>>> One, how can I clean this bag without ruining it or darkening the leather.
Coach bag is popular for its biscuit color naked unfinished vegetable-tanned leathers.
Vegetable-tanned leather is more pH sensitive than the average chrome-tanned leathers.
The leather behaves like a litmus paper and will register any liquid pH in color.
Any neutral to alkaline liquid will browns the leather as the tanning agent becomes fugitives and moves from the center of alkaline overexposure, the higher the pH value the darker will be the spot.
Naked unfinished leather also acts as filter and any solid will remain on the surface as the liquid being absorbed.
Thus selecting the any cleaning products has to be leather-safe (pH between 3 and 5) and with the least solid.
pH value of product is either found in the label itself or the product itself – thus in the Leather Doctor system the number suffix denotes its pH value, thus Clean-3.8 has a pH value of 3.8. Testing of the solid is sprayed or applied onto a glass mirror or window surface to see any remaining residue when dry.
Darkening spots in this situation is rectified with application of Acidifier-2.0 (pH value 2.0) pH balancing the water average pH 7 to the leather pH neutral, isoelectric-point of pI of (pH 3 to 5). In extreme cases Vachetta-2.8 is used to rectify by redox or reduction-oxidation reaction and will also reduce sun tanning effect as well, keeping the leather from sun tanning effect in periodic care instances.
>>> The drops stained really fast and darkened the tan portion of the purse considerably.
First approach is used Acidifier-2.0 applied to the entire section let it soak in evenly and let natural drying – the stain should be gone or reduced. In extreme cases Vachetta-2.8 is applied similar manner and let to natural dry – it will produce a lightening effect eliminating both the stains and sun tanning effect.
>>> I got a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and was rubbing the spots, which started to fade but then I saw the dye was coming off on the pad, which scared me.
Magic Eraser is simply a fine sandpaper and what you see is abraded surface grain.
When grain surfaced is abraded it will become coarse and more absorbent.
>>> I already have a darker patch at the top of the bag where I had one stain and tried to remove it with regular leather cleaner (See second photo).
Photo not sharps enough to see the extent of the damages.
May I know the type of stain?
May I know what “regular leather cleaner” you have used?
It is now a possible compound stain – both to remove the original stain and the regular leather cleaner residue as well. All cleaning reaction has to be stopped from overworking and that is by pH balancing back to the pH neutral of the leather.
>>> Two, how can I protect the leather from future staining?
I bought this tote to take on a month-long trip to Ireland and I've heard its very rainy there and, in addition, I'm very messy. I don't want to change the color of the bag with a protectant.
Non-invasive protecting the leather from staining is from the inside or the thickness of the leather itself.
When the leather is at its optimum fatliquor moisture level up to 14% it will retard the ingress of liquid stain.
Unfinished leathers become too absorbent corresponding with increase dryness of its original fatliquor (ionic charged fat and oil).
>>> Three, how do I keep the leather conditioned without darkening the bag?
I love this bag and can't really afford a professional dry cleaning, so I really need tips on cleaning.
Structure conditioning is performed by Fatliquor-5.0 after Hydrator-3.3.
Surface conditioning is performed with Protector-D.
Roger Koh
[email protected]
Products mentioned are found in this Kit-V4
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/leather...g-removal-kit/
Leather Doctor® Kit V4 specialty problem solving kit include Vachetta-2.8 for browning removal and Degreaser-2.2 for body contact decontamination systems in a holistic approach. Kit V4 is a combination kit from Kit V3 and Kit V5.dr without duplicating of products for these common related problems.
Darkening appearance from body contact and browning from liquid stain are two main inevitable common problems associated with naked unfinished vachetta leathers. Leather being absorbent absorb and accumulates body moisture from contact and when neglected resulted in a darkening appearance. Besides appearance the sweat with traces of urea may cause the protein fiber from shifting ionic negative (-ve) manifesting as tackiness and reverting to rawhide.
Degreaser-2.2 solves the darkening effect by penetrating, lubricating and suspending the soiling particulates and simultaneously protonate the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve). The amphoteric protein fiber is further rinse and ionic positive (+ve) charge with Acidifier-2.0 to strengthen the ionic attraction between its other non-amphoteric ionic negative (-ve) leather constituents like the tanning agent and the fatliquor. This dual duty removes the unwanted soiling particulates and pH balance the pH chemistry integrity of the leather at the same time.
Browning of vachetta leathers is associated with alkaline over-exposure, vachetta being a lower pH value than most other tanned leathers averages pH 4 is more sensitive to alkaline cleaning or stains and even water at pH 7 will cause discoloration and browning.
Vachetta-2.8 with its low pH works by oxidation-reduction reaction to reduce the discoloration or browning effect to a more even appearance when the leather is left to dry naturally.
Leather rejuvenating is mandatory and comes next when appearance become satisfactorily. This is accomplished with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system. Hydrator-3.3 plays a significant role in absorbent leathers like vachetta where stains are usually penetrated. The hydrator’s surfactancy helps internal leather structure colloidal movement by moving suspended soiling particulates to the surface at each wicking process until exhausted and is often used as part of the rinsing process. Besides hydrator is used to check for surface tension and relax the leather fiber prior to ionic negative (-ve) charged Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing. Natural slow drying in between application until saturation produces a softer leather.
Protecting the leather with Protector-D impart a natural draggy-feel and reduces wear to the grain of the leather, conceal scuff with its healing properties that also allows transpiration to take place or breaths naturally. Note that the mentioned products suffix numbers denotes its pH value in this holistic approach to removing the common problems associated with vachetta, saddlery and veg-tan leathers.
