Aniline (Sauvage) - Aniline leathers – Worn, Urine Stain, Milk Stain, Unknown Dark Stain, vinegar and Linseed Oil mix, etc!

>>> I will send you a picture of the label and of the leather sample.
The leather sample would be useful for positive confirming the leather finishes types, color and topcoat luster matching. From pictures we know that this is aniline finished leather, but if the original is distressed like a wax pull-up would need to see some contrasting comparison between the worn and the reverse side cushion or other hidden unused areas like the deck.

>>> The couch is in need of a lot of TLC.

Certainly, besides all the stains it received, the leather looks “mud cracking” from picture #3.
A complete restoration work would include removing all the stains above surface and below surface, rejuvenate the leather structure replenishing the fatliquor, fashion effect conditioner if necessary, dyeing an option and certainly a topcoat is need to restored back to the original condition.

>>> What products do you recommend and do you sell them?
A refinishing kit is the answer to restore back to the original condition (finishes type need confirmation), besides getting all the stains out with individual specialized products design for accordingly. See on-line store: http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet/StoreFront

>>> The youngest fell asleep on my leather couch and now there is a urine stain in the corner of one of the cushions.

The 3rd pic is the urine stain, 2 days old and treated with dish liquid and water.
Urine stains are time sensitive; when ammonia smell is detected the pH of the contamination has reach to about 10. The alkaline dish liquid may have compound the problem accelerating the pH shift faster than left alone. Leather protein fiber is amphoteric and is pH sensitive, alkalinity weakens the cationic or ionic positive (+ve) charge of the protein fiber and shift it ionic negative (-ve). While the other leather constituents like the tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor are non-amphoteric and remains ionic negative (-ve) the hydrogen bond between the tanning agent breaks and the leather revert to rawhide with symptoms of tackiness when the leather is damp, dye bleeding is an indication that the dyestuff breaks the hydrogen bond and stiffness when the dries as the fatliquor breaks bonds and when flexed cracks.
Solution to the problem is by proven sequence of process to decontaminate and restore the leather pH chemistry integrity.
System approach is by d’Protein-10 > Acidifier-2.0 > d’Urine-2.1 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > matching refinishing system.

>>> She also allowed him to eat his cereal on the couch and he spilled his milk.

The 2nd pic is the milk stain, untreated and 6 hours old.
Milk and all protein based stains have the tendency to coagulate and the stain area feel stiffer than surrounding areas.
System approach is by d’Protein-10 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > matching refinishing system.

>>> The cushion on the left has some dark stains.

I don't know what those are from.
Grease related stains have the tendency to darken aniline leather and the first approach is to degrease it, thereafter un-response stain is re-evaluated and rework with other specialized stain remover.

>>> The middle cushion has a dark stain in the middle.

That is from a vinegar and linseed oil mix that I spilled on the cushion.
System approach is by Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0 or Acidifier-2.0 to control bleeding or stickiness, below surface suspended stain is work with the help of Hydrator-3.3 to facilitate suspended colloidal water movement.

>>> After reading your blog I realize I also need to refinish the topcoat.
Redyeing is an option prior to topcoating.

The general restoration sequence of procedure is as follows:

A: Restorative Cleaning
This phase covers all stain above and below surface.
The stain could be treated as localized or combine with other stains removal to stream line the process flow, we can go into details which route you would wish to take to decide. Refer to the guide under “Stain Type” for this restorative cleaning phase.

B: Odor Control
Refer to the guide under “Odor Type”

C: Leather Rejuvenaing
Leather rejuvenating is by Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 of Fatliquor LS-5.5 sequence.
Fashion effect follows after Fatliquoring if any is Wax Effect-86.

D: Repairs
Any repairs need to be done will be done in this phase before refinishing.

F: Refinishing
As appropriate

We will go into more details depending on your priority.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
[email protected]

Aniline Leather Problem Solving Guide as reference to a complete restoration process.
If this aniline leather is a fashion wax pull-up effect, Wax Effect-8.6 step comes immediately after Fatliquor-5.0 or Fatliquor LS-5.5 (leather scented) to restore original leather scent.

