Aniline (Sauvage) - How do I Rectify this Water Damaged (Baby Wipes) Aniline Leather Cushion?

[cltucker]

Thanks in advance for your help. I have NO knowledge of leather types or care so in-depth advice is greatly appreciated.

Our 2-year old put a bunch of wet baby wipes on our leather chair cushion - I can't give too much info on the type of leather but I believe it is aniline. It left a dark water ring with a slightly lighter area within the ring.

What do I need to repair this, and is it easy enough for me considering I have no experience? How much time and money? Would it be better for me to have it professionally repaired, and if so, can you point me to a resource to find a good service?

Thank you.

[Roger Koh]

It is good to know the liquid content of the baby wipes – therefore its brand may help!

The aniline dyes of the leather bleeds or break it’s hydrogen bond with the leather protein fiber especially when foreign liquid exceed its neutral pH value of 3 – 5 toward alkalinity.

Alcohol contents will also cause the dyes to bleed.

The most effective procedure is to neutralize the stain area with a pH 2.0 leather acidifier - using Acidifier-2.0 and extract with rag or towel.

Immediately follows with hydrating and saturating the leather structure completely wet with Hydrator-3.3 and extract with rag or towel.

Continue extracting the wick-up residue every two hours until the stain disappear, otherwise repeat saturating deep enough to feel the wetness on the reverse side.

And extract at wicking up interval until the stain disappear.

Leave to dry and inspect the appearance, repeat if necessary.

When the stain is gone, the leather may feel stiffer that requires to be rejuvenated with Fatliquor5.0.

These three products Acidifier-2.0, Hydrator-3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 are the basic necessity to solve your leather ring stain problem.

You either engage a professional that follows my recommendation or you could do it yourself with my guidance, either way the ring stain will be gone.

Another consideration is the refinishing the worn-out aniline protective coating with Topcoat Aniline-79G (just wipe it like baby wiping).

If you are considering having its protective sheen back, you may need to prep clean it with Prep-4.4 follows with Cleaner-3.8 then Rinse-3.0 prior to refinishing its sheen.

What do you think?

Roger


These are the relevant products for your consideration:

Leather Doctor® Acidifier-2.0: for Pigmented, Aniline, Nubuck, Suede, Hair-on and Woolskin leather types.
This is a pH 2.0 aqueous leather acidifier. It’s for cationizing the leather protein fibers below its isoelectric point to increase hydrogen bonding with the anionic aniline dyestuff for bleeding control. Also it’s commonly used to neutralize alkaline exposure that cause marks, streaks, brightness tackiness or sliminess from stains or cleaners

Leather Doctor® Hydrator-3.3: for Pigmented, Aniline, Nubuck, Suede, Hair-on and Woolskin leather types.
This is a pH 3.3 aqueous leather-safe hydrator. It’s for hydrating dried, stiffed or shrunk leathers (to separates the crushed, stick together fibrils and relax them) prior to Fatliquor-5.0. And it’s also used for facilitating colloidal water movement within the leather structure capillary motion during the wicking process. That will cause suspended soil particulates to be moved to the leather surface to be extracted with rag while damp and erase with Leather Eraser-4 when dry.

Leather Doctor®Fatliquor-5.0: for Pigmented, Aniline, Nubuck, Suede, Hair-on and Woolskin leather types.
This is a pH 5.0 anionic charged micro emulsion fatliquor leather rejuvenator. It’s for replenishing original fatliquor that diminishes thru sun-bleaching, ageing, heat and alkaline exposure or cleaning. It penetrates and lubricates the leather fibers so that after drying they will be capable of sliding over one another smoothly. Besides softening the leather with stretchability, compressibility and flexibility, fatliquor enhances its rip tensile strength greatly. Thus relaxes coarse breaks, creases and wrinkles to provide drapes, suppleness and prevents cracking. It helps to keep leather at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature ageing.

