Aniline (Wax Pull-up) - Need Help With Sofa

Hi!

We recently purchased this sofa:
http://www.roseandgrey.co.uk/vintage...greenwich-sofa

After having it for a couple of months our puppy peed on it. Not thinking too much about it we used some washing up liquid in hot water to clean it.

The problem is that this seems to have removed the waxy coating from the leather. The cushion we cleaned now looks different (lost a bit of the vintage look) and feels much softer. It is also more absorbent.

Is there any way to get this wax back on the sofa?

We bought a cleaner and pull up cream but that didn't fix the problem.

Any help appreciated :)

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From picture, this leather is visually identified as an “Aniline Wax Pull-Up” leathers and the description mentioned about this unique care that this Leather Problem Solving Guide gives the details:

Aniline (A.w) – Aniline Wax Pull-Up Leather Problem Solving Guide:
Attachment 2385


Identification and Characteristic of Wax Pull-Up leathers:
Wax pull-up leathers derive its color from dyestuff and effect wax that gives the leather a lively distressed look. When this leather is pulled, stretched or scratched, the waxes dissipate characteristically and become lighter in those areas. Sunlight and stretching through high wear areas are two main indications that the infused wax needs replenishing. As this, effect wax behaves just like the primary fatliquor they do diminish through ageing and will need periodic replenishing. Besides contributing to the color intensity, it improves in water shedding effect. Effect wax when applied to the leather penetrates while some coagulates as fine crystal and remains on the surface. The dried surface white powdery deposits are then heat activated and when they melt, they coat the surface with a glossy sheen.


>>> After having it for a couple of months our puppy peed on it. Not thinking too much about it we used some washing up liquid in hot water to clean it.

A note on Urine Contamination:

Decontamination - Urine
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. For severe neglected cases with finishes damages as seen in this picture, refinishing commences after leather suppleness restoration.

Recommended solution to urine stain holistic approach is using this Kit Aw5.uk

Attachment 2386
Leather Doctor Kit Aw5.uk – Aniline Wax Pull-up Leather Urine Killer Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit Aw5.uk, aniline wax pull-up leather urine killer kit is designed to decontaminate urine problems. Aged urine is detectable with its characteristic ammonic odor. The presence of ammonic odor may indicate the shifting of pH value up to 10. The leather will most likely feel sticky or slimy with wet finger testing it. This stickiness is a sign of leather denaturing and reverting to rawhide. pH balance to stabilize the denaturing leather is rectify with Acidifier-2.0 prior to cleaning the protein residue with d’Protein-10. Rinse-3.0 may follow prior to treatment with d’Urine-2.1. At this stage, the leather should feel squeaky after returning to its chemistry integrity of pH 3 - 5. Stiff leather is relaxed and sticks together fiber separated by Hydrator-3.3. The penetrated stain removing process continues with hydrating prior to fat and oil replenishing with leather scented Fatliquor LS-5.5. Wax Effect-8.6 rejuvenates the structural wax pull-up effect and coagulates a cloudy waxy coating on the surface to be heat activated into the characteristic glossy sheen. The surface wear of the leather is greatly reduced with a rub-resistant Protector-D+ that enhances a non-stick draggy-feel to shield against sticky soiling, besides healing and concealing lightening scuff and abrasion marks. Note that the mentioned products suffix numbers denotes its pH value in this holistic approach for aniline wax pull-up leathers urine decontamination process.


>>> The problem is that this seems to have removed the waxy coating from the leather. The cushion we cleaned now looks different (lost a bit of the vintage look) and feels much softer. It is also more absorbent.

When the leather becomes more absorbent, both the wax effect and the topcoat are obviously missing. Both plays the roll of protecting the leather both for long term and short term. The long term “corrective care” is to use AnilineTop-21G, this is a waterbased permanent gloss soft urethane topcoat (but still is subject to wear and damages) and may used in conjunction with Adhesor-73 for better adhesion over newly applied Wax Effect-8.6. The short term “maintenance care” is to use Wax Efffect-8.6 where the topcoat is still in good condition. Now that it even looks different will need a holistic approach correcting from the leather structure from the diminished fatliquor upwards. We shall go into the detail process if you still have continuous interest in restoring back to the leather original characteristic depending on your level of interest.

The AnilineTop-21G is found in this Kit Aw6.tc for your reading interest and can be purchased as an individual product or add-on with optional Adhesor-73. The


Attachment 2387
Leather Doctor Kit Aw6.tc – Aniline Wax Pull-up Leather Topcoat Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit Aw6.tc, aniline wax pull-up leather topcoat refinishing kit is designed for after degreasing in a holistic approach. Most penetrated stains from the head and hands that show a darkening effect have its topcoat probably deteriorated by the oil, grease and sweat. Deteriorated topcoat removed during the degreasing process is refinished with AnilineTop-21G after wax effect rejuvenated. Removing penetrated soiling contamination starts with Degreaser-2.2, a waterbased (pH 2.2) multifunctional degreaser that emulsifies the greasy contamination, controls 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. Wax Effect-8.6 rejuvenates the structural wax pull-up effect and coagulates a cloudy waxy coating on the surface to be heat activated into the characteristic glossy sheen. Protector-D+ enhances a non-stick draggy-feel to shield against sticky soiling, besides healing and concealing lightening scuff and abrasion marks. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this holistic leather-safe aniline wax pull-up leathers topcoat refinishing system.
Here is Adhesor-73 for your reading interest from this link: http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...-73/Categories

Attachment 2388
Leather Doctor Adhesor-73
Leather Doctor® Adhesor-73 is an auxiliary for refinishing pigmented, aniline, bicast and simulated leathers. This is a waterbased compact resin adhesion promoter for a) smoothening abraded surfaces, b) ensure proper sealing and adhesion prior to color coating and c) used after Wax Effect-8.6 prior to topcoat application.



>>> Is there any way to get this wax back on the sofa?

Getting the wax back to the sofa is to use Wax Effect-8.6, but to rectify the leather holistically you may want to follow this simplified sequence of process.

1- Remove the protein component of the urine.
Use d’Protein-10
2- Neutralize the high pH of 10 after using d’Protein-10 with a pH 2.0
Use Acidifier-2.0
3- Neutralize the Urine Ammonium Salt from shifting alkaline
Use d’Urine-2.1 > Rinse-3.0
4- Leather rejuvenating both to hydrate and fatliquor (fat, oil and water) replenish it for softness and strength
when dry.
Use Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor LS-5.5
5- Fashion Wax Effect Structural Rejuvenating
Use Wax Effect-8.6
6- Optional Adhesion Promoter over Wax Effect
Use Adhesor-73
7- Permanent Topcoat Restoration
Use AnilneTop-21G
8- Fashion Wax Effect Surface Rejuvenating
Use Wax Effect-8.6
9- Protection Maintenance Care of lightening effect and scuff for better aesthetic.
Use Protector-D+ with a classic leather scent or scentless Protector-D (without the plus sign).

With the different of care level available (restoration, periodic and routine) from the Leather Doctor® system, this high end aniline wax effect leather types will be kept both structural sound and aesthetically good looking for many, many years of enjoyment, and there is no better leather than an aniline wax pull-up and the knowing the how to with a leather-safe system is the key to satisfaction.

Let me know how you wish to go from here and we are happy to help.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com