Louis Vuitton Handbag! – How to degrease and lighten-ups this “Hard to Keep it Clean Vachetta Trim”?

Hey everyone,
I attached some photos of a Louis Vuitton Handbag that I am having hard time to find the right product to clean it.
I have tried Connolly, Leather Master and Leatherique without any success.
That kind of leather get dirty so quickly its just hard to keep it clean.
What can I do about that? Is there a solution or do I need to send it to the factory to get a replacement?

#1
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/t...i/IMG_0467.jpg

#2
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/t...i/IMG_0466.jpg

#3
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/t...i/IMG_0465.jpg

#4 I also would like to note that one handle got a strange feel which is not smooth like the other one and it is more coarse feel.
http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/t...i/IMG_0464.jpg

Thanks,
Eliran

Thank you for posting these very good pictures!

These “Vachetta” leather trim is also known as “Naked Leathers”.

They are “Vegetable Tanned” to give the extra firmness to retain the article shape.

These leathers are “fatliquor thirsty” and it is the fatliquor that helps to resist absorption and staining.

Fatliquor helps to retain its rich tone color too.

In most cases, when newly bought it is already in pale-biscuit color; a sign of diminishing fatliquor.

From production time until the item is bought; it may take years and all these while the fatliquor evaporates as VOC (Volatile Organic Compound).


"Vachetta" is the most sensitive among all leather types:

pH Sensitive – Its pH neutral is around 4 and any cleaning products above the pH of 7 will cause it to brown.

That’s the reason it comes to this brown color from perspiration stains that shift from the acidity to alkalinity.

Perspiration contains traces of urea that when aged and ferments with the natural bacteria from the air shift alkaline – that browns.

To reduce the browning a pH 2.0 acidifier may be applied to neutralize the alkalinity.


UV Sensitive – Unlike all other leathers that will fade and goes lighter in color these “vegetable tanned” leathers behave just like our skin – it goes darker (sun tanned).


This gives you a little idea about the chemistry reaction between the leather and the elements against it – that result in these conditions.


Here is my recommendation:

Phase 1 – Degreasing.
A low pH 2.2 Degreaser with Degreaser-2.2 is used to degrease the embedded body greasy perspiration stains.
This gel degreaser in soak, dwell and massage into the leather structure to Penetrate, Lubricate and Suspense these embedded stains.
Then it is followed with a thorough pH 3.0 rinsing with Rinse-3.0; hand squeezing or scudding and extract with terry towel until towel shows clean.
You would be amaze how much these thirsty leather have suck in all those foreign contamination – should have been the protective “fatliquor” instead.
Leave it to dry; as the foreign contamination wicks up; periodic extraction with terry towel helps remove these contaminations easier when it is completely dry.
When the leather is crispy dry foreign soiling particulates is further erase off the leather with Leather Eraser-4.

Phase 2 – Browning Treatment:
To reduce browning caused by Alkalinity through perspiration and or other alkaline cleaning solution Acidic solution is used.
First stage is to use a pH 2.0 acidifier with Acidifier-2.0 – spray, soak, agitate and leave to dry.
When dry use Leather Eraser-4 to erase further suspended foreign residue and inspect.
Repeat treatment as necessary, otherwise a leather-safe bleaching treatment is recommended.
A pH 3.5 d’Tannin-3.5 is necessary to do the bleaching effect follows by a pH 1.3 accelerator with d'Tarnish-1.3 to boost the working effect of d’Tannin-3.5.
Spray and let it soak evenly, extract with towel and leave it do dry naturally and inspect.
Foreign residue can be further erase with Leather Eraser-4 and inspect.
When the overall treatment is satisfactorily the leather is rinse with Rinse-3.0 as in phase 1 until the towel shows clean and may proceed with phase 3 while the leather is still damp (squeeze with dry towel).

Phase 3 – Leather Rejuvenating.
Since the leather has gone through phase 1 and 2 soaking through; Hydrator-3.3 treatment may be skipped but proceed with fatliquoring while the leather is evenly damp.
Fatliquor-5.0 is an anionic fatliquor that carries a (-) ionic charge.
It will penetrate and hydrogen-bond with the cationic leather fibrils which has a (+) ionic charge.
Fatliquor is an emulsion blend of natural “Fat, Oil and Water” used originally in the tannery.
As the water evaporates more fatliquor is applied as long as it penetrates.
Fatliquoring will enrich the tone of the leather, reduce absorbency, increase strength and suppleness and prevents leather cracking.
See this Discovery Channel video on “Fatliquoring”.
http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...ead.php?t=1772

Phase 4 – Abraded Skin Repair:
An option is to repair abraded skin due to dry and wet rubbing with Impregnator-26.
This skin repair with applying the transparent natural color Impregnator-26 is to impregnate worn leather grains and micro cracks.
It to fills and tightens with good leveling properties that is film forming for improve abrasion resistance.

Phase 5 – Rub Resistance Protector:
Use Leather Scent-D (draggy-feel with an unforgettable classical leather scent that charms).


To rectify this problem of greasy body stain on Vachetta leather; the above recommended procedure can only gives you a desirable result; whether you are a novice or a professional.