Leather Doctor® Prep-4.4 (a.k.a. Ink Remover-4.4): for Aniline, Nubuck, Suede and all Absorbent leather types.
This is a leather-safe pH 4.4 aqueous high viscosity leather preparatory cleaner. It works by allowing sufficient dwell-time to penetrate, lubricate and suspense foreign soil contamination prior to Cleaner-3.8.

Leather Doctor® Cleaner-3.8: for all Pigmented, Aniline, Nubuck and Suede leather types.
This is a pH 3.8 all purpose leather-safe anionic cleaner that is particularly effective in emulsifying oily soils and in suspending particulates. It cleans by penetrating, lubricating and suspending soiling safely and effectively through gentle chemical reaction. Cos its pH value works in perfect harmony with all leather constituents that include the tanning agent, preservative, fatliquor, dyestuff and other.

Leather Doctor® Rinse-3.0: for all Pigmented, Aniline, Nubuck and Suede leather types.
This is a pH 3.0 aqueous leather-safe rinse to neutralize harmful alkaline and perspiration residues. It’s for stabilizing and strengthening leather constituent pH chemistry integrity. And cationizing (+ve) protein fiber below its isoelectric point to increase hydrogen bonding prior to anionic (-ve) Fatliquor-5.0.

Leather Doctor® Topcoat Aniline-79G: gloss, for standard Aniline leathers.
This is an aqueous fine particular size urethane resin emulsion topcoat.
It’s to protect aniline dyestuff with excellent toughness and flexibility.

Leather Doctor® Leather Scent-B: for Pigmented, Aniline and Oil Pull-up Nubuck leather types.
This is a non-film forming, non-stick protector that enhances a soft natural buttery-feel with a classic leather scent that charms.
It’s for imparting a non-stick breathable barrier essentially to shield the detrimental effects of sticky soiling including the nasty ballpoint ink. And for helping to release those tenacious dye-transfers stains especially on light colored leathers easily without resorting to unnecessary color refinishing. Its natural buttery-feel protection increases the leather resistance to wet and dry rubs, thus reduce stretch, scuff and abrasion. And it reduces friction squeaks that wear the finishes when leather rubs against leather during movement. Or friction that wear the finishes caused by getting in and out of auto especially the driver’s seat.

[cltucker]

Roger,
Thanks for the help. Where can I buy the products? If I need more instruction, is there a specific resource or can I continue to contact you here?
Thanks.

[Roger Koh]

Email me for the product price list.

I will guide you along from here to solve your problem.

Here are the tips for posting pictures for better visual impact.

http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...read.php?t=148

Roger Koh
[email protected]

[cltucker]

Roger,
I've received these items:
Acidifier 2.0 250ml
Hydrator 3.3 120ml
Fatliquor 5.0 120ml
Prep 7.7 60ml
Cleaner 3.8 250ml
Rinse 3.0 250ml
Topcoat Aniline 79G 60ml
and am ready to work on the cushion.

Do I apply the Acidifier to only the stain, or the whole cushion?
How about the Hydrator?
I assume the remainder are applied evenly to the whole top of the cushion.
How do I apply each - directly spray? cloth? sponge?

Thank you again for your help.

[cltucker]

Roger,
Could you also list the order of the steps to proceed?
Thanks.

[Roger Koh]

The Stain Removal Process requires the followings sequence.

Get ready and move the cushion to a towel covered table and be prepared to leave it overnight.
Get a transparent plastic sheet or cling wrapper able for wrapping the entire cushion to control evaporation.
Get sponge or cloth to control the flow of spray.
Get ready your Camera and take pictures of your steps, so that we can trace back when result is not up to expectation.

Step 1:
Spay the acidifier to the center of the stain and saturating it follows with extracting the foreign contamination and feathers it out the entire panel.

Step 2:
After 15 to 30 minutes saturate the hydrator-3.3 to the entire panel and wet out the thickness of the leather structure.

