09 Ford King Ranch, leather mess-up from dog throw-up!

From what I read you seem to the be the expert on leather cleaning.
Yesterday my dog decided to throw up ALL over the back seat of my 09 KR.
I’m not actually sure what he threw up.. as it was black, almost like coffee grinds and mud.
And when I say ALL over the place, I mean it covered 2/3 of the back seat.

I have been doing some research and wanted to get your opinion on how I should tackle this mess.
I used LEXOL cleaner last night, and the affected area is still dark and damp.

I have attached 2 pictures of the seats. I look forward to your professional opinion.

Thanks,
Jeremy Fisher


#1
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n.../krleather.jpg

#2
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...krleather2.jpg

Here is the Problem Solving Guide for Auto Aniline leathers for reference.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/Aa.jpg
Leather-Safe Problem Solving Guide (A.a) – Auto Aniline Leathers

Thanks Jeremy,

Lexol has a pH of 6 to 7.
Leather has a pH of 3 to 5

Any solution above the isoelectric point of leather averages 4 (from 3 to 5) will denature the leather structure as the liquid has absorbed.

You will need a hydrator that has a pH of 3.3 to soak into the leather structure and wick out the foreign contamination.

Any products not meant for suede will have an adverse effect on the leather.

Why suede, because beneath the finish is the suede.

To soften up the leather from stiffness you will need fat and oil replenishing – again it has to be compatible with suede – the reverse side of leather is suede.

Fatliquor-5.0 has a pH of 5.0 with a negative (-ve) ionic charge, it will hydrogen-bond with the protein fiber positive (+ve) ionic charge to stabilize the chemistry integrity of the leather.

Products mentioned are found in this Kit
http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...ndard-Care-Kit
$88.95

You will need refills for the hydrator

Leather Doctor® LEATHER REJUVENATOR (5)
Description SKU Size Type RTU / Quart Retail $
Hydrator-3.3 H3.3-250R 250ml RTU - 11.95
Hydrator-3.3 H3.3-946R Quart RTU - 42.95
Hydrator-3.3 H3.3-060C 60ml Con 1: 25 1.64 69.95

If there are smells it could be pungent or musty

See d’Bacteria-3.7 or d’Mold-3.6 in this link:

http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...Deodorizer-(6)

A problem solving guide for your reference

http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...ide-A9-Aniline

Let me know if you need further information.
Roger
>>>

Roger thanks for the quick reply.

With my situation do you feel I need the whole kit or just the Hydrator and fatliquor? The leather seems to be stiffening up in the affected areas, as it is drying. You mentioned I will need refills of the Hydrator, how much Hydrator do you feel will be needed?

Is it best to let the leather dry or should I keep it moist while I’m waiting on the cleaning products? Any advice would be much appreciated.

How can I order the products you mentioned?

Thanks again,

Jeremy

>>>

Jeremy,

The kit provide you with a holistic system, you do need clean up as well and others provided in the kit.
There are other specialty products as well to take care of smell too.

Kit Ae3 is the basic kit (anyway it is your choice, we only recommend from our experience)

My recommendation for the hydrator would be
Hydrator-3.3 H3.3-060C 60ml Con 1: 25 1.64 69.95
This concentrates will make you 1.64 quarts or ready to use solution.

Things to do.
1] Restorative Cleaning
Prep-4.4 > Cleaner-3.8 > Rinse-3.0

2] Relaxing and flushing out the stains from the suede structure
Hydrator-3.3

3] Softening the leather from stiffening up when dry
Fatliquor-5.0

4] Non-stick, rub-resistant protection
Protector-B+ / D+

Let me know how do you keep it moist while waiting for product arrival.

Will need your shipping address to prepare you a PayPal invoice.

Roger
>>>

Jeremy,

To keep the leather moist, cover it with a damp towel with distilled water, thereafter cling wrapped it to prevent evaporation but if it smells than we are making a eco-system for bacteria already in there to flourish – A good and bad idea. Because of the bacteria that is off gassing I would turn the other direction.

Instead, I lay thin tissue paper over it , so that as the moisture wicks up it will be caught by the tissue paper and easily peel off.

d’Bacteria-3.7
d’Bacteria-3.7 B3.7-250R 250ml RTU - 29.95


Leather Doctor® d’Bacteria-3.7
It's for Pigmented, Aniline, Vachetta, Nubuck, Suede, Hair-On-Hide and Woolskin leather types.
This is a pH 3.7 aqueous biodegradable, odorless and colorless leather-safe bactericide.
It’s for disinfecting and controlling pungent odor causing bacteria activities after decontamination cleaning.
This product is also available in concentrate to be cut with distilled water at a ratio of 1: 21.
Thus a 60ml bottle makes 1.39 quarts of Ready-To-Use product to save on shipping.
Ready-To-Use packing sizes are available in 60ml, 250ml and in Quart.
Concentrate packing sizes are available in 60ml (1.39), 250ml (5.81 quarts) and in Quart (22 quarts).
Email [email protected] for prices.
Preparation Cleaning:
A thorough decontamination cleaning to match severity of problem is highly recommended prior to application.
Instruction:
1] Shake well, spray and agitate with leather, nubuck or suede brush.
2] Inspect for satisfaction when dry.
Options:
1] Hydrate dried leathers – use Hydrator-3.3
2] Rejuvenate to soften and strengthen leather – use Fatliquor-5.0.
3] Impart a buttery, draggy, silky or waxy feel; non-stick rub-resistant protection with a classic leather scent - use Protection-B+, D+, S+ or W+.