I have provided the “Science “in the products and also “Art” of how to accomplish it!

It is now up to you to follow through with understanding and patience.

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

Email me [email protected] for the product price list.
The comprehensive product line can be found in this link: http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...read.php?t=360

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Eliran

Picture #4 - I also would like to note that one handle got a strange feel which is not smooth like the other one and it is more coarse feel.

---

===

The coarse feel can be rectified by fine sanding (1000 to 1500 sanding grit) in-between repair by Impregnator-26 in conjunction with "Phase 4 process".

Phase 4 – Abraded Skin Repair:
An option is to repair abraded skin due to dry and wet rubbing with Impregnator-26.
This skin repair with applying the transparent natural color Impregnator-26 is to impregnate worn leather grains and micro cracks.
It to fills and tightens with good leveling properties that is film forming for improve abrasion resistance.


Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

How to soften the Vachetta after de-greasing the LV handles, straps, piping

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Roger,

I will appreciate if you can walk through on What solution or chemical can be used to prevent the vachetta from becoming hard/stiff after cleaning ?

What is the topcoat to use to this vachetta leather after cleaning ?
Any help you can extend will be appreciated.

Apple :)

Hi Roger,

In addition o my previous email, please advise what products should
I buy from you.

1. I need a cleaning agent/solution for LV vachetta handles/straps/pipings that turned dark brown. I want to lighten the vachetta leather.

2. I also need a cleaning agent/solution to soften the vachetta leather after cleaning.

3. If there's any ink marks, grease/oil stains on the vachetta leather, what solution will you recommend ?

I might be in Vancouver, Canada this July, 2011. How far is your company from Vancouver as I want to visit your office. ^_^
If you have time, please provide me the above prices for my reference.

Thanks,
Apple :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by [email protected]

How to soften the Vachetta after de-greasing the LV handles, straps, piping

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Roger,

I will appreciate if you can walk through on What solution or chemical can be used to prevent the vachetta from becoming hard/stiff after cleaning ?

What is the topcoat to use to this vachetta leather after cleaning ?
Any help you can extend will be appreciated.

Apple :)

---

Degreasing Step:
To degrease use: Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0

Leather Rejuvenating Step:
This step is to prevent the vachetta from becoming hard/stiff when dry.
It’s a combination of Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0.
The hydrating process is to relax and separate the stick together fibers in the leather structure, preconditioning it for effective fatliquoring; so that the fatliquor’s fat and oil water encased molecules can lubricates every fibril, working like millions of inter-connecting hinges to gives the leather its softness and suppleness with strength.
Besides, it will purge foreign contamination to the surface to be extracted when damp and erased when dry. On the surface it helps to reduce surface tension for even absorption for the fatliquor to have an even appearance.
Fatliquor is what makes the leather as soft as you wish – that’s often refer to as the lifeblood of leathers. Besides the fat and oil helps reduce absorbency against liquid stains – see this video on Fatliquor by Discovery Channel: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/disc...quor-video.htm

What is the topcoat to use to this vachetta leather after cleaning ?

Vachetta is “naked” leather; so do not have a topcoat originally out of the tannery; neither it’s dyed, the color comes naturally from vegetable tannin color itself.
Among all leathers, it behaves just like our skin – darkens with sun tanning, whilst others fades.
The recommended non film-forming non-stick, rub-resistant protector that allows natural transpiration is Leather Scent-D that also impart a classic leather scent; the odorless version is Draggy Feel-79.
The only breathable topcoat that may be used for minor repairs to the surface is Topcoat Aniline-89N.



Roger Koh
[email protected]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by [email protected]

1. I need a cleaning agent/solution for LV vachetta handles/straps/pipings that turned dark brown. I want to lighten the vachetta leather.

2. I also need a cleaning agent/solution to soften the vachetta leather after cleaning.

3. If there's any ink marks, grease/oil stains on the vachetta leather, what solution will you recommend ?

---

1. I need a cleaning agent/solution for LV vachetta handles/straps/pipings that turned dark brown. I want to lighten the vachetta leather.

Degreasing:
Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0

Lighten Vachetta Leather:
d’Tarnish-1.3 > Rinse-3.0

2. I also need a cleaning agent/solution to soften the vachetta leather after cleaning.

Leather Rejuvenation:
Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0


3. If there's any ink marks, grease/oil stains on the vachetta leather, what solution will you recommend ?

Ink & Dye Removal:
Prep-4.4 > Cleaner-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 > d’Tarnish-1.3/

Grease/Oil Stain:
Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0

Here’s the Vachetta Problem Solving Guide-V9:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...etta11-LPG.jpg

And here’s the Vachetta Leather Care Kit-V3:
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...achettaKit.jpg
Leather Doctor® Vachetta Leather Care Kit-V3

Contents:
Degreaser-2.2 – 60ml
Prep-4.4 – 60ml
Cleaner-3.8 – 250ml
Rinse-3.0 – 250ml
Hydrator-3.3 – 250ml
Fatliquor-5.0 – 250ml
Leather Scent-D – 120ml
Leather (horsehair) Brush-1 – 1pc
3” Poly-Brush® - 1pc
Washable Rags – 5pcs

Add-on individual products can be found here:
http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...read.php?t=360


Roger Koh
[email protected]

Hello !

