Urine Stain: How to decontaminate domestic animal or human urine on upholstery of all leather types?
How to decontaminate domestic animal (cat dog)/Human urine from pigmented (protected/top coated) and unprotected (semi-aniline, wax/oil pullups, Nubuck, full aniline) upholstery leathers? We might get some discussion on protected vs semi-protected vs unprotected but the bottom line is we have a stain on these that must be removed and decontaminated.
Re: Standard Urine Decontamination for All Leather Types.
The banner above shows a variety of leathers that has been urine contaminated from various reasons
- bladder control from elderly people, changing of baby nappies, young child nappies overflow while sleeping on the sofa, etc.
Cats most often does it on cushion and dogs spray on corners.
Since I am doing the bag on the right side I shall talk about how I do the decontamination.
It is an aniline/suede combination design by Francesco Biasia® 6 months old from Italy.
Her 17 years old male cat urinated on it, where you can see the wet stain.
The priority request was to treat the wet urine mark invincible and the urine smell removed too.
Here are the steps for urine stains that are “still wet”.
Step 1 - Urine Extraction
Absorb as much liquid out of it as possible and turn out the lining (in this case is a bag/purse).
Step 2 - Uric Acid Removal
d’Protein11.0™ (pH value 11.0 is a protein based spotting agent for vomit, urine, eggs, milk, creams on all leathers).
It is spray on and agitate with leatherBrush1™ (horsehair) saturating the urine stain leather structure areas deep where the urine has penetrated.
Let it dwell for 5 to 15 minutes for chemical reaction and extract as much of the uric acid contaminants as possible without scratching or
damaging the sensitive aniline leather.
The purpose is to remove the protein components to minimize the attraction of natural bacteria from the atmosphere from digesting and
fermenting the protein contaminants.
Picture #1 - Urine Mark
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/018.jpg
Picture #2 - Spray, Agitate & Dwell
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/021.jpg
Picture #3 - Extract
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/020.jpg
Step 3 - Ammonia and Phosphorus Salt Removal
d’Urine2.2™ (pH value 2.2 is an urine ammonia and phosphorus salt neutralizing agent from “reverse-tanning” on all leathers).
It is similarly spray on and agitate with similar brush to saturate the urine stains leather structure deep where the urine and d’Protein11.0™ has penetrated.
Let it dwell for 5 to 15 minutes for chemical reaction to take place and thereafter extract as dry as possible.
This is a dual function approach first it is to eliminate the presence of ammonia and phosphorus salt that will turn alkaline as high as pH 9.5 to 10 from bacteria
activities.
The urea that becomes ammonia will break the bonds between the tanning agent and the protein fibers and migrate out as black residue in chrome leather
as shown on one of the above banner (green semi-aniline leather with black “tanning residue” stains).
Vegetable-tanned leather is more ammonia sensitive than Chrome-Tanned leathers.
The high pH exposure from the leather neutral of 3-5 also cause original anionic (-) fatliquor to break bonds (that's the reason for stiffness from a leach out fatliquor).
As dyes are mostly acidic in nature too, this high pH destabilizes the dyestuff as it moves away from the centre to form rings with most color loss from the center.
The other purpose of this low pH of 2.2 is to neutralize the high pH of 11.0 to bring the pH to leather neutral of 3-5.
Picture #4 Ammonia & Phosphorus Salt Removal
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/029.jpg
Step 4 - Inspection Of Spots & Stains with a Magnifying Glass (not urine related)
Picture #5 - Close-Up Inspection
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/023.jpg
Step 5 - Oil Based Stains Removal (not urine related)
d’Oil4.4™ (pH value 4.4 is a leather safe dye transfer, oil and grease mild spotting agent for all leathers).
Picture #6 - Spoting
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/032.jpg
Step 6 - Heavier Solvent Based Stains Removal (not urine related)
d’Ink7.7™ (pH value 7.7 is a general silicone, oil, grease, dye transfer and ink spotting agent for all leathers).
Picture #7 - Spotting
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/033.jpg
Picture #8 (leatherTool6™)
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/025.jpg
Step 7. - General Degreasing
d’Grease4.9™ (pH value 4.9 is an aqueous leather safe degreaser like oil, dressing, butter or lotion for all leathers).
Spray on heavy soil areas and feather out entire section of the leather/suede combination with leatherBrush1™ on aniline leather and a choice of nubuckBrush2™ or suedeBrush3™ with nubuckEraser5™ on the suede section and let it dwell 5 to 15 minutes before extraction.
Picture #9 - Degreasing
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/044.jpg
Picture #10 - nubuckEraser5™
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/053.jpg
Step 8 - General Cleaning
clean3.8™ (pH value 3.8 is a leather safe aqueous general purpose cleaner for all leathers).
Spray, agitate with appropriate brush and extract.
Picture #11 - General Cleaning.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/051.jpg
Step 9 - Acidifying Rinse
rinse3.0™ (pH value 3.0 is a leather safe aqueous mild acidifier all purpose rinse for all leathers).
Spray soak, agitate with appropriate brush and extract.
Picture #12 - Acidifying Rinsing
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/054.jpg
Step 10 - Fatliquoring
fatliquor5.0™ (pH value ±5.0 is an anionic (-) charged micro emulsion fatliquor for softening and strengthening all leathers).
Spray and spread soak with a foam brush to work into the leather structure with even penetration.
Picture #13 - Spray Fatliquoring
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/067.jpg
Picture #14 - Spread it for more effective penetrating into the leather structure.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/071.jpg
Step 11
leatherScent’B™ (is a non film-forming, non-stick tactile feel conditioner to enhance a soft natural buttery feel with a classic leather scent).
Spray and spread with a foam brush.
Picture #15 - To impart the original classic leather scent!
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/006.jpg
Questions are welcome,
or share with us your experience?
Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System
An insert for in between the Acidifying Rinse and the Fatliquoring
Step 9A.
d’Bacteria3.7™ (pH value 3.7 is a leather safe, biodegradable, odorless and colorless bactericide to kill organic odors for all leathers).
Spray soaks onto stain area to sterilize against organic odor.
Picture #12A - Sterilize against Organic Odor
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/064.jpg
Roger Koh