Attachment 3601

Attachment 3602
Leather Doctor Kit A7.cl – Aniline Leather Dye Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit A7.cl, aniline leather dye refinishing kit is designed for dyestuff and topcoat refinishing from the simple sunlight fading to the severely sweat damages from body oil and grease. Most severely penetrated, prolonged and neglected stains show a darkening effect with a sticky feel have its topcoat and dyestuff probably deteriorated by the sweat. When the stain feels sticky, it is a sign of leather denaturing and reverting to rawhide from breaking of bonds with the tanning agent. When sign of color is transfer to a white towel, it indicates that the dyestuff has also break bonds with the protein fiber. When leather is stiff or shows signs of whitish residue migrating, it shows that the fatliquor is breaking bonds as well with the protein fiber. The main component of the leather protein fiber is amphoteric while the other constituents are not; shifting of the pH mainly caused from sweat to alkalinity affects the pH imbalance. To revert from denaturing into rawhide prior to topcoat refinishing, contaminated alkaline soiling is removed with Degreaser-2.2, a waterbased (pH 2.2) multifunctional degreaser that emulsifies greasy contamination besides controlling dye bleeding and charging the protein fiber ionic positive for strengthening the attraction between the ionic negative tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. Deflocculated and suspended soiling is towel extracted, thereafter rinse and pH balanced with Acidifier-2.0 to prevent the leather from reverting to rawhide. When leather feels sticky or slimy it is a sign of leather denaturing, a squeaky feel when wet is a sign of a healthy leather. Hydrator-3.3 relaxes stiff leathers and removes surface tension free from surface blotchiness prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fat and oil is replenished with Fatliquor-5.0 to rejuvenate the leather for the desired suppleness when dry. Custom redyeing commences prior to topcoat refinishing. Protector-B+ imparts a non-stick rub-resistant protection with a buttery-feel that shield against sticky soiling and reduce friction noises. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this holistic leather-safe aniline leathers dyestuff and topcoat refinishing system. Please email [email protected] for custom matching services or choice of color: Antique-Brown, Black, Yellow, Orange, Red, Red-Brown, Rubine, Blue or Dark-Brown. And choice of topcoat luster: Gloss or Satin. This kit comes with reduced weight option to save on shipping thus the 250ml concentrate ratio such as Acidifier-2.0, Rinse-3.0, Hydrator-3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 has to be cut or filled up with distilled water prior to use.

Attachment 3603
Urine is a compound waste discharge, comprises of urochrome, uric acid and the ammonium salt to deal with. When deposited urine attracts the natural bacteria from the atmosphere and starts to ferments, a putrid odor will develop from the protein component of the urine and ammonia odor will develop from the ammonium salt. When ammonia odor becomes present, the pH of the contamination would have shifted to 10. Such high pH above the neutral average 3 to 5 of leather causes the amphoteric protein fiber to shift ionic negative (-ve); that causes the protein fibers to repels its other ionic negative (-ve) constituents like the tanning agent, fatliquor and dyestuff. Behaving just like the attraction of a magnet, like poles repel. When the leather constituent breaks hydrogen bond with the protein fiber, the leather starts to denature and revert to rawhide. The first sign of leather denaturing is stickiness from the ionic repelling tanning agent. Destabilized dyestuff becomes fugitive and will show when rub with a damp white towel. Stiffness of the leather indicates the diminishing effect of fatliquor. A systematic sequence of decontamination approach includes surface residue removal with Rinse-3.0 (pH 3.0), uric acid removal with d’Protein-10 (pH 10), pH balance with Acidifier-2.0 (pH 2.0) recharging the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve) and neutralizing the ammonium salt with d’Urine-2.1 (pH 2.1). Utilizing such a low pH treatment retards bacteria activities from off gassing putrid odors, a natural pH control without the need to use bactericide or fungicide for mold prevention. Therefore, urine is a type of dirt that will require a biochemistry approach to decontaminate it. Restoring the leather begins after decontamination with Hydrator-3.3, a pH 3.3 multifunctional product that has ionic positive (+ve) charging abilities, an active surfactantcy essential for colloidal water movement within the inter-fibrillary spaces to redistribute the leather constituents and purging foreign contamination to resurface. This is the last of the wet cleaning process to remove suspended urochrome yellowish compound through visible white tissue paper as an extension of the leather in the wicking process as the leather dries naturally. Only then, without a trace of the urine stain that Fatliquor-5.0 (pH 5.0) replenishing commences. The emulsified fat and oil encased water molecule breaks free when hydrogen bond attraction takes place between the fat and oil with the protein fiber, leaving a breathing space essential for leather transpiration to function naturally. The fat plumps the leather with fullness from easily collapsing into creases and wrinkles during stress or flex, while the oil lubricates the fibers so that they slide over one another like millions of inter-connecting hinges with smoothness. One important unique characteristic of leather is suppleness with strength and much depends on the fatliquor, in this holistic approach to effective leather urine decontamination and restoration.