Thank you for the prompt reply.. Do you have any branch in Asia where I can take a workshop about leathers - how to clean, condition, de-grease, soften the Vachetta leathers ?

Or CD for sale, for viewing ?

Do you also have any Asian distributors of your products ?

Apple

The answer to the above 3 questions are all negatives.

Private hands-on training is available @ US$1,200/- per day excluding airfares and lodging.

Roger Koh
[email protected]

Wow ! It's quite expensive, but I believe, it's worth doing the workshop.
What I am interested to do in the workshop is - how to lighten-up the vachetta that turned dark brown in color and softening it right after cleaning.
Will this take one day ? ^_^

Shall I bring an LV bag that already turned dark brown as my subject ? Or
you have available LV bags for the workshop ?

Can you email me in my private email, your address, as I have some
colleagues in Vancouver, Canada that can help me find a good place to
stay while taking my workshop ?

Is the workshop available anytime ? I wish you could give me some pointers
on what leather products should I buy regarding my concerns, as I've seen
a lot of your good products which I want to try all !

I hope we can work this out..

Apple

Wow ! It's quite expensive, but I believe, it's worth doing the workshop.
What I am interested to do in the workshop is - how to lighten-up the vachetta that turned dark brown in color and softening it right after cleaning.

This hands-on training is at your location; you can organize it and split the cost with other interested parties. Besides you from the Phillipines there are interests from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand in the Asia Pacific region.

The process to lighten-up vachetta that turned dark brown in color and softening it right after cleaning; general sequence of process is as follows:
Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0 > d’Tarnish-1.3 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0.

The reasons how it turns dark brown may comes from some of these factors:

1] Sweat that contains traces of urea, when fermented by the natural bacteria from the atmosphere shifts alkaline; it is this alkalinity that causes the vachetta to shift from the new pale biscuit color slowly to dark brown.

2] Body oils and grease besides hand lotions that may contain unsaturated fatty acids contributes to the browning when exposed to sunlight.

3] Vachetta unlike other leather types where colors have to depend on additional dyes or pigment; its natural color derives from the vegetable tanning agent itself; thus when exposed to sunlight – sun tanned it darker behaving just like our skin.

Degreaser-2.2 has a low pH value of 2.2 besides drawing out the grease and oil from within the leather structure; it neutralized the alkalinity at the same time. Alkalinity browns the vachetta and Acidity lightens it up.
To reduce the sun tanning, it is where the d’Tarnish-1.3 at pH value 1.3 comes into effect to lighten it up.

To softening it requires the leather rejuvenating process of hydrating and fatliquoring; originally done at the tannery. A well fatliquored leather average 14% moisture content, and much of these comes from the fatliquor (anionic (-) charge fat and oil encased in a water molecule). You can soften the leather as soft as you wish with fatliquor.
See this video on fatliquor: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/disc...quor-video.htm

Will this take one day? ^_^

Not possible to see the result within one day…the leather has to be completely soak (Degreaser-2.2) to purge out the foreign contamination and rinse (Rinse-3.0) during towel extraction, until towel shows clean; then it may go through a hydrating process that dwells for a day to redistribute the foreign contamination within the leather structure and wicking them out naturally through a layer of tissue paper to catch these wick-up foreign contamination. It may go through another process to allow the d’Tarnish-1.3 to do its works to lighten the color chemically overnight until it dries to reveal the desired color, otherwise it is repeated. When the color correction is at the desired level of satisfaction; remaining residues are again rinse off with Rinse-3.0. Hydrated and fatliquored to the desired level of softness. So it will take more than one day, you figure it out!

Shall I bring an LV bag that already turned dark brown as my subject? Or you have available LV bags for the workshop? Can you email me in my private email, your address, as I have some colleagues in Vancouver, Canada that can help me find a good place to stay while taking my workshop? Is the workshop available anytime? I wish you could give me some pointers on what leather products should I buy regarding my concerns, as I've seen a lot of your good products which I want to try all ! I hope we can work this out..

I suggest you add a 250ml bottle of d’Tarnish-1.3 to the recommended Kit-V3 and test it out at your end.

When you post good quality pictures I shall walk you through…you will still accomplish your desired intention.

It is through practice that makes perfect; base on the knowledge of leather cleaning science.

Roger Koh
[email protected]

Hello there Friends !

How many of you would like to attend a 3-day workshop with Leather Doctor
in Greater Vancouver, Canada ? As mentioned by Roger, those interested
from Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Taiwan, Hongkong and other
representative from Asia Pacific region can join us.

Maximun of 8 to 10 participants will be fine. Workshop fee is US$1,200/day and workshop will be 3 days. I am organizing it and we split the cost with other interested parties.

Of course, accommodation and food will be shouldered by each participants.
Please let me know who are interested, so we can set the date once we reach the maximum participants.

Thanks,
Apple ^_^