Pigmented (Micro/Semi-Aniline) - First leather job – How to clean this leather sofa of staining mostly just offs jeans and some food?

Hi

I'm completely new to leather cleaning and this will be my first job. I don't know where to start so have a look at the pictures. The leather sofa doesn't have a lot of staining, it's mostly just off jeans and some food (I think) as there is a small child in the house. There are 5 pictures in attachment and 3 more that I have added externally, the last shows a leather stool which is very clean and I think this is how the sofa should look like.
Thanks in advance for advice.

Regards
Chris

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/...d5a076c6_z.jpg

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5047/...4794561a_z.jpg

Leather stool
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5050/...0701c0c7_z.jpg

Pebble Grain:
This leather is pebble grains – A horsehair detailing brush is what you need for agitation and terry cotton towel for soil extraction.
It seems like attention is necessary to all the grooves or valleys of grains; where the soiling is.

Absorbency:
I believe that this leather is semi-absorbent – that it will darkens up when it’s wet clean. In such cases (semi-aniline) to retain the suppleness when dry – it’s recommended that its evenly hydrated (evenly darken with no patchiness prior to fatliquoring it).

Staining from Jeans:
Dye transfer stains require the working of Prep-7.7 and effective on all non-organic stains including inks.

Staining from Food:
The protein stains from food including from creams and milk tends to coagulate – that requires a high pH protein remover to deflocculate it.

Staining from Blood:
Old blood stains may appear like rust color especially more apparent on pastel color leathers – may requires the work of d’Tarnish-1.3 after d’Protein-11.0.

Here is the recommended sequence of process:

Phase 1: Restorative Cleaning
Step 1: Apply Prep-7.7 with foam brush and agitate with detail horsehair brush and let dwell at least 30 minutes (longer dwelling time produces better result).
Step 2: Removed suspended soiling with white terry towel.
Step 3: Apply Cleaner-3.8, agitate with horsehair brush and extract suspended soiling until towel shows clean.
Step 4: Apply Rinse-3.0 and extract until towel shows clean.
Step 5: Inspection.

Phase 2: Specialty Stain Removal.
Identify stains and work according to the recommended Problem Solving Guide.

Phase 3: Leather Rejuvenating
Step 1: Apply Hydrator-3.3 to even out appearance.
Step 2: Apply Fatliquor-5.0 to replenished original fatliquor – to maintain leather suppleness.

Phase 4: Leather Non-stick Protection
Step 1: Apply Leather Scent-B (buttery-feel).

This is the recommended kit for Semi-Aniline leathers:

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...AnilineKit.jpg
Leather Doctor® Semi-Aniline Leather Care Kit-SA.c (S250.p)

Contents:
Prep-7.7 - 60ml
Cleaner-3.8 - 250ml
Rinse-3.0 - 250ml
Leather Scent-B - 120ml
Hydrator-3.3 - 250ml
Fatliquor-5.0 - 250ml
Leather (horsehair) Brush-1 - 1pc
3” Poly-Brush® - 1pc
Washable Rags - 5pcs

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...niline-LPG.jpg
Semi-Aniline Leather Problem Solving Guide

Roger Koh
[email protected]

That's great, thanks.
How long would you say it would take for the whole job (as a newbie)? Could I do it at the clients house? Is there anything I should worry about that could go wrong?

Regards
Chris

Your pictures 3, 4 & 5 may suggest that it may be aniline or semi-aniline that the finishes may have wear off.

These are the areas you should be worrying about.

It depends on the level of soiling you will be cleaning from – easier if it is from the surface – more difficult if it’s absorbed into the leather structure.

Test it out with a spray of water (ideally is to use Hydrator-3.3) prior to cleaning it, to determine where the leather turns dark – these darken areas if it’s semi-aniline will tell you that the finish have been worn. And it may grow larger as the deteriorated finish is removed during the cleaning process. Moreover forgotten stains that have penetrated may wick-up to the surface to shock you – so be prepared to re-clean these wick-up surface.

Sometimes, the appearance may turn out worst than before and you may end up refinishing it.


Pictures 4 may suggest that originally it was a cream-pinkish aniline leather that has been sunfaded.
If you open a few staples from the dust cloth to confirm – then what you do especially with the hydrator and fatliquor may give you a shocking bonus with return of original color to a degree – thereafter re-topcoating it may bring you almost to the new-like condition – assuming the stains are all thoroughly removed.

If the leather is non-absorbent – do it there – on-location.

If the leather is absorbent – do it in-plant – in your premises otherwise be prepared to return to inspect and mention the worst things that may happen (wicking-up forgotten penetrated stains) as to educate your client.

Roger Koh
[email protected]