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chet
10-20-2011, 04:29 AM
Roger, I have some dining room chairs made from eel skin, they have some food and or beverage stains on them. They're in great shape other than the few stains, some of which could be natural markings in the skins themselves. How do you think I should proceed to safely clean them?
I need to insure that I don't cause any other concerns. I have 7 of 14 chairs to work on.


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Roger Koh
10-20-2011, 10:28 AM
The color of these skins could be natural from vegetable tanning agents or could be aniline dyes after chrome tanning. The natural or aniline transparent dyeing allows the beauty of the skin to show through. The shine is the gloss transparent topcoat and Topcoat-79G (gloss) may match.

Caution
1] Gentle on the stitching when comes to cleaning – not to frail them – limit your agitation only with horsehair Brush-1.
2] To clean them safely – check all solutions pH should be leather pH neutral of 3 – 5, any spots removal products pH out of the leather-safe range has to be neutralized back to the leather pH neutral of 3 – 5.

The recommended general cleaning procedure is as follows:
Restorative Cleaning System > Protein Based Stain Removal System > Tannin Stain Removal System > Optional Gloss Topcoat Refinishing > Non-stick Rub Resistant Protection.

Here are the general instruction for aniline leathers - cut and paste from the aniline series of problem solving kits...

■ Aniline Leather Restorative Cleaning System
Restorative cleaning for neglected leathers may reveal topcoat damages and/or penetrated body sweat, oil and grease stain that may lead to further degreasing, stripping of damaged topcoat, erasing wicks up particulates and topcoat refinishing with additional products found in Kit A3.dr or as individual item.
Instructions
1st Phase Restorative Cleaning:
1] Apply Prep-4.4, Brush-1 agitate and towel extract until it shows clean.
2] Reapply to the remaining stains if any, brush spread evenly and let dwell for ˝ to 1 hour or overnight, and then towel extract until it shows clean; repeat as necessary until satisfaction.
3] Sticky residue is removed by Cleaner-3.8 with Brush-1 agitation into creases and towel extract until it shows clean.
4] Spray Rinse-3.0, Brush-1 agitates and towel extract to a squeaky clean and check for satisfaction when dry.
5] Reabsorbed stain into the leather structure requires Hydrator-3.3 to wicks them to the surface to be trapped with tissue paper as an option in the 2nd phase.
6] Topcoat inspection is done at this stage to determine the extent of damages through worn and cleaning that may removes the deteriorated and weak finish, is an option to refinish at the 4th phase.
2nd Phase Structural Stain Removal and Reactivating Dormant Dyestuff:
1] Spray Hydrator-3.3, spread with foam brush to hydrate the entire thickness of the leather.
2] Advance technique uses absorbent tissue paper to lay over the entire surface, soak through tight; and free of air spaces as an extension of the surface.
3] This technique allows reactivating dyestuff and wicks up foreign soiling to be caught through by the tissue paper when it’s perfectly dry.
4] The dried surface is further dry clean with Brush-1 and/or Eraser-4 to remove wicks up soiling particulates for inspection.
5] Repeat as necessary or proceed to fatliquoring.
3rd Phase Fatliquoring:
1] Spray Fatliquor-5.0, spread with foam brush for an even appearance without the blotchiness and let natural dry.
2] Repeat application in between drying until it’s saturated.
3] The fully saturated leather is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.
4] Dry brush wicks up residue and inspect for satisfaction.
4th Phase Optional Topcoat Refinishing:
1] An option to strip existing worn blotchy topcoat with Stripper-2.3, erase wicks up soiling particulates with Eraser-4 and refinishing with Topcoat-79G can be found in Kit A3.dr or as individual item.
5th Phase Non-stick Rub Resistant Protection:
1] 1] Apply Protection-B+ (Leather Scent-B) after shaking well, spread with lint free towel and is ready for use when dry.

■ Aniline Leather Protein Based Stain Removal System
Protein stains tend to coagulate that requires a high alkaline product like d’Protein-10.0 to break it up; thereafter the high alkalinity is neutralized with a pH 2.0 acidifier. Compound protein stains like blood would require d’Tarnish-1.3 with its reducing bleaching reaction to further work out the other rusty iron component of the stain found in Kit-A3.bs. Compound food stains with tannin coloring like mustard and meat sauce would require d’Tannin-3.5 with its reducing bleaching reaction to work out the tannin colored stain found in Kit-A3.ns. With penetrated stains it’s common for a topcoat touchup thereafter with Topcoat-79G found in Kit A3.dr.
Instructions
1st Phase Protein Stain Removal:
1] Dried and caked stain is gently brush agitated to break it up.
2] Apply d’Protein-10.0 direct to the stain and brush agitates to cause the stain to begin loosening and start running.
3] Towel extracts and repeats application, agitation and extraction until the stain is removed.
4] Spray Acidifier-2.0 and towel extract until towel shows clean to a healthy squeaky clean.
2nd Phase Hydrating:
1] Spray Hydrator-3.3 with help of foam brush to penetrate the leather to even out appearance.
2] To further activate dormant dyestuff to resurface, the entire seat is wrapped with clear cling wrapper to control evaporation for an overnight dwell.
3] Towel extract until it shows clean and it’s ready for fatliquoring.
3rd Phase Fatliquoring:
1] Spray Fatliquor-5.0, spread with foam brush for an even appearance without the blotchiness and let natural dry.
2] Repeat application in between drying until it’s saturated.
3] The fully saturated leather is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.
4] Dry brush wicks up residue and inspect for satisfaction.
4th Phase Dry Preparation:
1] Topcoat damaged surface is work over frees of foreign residues with Eraser-4 prior to topcoat it.
5th Phase Topcoat Application:
1] Topcoat-79G first coating is applied by lint free towel or foam brush with optional 1000 - 1500 grit fine sanding in between dry coating.
2] Airbrushing is optional to avoid streaks.
6th Phase Non-stick Rub Resistant Protection:
1] Spray leather Scent-B, spread with lint free towel and it’s ready to use when dry

