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I have an official football (game used and signed) that my mom spilled laundry detergent on. I'm sure it's genuine leather, not sure what kind. Apparently the laundry detergent dried on the football and she told me she was planning to clean it "later".
The football is really important to me, is there any way to save it or did it wash off the color? So far I just tried running it under water and drying it with a towel but it didn't do much.
It is a pH value problem.
The alkaline laundry detergent is alkaline.
The genuine leather is acidic.
The protein leather composition is an “amphoteric” material.
The alkaline laundry detergent shift the protein fiber ionic negative (-ve).
Thus the breaking of hydrogen bond between the dyestuff and the protein fiber and it moves to the edge of the exposure as rings.
The color lost areas may feel a bit of tackiness as well due to the lost of “tanning agent”.
When dry this color lost areas may lost its suppleness and may leads to cracks due to the lost of the “fatliquor”.
This is how the problem is solved:
1- A low pH value acidifier, Acidifier-2.0 is use to neutralized the pH imbalance.
The purpose is to recharge the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve) instead, so the other leather constituents will be able to be hydrogen back in place.
2- Hydrator-3.3 follows to redistribute the leather constituents to even out to a degree.
3- Fatliquor-5.0 has to be replenished back to the original as well.
4- We will need to inspect the result of the above before we decide a redyeing is necessary to bring back appearance.
So far if you have any questions?
Let me know if you like to have "Online-Life-Coaching"
Attachment 8783
Roger Koh
Leather, Skin & Hair Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Online-Life-Coaching
online store: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]