Step 3:
Place toilet rolls / facial tissue paper to the entire surface and wet it down to create an extension of the leather surface and wrap it up with the transparent plastic sheet.
Roll it over with a round cylinder object (like bottles or paper towel roll) to rid of bubbles between the leather surface and the tissue absorbent paper and leave it overnight.

Take pictures of these steps especially the overnight stains to the tissue paper.

These 3 steps should solve the stain problems.

We shall continue to rejuvenate and further improve the appearance of the staining in the next Fatliquoring process.


Follow?

[cltucker]

I have started these steps tonight (Acidifier 2.0 and Hydrator 3.3). Assuming all goes well, can you describe the following steps so that I can continue tomorrow night? Thank you.

[Roger Koh]

I like to see pictures before you continue, please.

Thank you.

[cltucker]

Here are photos of the progress. The first is following Acidifier 2.0 prior to extraction, the second is just after Hydrator 3.3 and tissue paper/wrap, and the last shows the yellowish stains beginning to come out this morning. I plan to leave the wrap on until tonight.

[cltucker]

[cltucker]

[cltucker]

[Roger Koh]

Note:

You may have to repeat hydrating wet through the leather thickness and extract the rings as the stains wicks up continuously when you do your inspection.

Please continue posting pictures as you progress.

[cltucker]

Still very wet but the stain appears better - hard to say since it is wet.

Is it very important that the Hydrator be uniformly spread over the entire surface? I noticed when I replaced the tissue paper today that one area on the back edge, far from the stain, was dry while the rest of the surface is wet through and through. I'm out of Hydrator - will I need more?

Is it ok to wait for the entire surface to dry, then decide?

How long will it take for the leather to dry?

[Roger Koh]

Still very wet but the stain appears better - hard to say since it is wet.

Is it very important that the Hydrator be uniformly spread over the entire surface?

(Yes it is, otherwise you may have lines between the dry and the wet when it is completely dry)

I noticed when I replaced the tissue paper today that one area on the back edge, far from the stain, was dry while the rest of the surface is wet through and through.

(Mist this area wet too for an even-out surface – the Hydrator-3.3 works to move and redistribute colloidal residue and even out the appearance when the entire surface dries out evenly. Work out the rings by extracting it with towel or rags until it shows clean periodically).

I'm out of Hydrator - will I need more?

(Let’s see the result when it dries – depending on the severity of the water damage – the Fatliquor-5.0 may help to pull you through the staining problem).

Is it ok to wait for the entire surface to dry, then decide?

(You could see how the stains ring has slowly diminished even if the leather now has a darkening effect.)

How long will it take for the leather to dry?

(The longer for the leather to dry the better on the stains – even up to 3 days if you can control the evaporation.

You would also notice that the leather is more relaxed and creases reduced or eliminated with softness.

Let’s see some pictures!)

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

[cltucker]

Color is more uniform than this picture suggests - the flash lightened the area of the stain. I can still see some faint stain ring.

[cltucker]

[Roger Koh]

The faint stain ring can be further improved with another treatment of Hydrator-3.3.

Do you think you want to do it?

Otherwise it may show more and “lock-in” when Topcoat Aniline 79Gloss is applied.

And you may regret for not doing so to such an elegant leather chair.

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

[cltucker]

Yes, I will order more Hydrator and repeat. Will I need to use Acidifier again?

[Roger Koh]

Not necessary for the Acidifier-2.0!

You need the Hydrator-3.3 to move the fugitive leather constituents "back" to the stain area and the foreign contamination "out" of the leather structure by extracting with towel.