Hydrator-3.3
The refill is without a sprayer and the 250 sprayer bottle is only costing you $10.15
This product shelf life minimum is 10 years.
You will need this product for other leathers as well.

I would suggest you have the 60ml concentrate and the d’Bacteria-3.7 as add-on to the kit

If this is OK I prepare you a PayPal invoice.

Roger

>>>

Jeremy,

Stain are below surface, soak up by the suede structure.

The only way to bring it up technically is to use leather-safe solution that has a pH from 3 to 5 (for the leather chemistry stability).

Solution has to “swim” around the soiling particulates to wick them out.

That’s why you will need lots of hydrator to do the flushing (just like sufficient water in the tank to flush out our toilet).

There should not be a problem with the perforated panels, but the other panels may be a problem as the soiling particulates is trapped by the leather finish with a tighter surface just like a filter.

There is no magical solution, just a bid of science and logic.

When doing it with understanding the result in most cases turns out magical.

Any filtering line may be camouflage with dyestuff that matches – that’s plan “B”.

Leather is recycle from cattle, it was never new – you can make it new again with refinishing.


Roger

>>>

Roger the following pics are after my first attempt to remove the stains.

I will send another email shortly of pics after my 2nd attempt.

Please feel free to advise on the next step I should take.

I have only used the hydrator and distilled water, at this point.

#1
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...atattempt3.jpg

#2
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...atattempt2.jpg

#3
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...atattempt1.jpg

Please show us pictures of wet paper towel soak with Hydrator-3.3 on the stain.

And does the paper towel pick up the stain, when dry?

You will still be repeating what you have done until the stain is gone - using Hydrator-3.3 wicking through the paper towel.

The paper towels were left until they were almost dry. There was quite of soiling and what seemed to be the leather dye that pulled up on the paper towels on both attempts. I ran out of the hydrator during the second go around, so I just used distilled water, to fully saturate the leather. Both times the seats were wrapped in plastic to dwell for 24hrs, then the plastic was removed.

>>>

Jeremy,

You want to leave the towel without airspace and completely crispy dry before peeling it off, proves to be most effective technique.

Hydrator-3.3 has a pH of 3.3, distilled water has a pH of 5.2 .

The higher pH of the distilled water will cause the dyes to break the hydrogen-bond with the protein leather fibers that cause the dyes to bleed.

Distilled water is without any surface-active agent that will suspend the soiling much, so you may have mediocre result.

Using distilled water will cause the leather to be stiffer than you just using Hydrator-3.3 – A higher pH of 5.2 will also cause the fatliquor to leach out.

Dyestuff and fatliquor seems to be sensitive to pH fluctuation, but in actuality, it is the protein fiber that is an amphoteric material, that is the cause.

Dyestuff and fatliquor ionic negative (-ve) charge remains unchanged with fluctuation of pH value going higher.

It is the weakening of the ionic positive (+ve) charge of the protein fiber that is the problem, when pH value goes higher than its isoelectric point or pI.

Hydrator-3.3, besides suspending the foreign contamination also charges the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve), thus strengthening the chemistry integrity of the leather structure.

Roger

Attached are the pictures from my 2nd attempt. The rear passenger side seat still has the dark soiling near the rear of the seat. As far as the middle seat, I am satisfied how the soiling is almost not visible, unless you really look for it.

On the second attempt, I used the hydrator, but had to use some distilled water to fully saturate the seat. Also, I didn’t leave the paper towels until fully dry.

Since I am out of the hydrator, will PH’d distilled water work? I can lower the PH to 3.3. I still haven’t decided if want to try to remove the dark area from the passenger side seat, or just live with it.

What is the process of applying the fatliquor? Does the seat need to be fully saturated, like the hydrator, or just apply as I was conditioning the seats?

Thanks
Jeremy


#1
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...KRattempt2.jpg

#2
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...pt2middle1.jpg

#3
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...pt2middle1.jpg

>>>

To remove the stain entirely, Hydrator-3.3 is the answer, as explain from my earlier post.

Distilled water may cause the dyestuff to bleed and the lingering residue may be fugitive dyestuff instead.

Once you goes to the next step of apply the Fatliquor-5.0, you should forget about the stain, as it is more difficult to remove them thereafter.

To soften the leather, the entire leather structure should be saturated, softening is of the structure and any lingering fatliquor on surface serves no purpose. They have to be driven in by Hydrator-3.3.

Therefore, the problem you have now is still the lack of Hydrator-3.3. From the beginning I have already noted the need for additional Hydrator-3.3 for this project.

Roger