Bicast - How to Rectify Tackiness on this Bicast Leather Couch?

Roger,
Scott asked me to take pictures and reply to your email about our couch.
There's a tag on the bottom that says it was delivered from the factory in 2002. We noticed the tackiness sometime in the last month.
The tackiness only seems to be a problem when the humidity is high - when it's a cool day or the air conditioner is one, you can sit on the affected cushion without sticking.
It's been cleaned before with saddle soap, and I think some kind of rub-on leather conditioner, but we recently tried Lexol cleaner and conditioner. The cleaner at least removes the fibers that get stuck to the leather.
The pictures (these make it look shiny, like vinyl, but it doesn't normally):

#1
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...-Sticky5-5.jpg

#2
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...-Sticky1-5.jpg

#3
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...-Sticky2-5.jpg

I think this picture shows the problem most clearly; you can see where someone's clothes have pressed an imprint:
#4
#1http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...-Sticky3-5.jpg

#5
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...-Sticky4-5.jpg

Picture #4 may show the accumulative result from aging of the leather finish with incompatible cleaner residue.

Temperature & Humidity:
When temperature is high, the finish film expands and it also absorbs moisture from the atmosphere that causes its tackiness.

Saddle Soap:
Saddle soap has a high pH value, alkalinity swells the leather finish that contributed to the tackiness; unlike acidic cleaners that contracts it.
The pH value of leather is between 3 and 5; “The use of saddle soap as a leather conditioner is questionable as well. A strong nonacid emulsion (pH 9 - pH 10), the high alkalinity level of the emulsion (from the soap itself) alters the acidity of the leather, and may cause the fabric to shrink and crack over time.” - Saddle Soap Truths A Century of Deception?
Besides, all soaps leaves a scum, just like those commonly found on basin and bath tubs – is also a contributing factor to the leather finish tackiness.

Rub-on & Lexol Leather Conditioner:
Non compatible conditioner may worsen the tackiness situation. The Lexol Conditioner is not designed to condition the surface of the leather, leaving behind oily residue that accumulated to the tackiness problem.

Recommended sequence of process to solve tackiness problem:

1] pH Neutralization:
This process is to neutralize the high pH value from the saddle soap, bringing down its pH value to the acidic side of the leather pH neutral chemistry integrity.
Acidifier-2.0 is leave to dwell on the leather until a healthy squeaky feel. Concentrates is available to reduce the pH from 2.0 to 1.0 by cutting with distilled water at ratio 1: 4 instead of the normal 1: 25.
The objective of this treatment is to save the leather finish, returning to its normal health prior to further cleaning.

2] Restorative Cleaning:
A restorative cleaning is essential to remove all foreign contamination off the leather finish – thus reducing contributing factors to the tackiness.
This is done by Prep-7.7 > Cleaner-3.8 > Rinse-3.0.

3] Non-Stick Protection:
This non-stick protection will reduce the leather finish tackiness.

4] Optional Topcoat Refinishing:
Deteriorated micron film layer is sand away with 1200/1500grit sanding prior to topcoat refinishing with Topcoat-56G.


Products recommended:

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n.../BicastKit.jpg
Leather Doctor® Bicast Leather Kit-B3

[CENTER]Contents:
Prep-7.7 - 60ml
Cleaner-3.8 - 250ml
Rinse-3.0 - 250ml
Leather Scent-D - 120ml
Leather (horsehair) Brush-1 - 1pc
3” Poly-Brush® - 1pc
Washable Rags - 5pcs

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...tyCleaner7.jpg

Leather Doctor® Acidifier-2.0
This is a pH 2.0 aqueous leather acidifier; developed for dye bleeding control and neutralizing alkaline exposure that cause marks, streaks, brightness, tackiness or sliminess from spills or cleaners.
It's for all leather types including Bicast, Pigmented, Aniline, Vachetta, Nubuck, Suede, Hair-on-Hide and Woolskin leather types.
This product is also available in concentrate to be cut with distilled water at a ratio of 1: 25.
For severe cases the concentration can be increase to pH 1.0 by cutting with 4 parts of distilled water.
Thus a 60ml bottle makes 1.64 quarts of ready-to-use product to save on shipping.
Ready-to-use packing sizes are available in 250ml and in Quart.
Concentrate packing sizes are available in 60ml (1.64 quarts), 250ml (6.87 quarts) and in Quart (26 quarts).

Leather Doctor® Pigment Topcoat-56G
Gloss for non-absorbent pigmented leathers.
It’s an aqueous soft polyurethane leather topcoat.
It is lightfast and non-yellowing.
It has excellent flow and leveling properties.
It’s recoatable and forms a flexible tough film.

Roger Koh
[email protected]