a little dirty around the palms. Can anyone suggest a
practical method of cleaning them, other than sending them to
the cleaners.
Fred
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Frederick R. Liss UUCP ...decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-gramps!liss
Digital Equipment Corp. ARPA liss%gramps.DEC@decwrl.ARPA
333 South St. Shrewsbury MA, 01545 Mail Stop SHR1-4/D21wjr@frog.UUCP (STella Calvert) (02/26/86)
In article <1275@decwrl.DEC.COM> liss@gramps.DEC (Frederick R. Liss DTN 237-3649) writes: > > I have a good pair of Wells Lamont suede gloves that are > getting a little dirty around the palms. Can anyone suggest a > practical method of cleaning them, other than sending them to > the cleaners. Well, I've tried other techniques, and mostly given up on suede gloves because full-grain gloves last longer and don't get grotty as quick, but for light cleaning, put on the gloves, rub cornstarch thoroughly into the stains, and buff it out (something like an old hairbrush works good for me). The reason that the instructions tell you not to use saddlesoap is that washing the suede will mat the pile down. This is true. However, a little light sanding with fine paper or even a GST (I forget 3Ms trademark, but you probably have a green scritchy thing in your kitchen to clean teflon) will coax the fuzz back up. However, the cold and revolting part is _wearing_ the gloves until they're dry -- which prevents shrinking. Just don't touch anything till they're dry. Stuffing them with paper would work I guess, but I have the superstitious impression that flexing them as they dry is important. Now saddlesoap is what my cobbler used to wash dirty suede, and he told me that wirebrushing was the trick to refluff the pile, but I've never been comfortable about the wirebrush, and experiments on old running shoe trim suggests that sandpaper or GSTs work as well, without the chance of wirebrushing your wrist, which would add intractable blood stains to the cuffs of your gloves and probably look worse than the gungy palms. Good luck! And am I the only woman who's discovered that those white cotton dress gloves you have left over from ancient easters and proms are terrific for keeping engine manure from embedding under your nails if you get stuck with car-fixing? And they're thin enough that you can feel the parts you're assembling, and keep your fingers from sticking to cold metal. But that's another story... STella Calvert Do what thou wilt -- not just a good idea, it's the law! Guest on Account: ...!mit-eddie!frog!wjr Life: Baltimore!AnnArbor!<LongStrangeTrip>!Taxachusetts Future: ... (!L5!TheBelt!InterstellarSpace)