[cltucker]

Roger,
We were gone for several days so I left the cushion to dry with tissue paper and cellophane wrap, and this is the current appearance almost fully dry. The center of the stain is lighter and the leather is harder here. I assume I need to repeat the Hydrator, but not Acidifier. From it's appearance, do I need to do anything else at this step? I will be ordering more Hydrator, so I can order more products at the same time if needed. Also, any particular technique to extracting the stain? I blot it with a rag, then cover with Hydrated tissue paper/plastic wrap.
Charles

[Roger Koh]

What you are doing with the Hydrator-3.3, you can repeat to redistribute the leather constituent leach-out back to the lighter area.

This may bring dyestuff back to the lighter areas to even out the color.

The reason for the leather being harder or stiffer is the leach-out of fatliquor which make it so – this will be strengthens and soften up after fatliquoring.

The ring may be partly due to suspended particulates still embedded that may be improved or remove with Leather Eraser-4.

It is wise to rectify this stain mark successfully; otherwise using transparent topcoat will enhance the mark more.

Recommend procedure:

1] Erase the ring stain with Leather Eraser-4 of the suspended particulates.

2] Repeat Hydrator-3.3 process to even out the discoloration.

3] After a thorough wet overnight dwelling, the ring is continuous extracted as the hydrator carries the ring causing foreign contamination to the surface until towel shows clean.

4] When completely crispy dry – the ring can be work with Leather Eraser-4 to remove the dried residue too.


Fatliquor-5.0

1] Fatliquoring can proceed while the leather is damp.
As the Hydrator-3.3 evaporates the Fatliquor-5.0 is replaced.

We will see the stain area color improving and when dry the leather should be stronger and softer with suppleness.

Show picture of your progress, and we will go from there.


Note:
To safe shipping cost I suggest you look at concentrates to be cut with distilled water at your end.


Hydrator-3.3 - 60ml - Concentrate 1: 25 - Ready-to-use 1.64 quarts
Fatliquor-5.0 - 250ml - Concentrate 1: 5 - Ready-to-use 1.58 quarts
Cleaner-3.8 - 30ml - Concentrate 1: 64 - Ready-to-use 2.06 quarts
Rinse-3.0 - 30ml - Concentrate 1: 80 - Ready-to-use 2.56 quarts

[cltucker]

Roger,
I have used leather eraser then fully hydrated again - it is still slightly damp, and the stain ring is better but still slightly visible. I also noticed some spots toward the back of the cushion (second image) that I think may have been dripped on by our landscaper (the cushion was in the same room as our garden tools). They did not fade after Hydrator.
Charles

[Roger Koh]

Just test a drop of Acidifier-2.0 on one of the spot and leave it till dry, and see if it lightens up.

Otherwise a d'Tannin-3.5 > d'Tarnish-1.3 combination may lighten it.

Depends on what causes the stains.


You can see the product in this kit:

http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...ead.php?t=4594

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

[cltucker]

I have Prep 7.7, is that ok to try? Acidifier didn't lighten the spots.

[cltucker]

Assuming the small spots come out, how do I proceed to the next step? Is Fatliquor next?

I also have Prep 7.7, Cleaner 3.8, Rinse 3.0 and Aniline 79G. I'm confused of whether to use Prep and Cleaner prior to or after Fatliquor.

[Roger Koh]

I have Prep 7.7, is that ok to try? Acidifier didn't lighten the spots.

When Acidifier-2.0 did not light up, then the stain is not likely an alkaline stain.

Prep-7.7 works by penetration, lubrication and suspending the soiling; using it too much without proper cleaning with Cleaner-3.8 and rinsing with Rinse-3.0 might cause a temporary darkening effect that will eventually disappear.

No harm trying a drop and let it dwell for 30 minutes, extract and inspect.

If the stain moves; drip another drop on the same spot and let it dwell longer perhaps extract in 2 hours time and inspect.

When the stain is removed with satisfaction - clean off the sticky residue to reduce the darkening effect by cleaning off with Cleaner-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0 until it feels "squeaky".

A leather-safe (pH 3-5) version of Prep-7.7 is Prep-4.4 with a pH value of 4.4 is more appropriate for delicate absorbent leathers.