■ Aniline Leather Tannin Stain Removal System
A dual action leather-safe system that works with penetrating, lubricating and suspending action in conjunction with reduces bleaching effect.
Instructions
1st Phase Removal:
1] Shake well, spray d’Tannin-3.5, horsehair Brush-1 agitate and towel extract until it shows clean.
2] Repeat spray and let natural drying for chemical reaction to take effect.
3] Brush off dry residue, rinse with Rinse-3.0 and inspect for satisfaction; otherwise repeat as necessary.
2nd Phase Hydrating:
1] Spray Hydrator-3.3 with help of foam brush to penetrate the leather to even out appearance.
2] To further activate dormant dyestuff to resurface as an option, the entire seat is wrapped with clear cling wrapper to control evaporation for an overnight dwell.
3] Towel extract until it shows clean and it’s ready for fatliquoring.
3rd Phase Fatliquoring:
1] Spray Fatliquor-5.0, spread with foam brush for an even appearance without the blotchiness and let natural dry.
2] Repeat application in between drying until it’s saturated.
3] The fully saturated leather is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.
4] Dry brush wicks up residue and inspect for satisfaction.
4th Phase Non-stick Rub Resistant Protection:
1] Spray leather Scent-B, spread with lint free towel and it’s ready to use when dry.

■ Aniline Topcoat Refinishing System
The objective of the topcoat is to impart a film forming coating that provides abrasion and stain resistance to the aniline leather crust. It is this Topcoat-79G that decides its desired luster. Without this topcoat, the aniline leather crust would be: a) poor in aesthetics such as appearance and feel; b) poor physical properties such as wet rub, sweat resistant and scuff resistant; c) poor in ageing properties such as soil resistant and wet cleaning resistant. To improve appearance for faded leathers, reactivating the dormant dyestuff to resurface with Hydrator-3.3 is often an option worth trying before resorting to dye refinishing. Topcoat will enhance the beauty of the leather crust, thus it’s a good practice to test out a little line along the seam on how the appearance will turn out. It is after the appearance test out that the need to apply new dyestuff is decided.
Instructions:
1] It is recommended that the leather surface is free from foreign soiling prior to topcoat touch-up or refinishing.
2] Touch-up is applicable where a healthy topcoat is physically damaged by working in conjunction with fine sanding in between dry coats for an even appearance.
3] Used, worn and deteriorated topcoat damages are recommended to be stripped clean of the entire panel prior to topcoat refinishing.
4] Sanding is recommended progressively in between coatings rather than on the leather crust itself, as the crust becomes coarser the more it is sanded.
5] Test out a little line along the seam with a cotton swab to see how much the color can be bounced back.
6] Option to increase the color intensity is to use matching transparent Aniline Dye-21. It is best done by airbrushing as color intensity is increase by layers. Do not over do it as the color intensity will be magnified with topcoat.
7] First topcoat is recommended to be applied with lint-free towel or by brushing for better anchorage to the leather crust.
8] Subsequent coating can be airbrush to avoid streaks to the desired appearance.
9] When dry with satisfaction, non-stick rub resistant protects the seats with leather Scent-B.

■ Aniline Leather Non-Stick Rub Resistant Protection
This non-stick rub resistant buttery-feel protector keeps leather at its high level of appearance at all times. It not only protects against the detrimental effect of sticky soiling, but also features rub-resistant protection that is incorporated to reduce surface friction wear; thus prolonging the life of the finishes. This elusive, unforgettable, classic leather scent much sought after by leather lovers, is infused into this non-stick rub resistant protectors.
The odorless version of leather Scent-B is available as Buttery Feel-76.
Instructions
1] Shaking well, mist spray leather Scent-B, spread with lint free towel and it’s ready for use when dry.

Here is the standard Aniline Leather Care Kit A3, the rest of the mentioned products are add-on...


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Leather DoctorŽ Kit A3 : Aniline Leather Standard Care Kit

Aniline leather care Kit A3 is design for pH sensitive aniline leathers. These leather-safe individual products match the neutral pH 3 – 5 value of leather to cautions against potential side effects. It’s designed to provide safe and effective care of leather appearance through stain removal, cleaning, and protection. Including the essential leather rejuvenating system to prevent dryness and restoring its softness, suppleness and strength much desired for these fine absorbent leathers. Aniline leathers are dyed through with transparent dyestuff and most furniture leathers are finished with a clear topcoat that allows the natural beauty of the grain to show through with better durability. The beauty of the grains often comes with natural blemishes like scars as the complete original animal’s skin structure remain visible. Since transparent dyestuff is used for aesthetic appearance and to camouflage blemishes the intensity may varies accordingly unlike opaque pigment for better hiding properties. All aniline leathers uses the same transparent aniline dyestuff for coloring but finishing may varies from tactile feel and protection. It is these varieties of finishes that further differentiate between them. Pure-aniline is almost naked with a fine natural protection finish against wet rubs and reduces bleeding. Waxed-aniline as the name suggested is protected with a waxy-matte finish to protect the aniline dyestuff with better wet rub resistant. Pull-up aniline leathers are infused with additional oil or wax effect that gives these leathers a distressed fashion effect when it’s stretched. The typical aniline leathers shine topcoat including the pull-ups used a soft urethane gloss topcoat for its dyestuff protection. Topcoat mentioned in this kit is the typical gloss found in most furniture as aniline Topcoat-79G. Matte topcoat is aniline Topcoat-59M and Natural topcoat is aniline Topcoat-89N.

Roger Koh
[email protected]