Zebra Skin Rug - How to rejuvenate for skin softness without removing the felt backing?

In a tannery, fatliquor is used to soften and strengthen hide, through time the fat and oil evaporates as the hide ages. Most of the fat and oil is penetrated from the suede side of the hide. However, with a felt sewn on the only access is through the hair side. As this is an old and used rug, dry soil removal and cleaning the hair of soiling is recommended prior to rejuvenating the hide. Moreover, thereafter the hair is recommended to be clean to remove any remnant sticky fat and oil residue from attracting soiling.

The recommended cleaning procedure is as follows:

Tips:
Test the felt with Hydrator-3.3 if it bleeds (soak the felt for half hour and test with white towel).

1st phase – Dry Soil Removal:
1. Vacuum off foreign soiling with help of Suede Brush-3.

2nd phase – Wet Soil Removal:
1. Apply Cleaner-5.5, brush along the lay of hair in one direction and towel extract until it shows clean.
2. Spray Rinse-4.0 and towel extract to a squeaky clean.

3rd phase – Hydrating:
1. Spray Hydrator-3.3 with foam brush control to hydrate the entire thickness of the leather.
2. Unnatural creases, folds and wrinkles are straightened during this process by dwelling and cover up with plastic sheet to control evaporation. This relaxing process is work to satisfaction for flat appearance that the hide is ready for immediate fat and oil replenishing.

4th phase – Fat and Oil Replenishing:
1. Spray Fatliquor-5.0, with foam brush control for an even appearance.
2. Repeat application in between drying as the water contents evaporates until it is saturated.
3. The fully saturated leather is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.

5th phase – Removes Sticky Residue:
1. Apply Cleaner-5.5, brush along the lay of hair in one direction and towel extract until it shows clean.
2. Spray Rinse-4.0 and towel extract to a squeaky clean.

Products mentioned is found in this Kit H4

Attachment 1219

Kit Content and Product Description:

Leather Doctor® Cleaner-3.8 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Cleaner-3.8 is a pH 3.8 all purpose leather-safe anionic universal cleaner for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck and suede. It is particularly effective in emulsifying oily soils and in suspending particulates. It works by penetrating, lubricating and suspending soiling safely and effectively through gentle chemical reaction working in perfect harmony with all leather constituents that include the tanning agent, preservative, dyestuff and especially the fatliquor.

Leather Doctor® Rinse-3.0 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Rinse-3.0 is a pH 3.0 waterbased leather-safe universal rinse for all leather types that include pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck and suede. It is to removes suspended soiling by towel extraction while neutralizing harmful alkaline residues and charging the protein fiber ionic positive to increase the attraction between the ionic negative leather constituent like the tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor.

Leather Doctor® Hydrator-3.3 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Hydrator-3.3 is a waterbased pH 3.3 leather-safe hydrator. It is a fatliquor preconditioner with multi functional abilities. Surface application is primary to check for even surface tension free of blotchiness prior to fatliquor replenishing. Structural application will require saturating to an optimum level with moisture oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers. The multi functional abilities include: a) to check for surface tension for an even appearance free from blotchiness prior to fatliquor replenishing. b) To plumps, relaxes and separates crushed, shrunk and stick together fibrils for manipulating away-unwanted creases and wrinkles. c) To rectify alkaline overexposure areas by facilitating colloidal water movement to redistribute the leather constituents from surrounding areas. d) To activate the dormant dyestuff within the leather structure for color refreshing. e) To facilitates colloidal water movement within the inter-fibrillary spaces for wicking foreign soiling particulates to resurface. f) To stabilize, pH balance and charge the protein fiber below its iso-electric point (pI) ionic positive to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative fatliquor more effectively. This universal Hydrator-3.3 is for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck, suede, hair-on-hide and woolskin.

Leather Doctor® Fatliquor-5.0 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Fatliquor-5.0, a micro emulsion of fat, oil and water is an anionic charged pH 5.0 fatliquor for rejuvenating all leather types. It relaxes coarse breaks, creases and wrinkles enhance suppleness and prevent cracking. It softens the leather with stretchability, compressibility and flexibility, while enhancing its rip tensile strength greatly. It is for replenishing the original fat and oil that diminishes thru sun-bleaching, ageing, heat and alkaline overexposure or cleaning. On application, the water-encased molecule breaks free when hydrogen bond attraction takes place between the fat and oil with the protein fiber. The excess free water content wicks out leaving a breathing space behind for leather natural transpiration. 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 smoothly like millions of inter-connecting hinges. Thus helps to keep leather at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature ageing. This universal Fatliquor-5.0 is for all leather types including pigmented, aniline, vachetta, nubuck, suede, hair-on-hide and woolskin.

Leather Doctor® Cleaner-5.5 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Cleaner-5.5 is a waterbased pH 5.5 wool-safe mild disinfectant cleaner. It cleans gently by penetrating, lubricating and suspending soiling through chemical reaction. It is design for hair-on-hide, woolskin, sheepskin, shearling, feather and all fabrics except rayon and silk.

Leather Doctor® Rinse-4.0 (250ml)
Leather Doctor® Rinse-4.0 is for hair-on-hide, woolskin, sheepskin, shearling, feather and all fabrics except rayon and silk. This is a pH 4.0 aqueous wool-safe rinse for rinsing, neutralizing and stabilizing wool and hair pH-chemistry integrity. Email [email protected] for price in quart or for trade.

Leather Doctor® Protector-S+ (120ml)
This is a non-film forming, non-stick rub resistant protector that enhances a soft natural silky-feel with an unforgettable classic leather scent. It is for imparting a non-stick breathable barrier essentially to shield the detrimental effects of sticky soiling. Its natural silky-feel protection increases the leather resistance to wet and dry rubs, thus prolonging the characteristic finger writing effect of nubuck. Odorless version is available as Protector-S.

Suede Eraser-5
This is a 2½ x 2 x ¾ inch fine pumice block with corrugated side for effective nap exfoliation.

Suede Brush-3
This brass bristles detailing brush is ergonomically design to be an extension of our hand with sturdy grooved grip, designed to produce effective result easily and efficiently. It is recommend for split suede that provides tough, aggressive cleaning with mild abrasiveness; to reduce aggressiveness slant it at an angle especially for cleaning hair on hide. Length is 7 inches with a three-row bristle 1½ inches cleaning head.

3 inch Poly-Brush (1 pc)
This is a dense foam that resists tearing and shredding and carries more material. It has a solid wood handle that allows greater control for quality results. It is for controlling and spreading fatliquor for a more even distribution.

Paper Towel Rags (5 pc)
This rag works like cloth, lint free, highly absorbent and washable. General application is for extracting suspended soiling or for spreading hydrator, fatliquor or protector. It is for both dye and topcoat padding for smooth leathers.

Roger Koh
[email protected]