Unknown stains from “garden tools” (Any tannin stains from plants and vegetation) is more lightly to work with d’Tannin-3.5 > d’Tarnish-1.3 combination.


Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

[Roger Koh]

Assuming the small spots come out, how do I proceed to the next step? Is Fatliquor next?

I also have Prep 7.7, Cleaner 3.8, Rinse 3.0 and Aniline 79G. I'm confused of whether to use Prep and Cleaner prior to or after Fatliquor.

So far, you only use Acidifier-2.0 and Hydrator-3.3 to get rid of the stain, am I right?

If the stain is gone, and the appearance is to your satisfactory; you can proceed to fatliquoring and skip the Prep-7.7 > Cleaner-3.8 > Rinse-3.0.

Otherwise you follow the standard procedure again thus the process is as follows:

Prep-7.7 > Cleaner-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0.

Let me know your option and I will give you tips of the technique to give the best result.

Roger Koh
Leather Doctor®

[cltucker]

I tried the Prep 7.7 also so I will do the Cleaner>Rinse>Hydrator>Fatliquor.

[Roger Koh]

Are you doing the entire chair then?

[cltucker]

No, was only going to do the cushion panel.

[Roger Koh]

Apply the Prep-7.7 by using a foam brush, a 3" is a good size.

Otherwise use a folded smooth cloth to spread very thinly and evenly through out the entire surface and let it dwell for an hour.

The other 4 process follows one another continuously.

With exception to the fatliquor with repeat application as long as it is absorbent at hourly interval until full saturation.

When satisfied with the last application; drive the strays fatliquor into the leather structure using the Hydrator-3.3 to a squeaky feel.

And leave it to a slow dry.

As the leather dries, traces of foreign may continuous to wick up and can be extracted with towel especially the rings.

Let see some pictures from there!

[cltucker]

Is the Prep 7.7 safe to use for this light leather? I realized that I ordered it by mistake instead of the Prep 4.4.

[Roger Koh]

To reduce the strength, spray Cleaner-3.8 and let it absorbed evenly first; then apply the Prep-7.7.

Apply the Prep-7.7 thinly and evenly with a foam brush, foam sponge or smooth rag.

[cltucker]

Roger,

The steps above have been done - waiting on the final Hydrator to dry then I'll send pictures.

I assume Aniline Gloss is next - can you outline that step for me?

Thanks.

[cltucker]

Roger,

After the final Hydrator (following Fatliquor) it appears to be drying very irregularly with a wetter ring in the center, just a little larger than the initial damaged area. I had sprayed it evenly, but this area seems to be taking much longer to dry, and I'm worried about another ring forming. Should that be a concern? Should I spray more Hydrator?

Thanks.

[Roger Koh]

Lightly mist spray Hydrator-3.3 around the ring and extract at drying interval; this extraction with towel will remove or eliminate any foreign residue; that may be further expel by the fatliquor hydrogen-bonding process; with the protein fibrils.

[cltucker]

The fatliquor process is complete. Do I apply the Aniline Gloss now? Any hints?

[cltucker]

[Roger Koh]

The glittering sheen need to be eliminate by spraying the Hydrator-3.3 and wiping with a terry towel.

Otherwise these strays surface fatliquor may pose a problem to the Topcoat.

Use a fine sandpaper 1500 grit to smooth the leather surface and for in-between coating if necessary.

Coat the leather using a foam brush, foam sponge or a lint-free rag.

Needless to say a fine airbrushing will produce the best professional result!

A hair dryer will facilitate the drying process.

Thereafter, condition it with a non-stick, rub-resistance protector - Leather Scent-B (buttery-feel)

[cltucker]

Here is the finished cushion. I doubt I did it as well as someone with more experience, but I'm pleased that the stain is now only faintly visible.



Here is the before condition:

[cltucker]

Here is another "after" picture with less glare/no flash: