Aniline (Sauvage) - Severely Stained Aniline Couches

[jscameron25]

Hello, I recently purchased a used leather couch and loveseat that are severely stained and dry. I did not know a thing about leather and was told that some leather conditioner would "buff" them right out. Needless to say, that is not true and they refuse to give us our money back, so here I am. I am interested in removing as much staining as possible and then protecting the couch against future stains if it is cost effective, as I have 4 children. I do not mind the mottled/fading look of the couch as it is rustic looking. I would like to restore the health of the leather but do not know the cause of each stain. There are numerous. Will I need to re dye it? There is a hole on the corner of one of the seat cushions which I would also like to repair if possible. I think it is aniline because of the fading but thats all I know. It does not seem to fade when stretched (unless all my strength is not hard enough) and a blow dryer does not affect it. I can scratch my name into them with my fingernail. The unexposed parts are shiny so there was some type of finish on it, I assume. Any help would be appreciated. I would like to know how much product it would take to at least clean them and how much it would cost please. I am not even sure they are worth the trouble. I do LOVE the look of them but one of the arms of the couch sags (structural) and something is wrong structurally with the back of the couch also. These are not a huge deal in mind if I can make them look decent for a reasonable price.

Thanks,
Jennifer

#1 Loveseat (couch has more grease/body stains)
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0055.jpg
#2 Loveseat arm has been "cleaned" with saddle soap already, best it gets
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0056.jpg
#3 Same arm but further up on it
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0057.jpg
#4 Several stains like this ALL OVER
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0058.jpg
#5 Scratches made from fingernail
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0060.jpg
#6 Unexposed unfaded part of leather
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0061.jpg
#7 Couch, alot of sun fading and sitting stain
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0063.jpg
#8 Hole on corner of seat cushion
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0064.jpg
#9 Underside of leather (reverse side)
http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/z368/jscameron25/100_0065.jpg

[Roger Koh]

Picture #1 Loveseat (couch has more grease/body stains)
Besides the grease and oil, the sweat is more damaging. All the sharp creases is the tell tale sign that the leather is very dry. Leather-structure rejuvenating is much desired to improve the aesthetic appearance, besides the more important aspect is the utility of what leather is made for; in this case, to be sat or snooze on. A healthy leather has an average of 14% moisture and much of it comes from the fatliquor for softness, suppleness and strength; see this video on fatliquor: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/28309-dirty-jobs-fat-liquor-video.htm

Picture #2 Loveseat arm has been "cleaned" with saddle soap already, best it gets
Cleaning leather with saddle soap is suicidal to the leather. Saddle soap originally was not developed for cleaning but actually as part of a fatliquoring system; fail to accomplished what it was designed for, and was never been used by the tannery since the leather chemist have found a better system. Two negative factors when used alone. First is the soap scum, just like any soap used for our skin when aged, seen on basin, bathtubs and showers; attracts soiling like magnets; tenaciously clinging to its surface that deteriorate the appearance. Second is the alkaline exposure, its impact on the leather causes the protein fibers to shift alkaline thus breaking the hydrogen-bond between the leather protein fibrils and its leather constituents especially the tannin agents, dyestuffs and fatliquor. The side-effect is tackiness or sliminess when it is tested with wet fingers. And it’s easily snowballing into stiffness, and when flexed it will crack. To rectify this situation of leather denaturing the pH of the leather has to be neutralized with a pH 2.0 acidifier and all foreign contamination including the soap scum need to be stripped with a pH 7.7 prep follows with a pH 3.8 cleaner and pH 3.0 rinse; to return to its leather chemistry integrity.
Video explaining Hydrogen Bond - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkl5c...eature=related
Video explaining Isoelectric Point – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkv89VW8g38

Picture #3 Same arm but further up on it
The more an alkaline product like the saddle soap is used without neutralizing it; the deeper the crease will be; the stiffer the leather will get and when compressed, stretched or flexed will crack; the leather will aged prematurely and literally will fall to pieces along the major “leather-quake” fault lines.

Picture #4 Several stains like this ALL OVER
These are penetrated stains; partially from the stain itself; partially from the alkalinity of the stains that have caused the leather constituents chemistry reaction to move away from the alkaline epic centre; like tsunami within the leather structure that scattered all the debris over to the edges of the epic center. Leather sometimes behaves just like a litmus paper and it is pH sensitive.

Picture #5 Scratches made from fingernail
This picture tells that it is aniline leather with its typical gloss topcoat and when scratch produces a white damaged topcoat; these topcoat damages can be easily rectified with fine sanding and topcoat (Topcoat Aniline-79Gloss) reapplication. Observe that there are numerous darker tone scratches; these are marks of healing wound derive from the life time of the growing animal; suggest that these are top-grain leathers and only with transparent dyestuff that allows these natural characteristic to show through.

Picture #6 Unexposed unfaded part of leather
This picture will be used as direct comparison to the desired restoration to the rest of the body contact areas. It is more challenging if one wants to retain as “aniline” finish, aniline finish uses “transparent” dyes, damages and embedded stains not thoroughly removed will show through. To camouflage such blemishes an alternative would be by going into a darker color. Staining these leather may need to be improvised with coating it with additional up to 30% of Adhesor-73 to the Aniline Dye-21. While else if “opaque” color pigment coating is used, there is a possibility to block these blemishes off and the trade off is the downgrading of the leather in the finish converting process.

Picture #7 Couch, alot of sun fading and sitting stain
A lot of sunfading means a lot of leather rejuvenating and a lot of color refinishing need to be done; and a lot of stain removal need to be done too!

Picture #8 Hole on corner of seat cushion
This repair is a straight forward stitching and bonding repair. A stitching awl is necessary with Leather Bond-3D.

Picture #9 Underside of leather (reverse side)
This picture confirms that it has been aniline dyed through. Good news is that the dyestuff could be reactivated to the leather surface during the thorough hydrating process with Hydrator-3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 enriching the color tone deeper. Assuming that the leather structure is free from liquid contamination, like sunfading.

What do you think so far?

Roger Koh
[email protected]

[Roger Koh]

Here’ the Aniline Leather Care Kit-A3


http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/AnilineKit.jpg
Leather Doctor® Aniline Leather Care Kit-A3


Contents:
Degreaser-2.2 – 60ml
Prep-4.4 – 60ml
Cleaner-3.8 – 250ml
Rinse-3.0 – 250ml
Hydrator-3.3 – 250ml
Fatliquor-5.0 – 250ml
Leather Scent-B – 120ml
Leather (horsehair) Brush-1 – 1pc
3” Poly-Brush® - 1pc
Washable Rags – 5pcs


Email [email protected] for prices.


Here’s the Aniline Leather Problem Solving Guide

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Aniline12-LPG.jpg




And here’s the link to the individual products…
http://www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=360

[jscameron25]

Thank you so much, this is excellent information. I am always up to a challenge if the end result will be worth it. Do you think these couches are worth the time/investment from a professional viewpoint? Can you give me an estimate of the time involved and I will e mail you for pricing information on the quantity and type of products you recommend for best results. Do you think dyeing will be necessary or will we have to wait and see on that one? Thanks again for your response.

[Roger Koh]

Thank you so much, this is excellent information. I am always up to a challenge if the end result will be worth it.
It’s too early to predict the outcome of the result in terms of appearance of the same color; most probably have to go darker to camouflage the darkest remaining color. If color change is inevitable, is it still worth it? How about other consideration in terms of cost of products…you have to decide.

Do you think these couches are worth the time/investment from a professional viewpoint?
Yes it is, I would not want to go all the way to do it entirely to find its worth; but to take one of the worst cushion from picture #1 and see how near it can be restored to picture #6. Then you would be in better position to decide from there.

Can you give me an estimate of the time involved and I will e mail you for pricing information on the quantity and type of products you recommend for best results.
From doing the first cushion you will have an accurate picture of the quantity you would need to complete your entire project.

Do you think dyeing will be necessary or will we have to wait and see on that one?
Dyeing may or may not be necessary depending on how your eyes may feast it, but topcoating is a must as most of the topcoat is already gone or damaged.