Pigmented (Micro or Semi-Aniline) - Aniline Pull-up Recliner with cat urine stains

[scscomp]

I have a recliner with some cat urine stains. Actually, they are cat spray stains that are a mixture of urine and scent gland excretions made by a male cat. The stains remained on the chair for many years before I decided to do something about it. The leather where the stains is is not degraded. It is as soft and supple as the unstained areas. I've cleaned the stained areas with vinegar and water and removed a lot of original stain. I could see the darkened urine coming off on the rag when I applied the vinegar solution. I would clean the area, wipe with a clean rag, and let it dry. I repeated this 4 to 5 times until, I now do not see any more dark urine on the rag after I apply the vinegar. I'd like to dye the chair a darker color. The chair is located in an area that gets afternoon sun and is quite faded. Also darker leather furniture is more fashionable, at least, in my part of the world. I've roughtly estimated the total area to be approximately 50 sq. ft. or 47 sq. meters

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[Roger Koh]

>>> Analine Pull-up Recliner with cat urine stains

This is not an Aniline Pull-up leather with this mono-tone look, a pull-up has a distress appearance with a lightening effect to the stretch or pull areas. If the reverse suede side is also of the same color range it is a “Semi-Aniline” finish leather. A semi-aniline has a smooth appearance as compared with a more textured grain aniline leather.

We shall use this Semi-Aniline (A.s) Problem Solving Guide as reference.

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>>> I have a recliner with some cat urine stains. Actually, they are cat spray stains that are a mixture of urine and scent gland excretions made by a male cat. The stains remained on the chair for many years before I decided to do something about it. The leather where the stains are not degraded. It is as soft and supple as the unstained areas. I've cleaned the stained areas with vinegar and water and removed a lot of original stain. I could see the darkened urine coming off on the rag when I applied the vinegar solution. I would clean the area, wipe with a clean rag, and let it dry. I repeated this 4 to 5 times until, I now do not see any more dark urine on the rag after I apply the vinegar.

Information about how to decontaminate urine stains:
Urine is a compound waste discharge, comprises of urochrome, uric acid and the ammonium salt to deal with. When deposited urine attracts the natural bacteria from the atmosphere and starts to ferments, a putrid odor will develop from the protein component of the urine and ammonia odor will develop from the ammonium salt. When ammonia odor becomes present, the pH of the contamination would have shifted to 10. Such high pH above the neutral average 3 to 5 of leather causes the amphoteric protein fiber to shift ionic negative (-ve); that causes the protein fibers to repels its other ionic negative (-ve) constituents like the tanning agent, fatliquor and dyestuff. Behaving just like the attraction of a magnet, like poles repel. When the leather constituent breaks hydrogen bond with the protein fiber, the leather starts to denature and revert to rawhide. The first sign of leather denaturing is stickiness from the ionic repelling tanning agent. Destabilized dyestuff becomes fugitive and will show when rub with a damp white towel. Stiffness of the leather indicates the diminishing effect of fatliquor. A systematic sequence of decontamination approach includes surface residue removal with Rinse-3.0 (pH 3.0), uric acid removal with d’Protein-10 (pH 10), pH balance with Acidifier-2.0 (pH 2.0) recharging the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve) and neutralizing the ammonium salt with d’Urine-2.1 (pH 2.1). Utilizing such a low pH treatment retards bacteria activities from off gassing putrid odors, a natural pH control without the need to use bactericide or fungicide for mold prevention. Therefore, urine is a type of dirt that will require a biochemistry approach to decontaminate it. Restoring the leather begins after decontamination with Hydrator-3.3, a pH 3.3 multifunctional product that has ionic positive (+ve) charging abilities, an active surfactantcy essential for colloidal water movement within the inter-fibrillary spaces to redistribute the leather constituents and purging foreign contamination to resurface. This is the last of the wet cleaning process to remove suspended urochrome yellowish compound through visible white tissue paper as an extension of the leather in the wicking process as the leather dries naturally. Only then, without a trace of the urine stain that Fatliquor-5.0 (pH 5.0) replenishing commences. The emulsified fat and oil encased water molecule breaks free when hydrogen bond attraction takes place between the fat and oil with the protein fiber, leaving a breathing space essential for leather transpiration to function naturally. 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 like millions of inter-connecting hinges with smoothness. One important unique characteristic of leather is suppleness with strength and much depends on the fatliquor, in this holistic approach to effective leather urine decontamination and restoration. For severe neglected cases with finishes damages as seen in this picture, refinishing commences after leather suppleness restoration.


>>> The chair is located in an area that gets afternoon sun and is quite faded.

The fading is typically the crust aniline dyed crust that causes the fading more than the pigment color itself. These sun-faded dyestuffs are reactivated with the help of Hydrator-3.3. A evaporation control dwell with cling wrapper up to 72 hours should bring some coloring back to the surface. Fatliquor-5.0 thereafter will improve the appearance that also soften and strengthen it.


>>> I'd like to dye the chair a darker color. Also darker leather furniture is more fashionable, at least, in my part of the world. I've roughly estimated the total area to be approximately 50 sq. ft. or 47 sq. meters.

The general sequence of color refinishing process include the following:

1st – Preparation cleaning besides special attention to specific stain like urine is the degreasing process to ensure proper adhesion of new coatings:
System product recommendation – Degreaser-2.2 > Rinse-3.0

2nd – Leather and Dyestuff Rejuvenating:
System product recommendation – Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0

3rd – Leather Crust Sealing and Adhesion Promoting:
System product recommendation – Adhesor-73

4th – Semi-Aniline Micro-Pigment Coloring:
System product recommended – Custom Matching Micro-54

5th – Topcoat to Seal and Impart Desired Luster
System product recommendation – MicroTop-54S (satin)

6th – Non-Stick, Rub-Resistant Protector
System product recommendation – Protector-B+

Product Information:

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Leather Doctor Kit Sa7.cl – Semi-Aniline Leather Color Refinishing Kit

Leather Doctor® Kit Sa7.cl, micro-pigmented leather color refinishing kit is design for a holistic restoration approach to not only the finishes but also rejuvenating the leather for suppleness. Most of these repairs may range from missing finishes to abrading damages into the leather structure. Some expose areas may be contaminated with foreign soiling that includes conditioners, protectors, body oil, grease and sweat or alkaline overexposure from cleaners. A comprehensive repair for a long-term lasting solution will require a holistic approach to deal with both the exposed structure and surface finishes. The practical and functional softness and strength of the leather depends on the health of the structure with average thickness between 0.9 to 1.2mm from stiffness and cracking. The aesthetic aspect of the leather finishes averages 0.02mm (or 20 micron) in thickness for practical compressing and flexing from cracking. A leather-safe restoration system begins by stripping with Stripper-2.3 and rinsing with Rinse-3.0. Degreasing with Degreaser-2.2 follows with Acidifier-2.0. The suffix numbers of these four products denotes it pH value for recharging the protein fiber ionic positive besides the act of decontamination. The leather integrity is revitalizes once the ionic attraction between the positive protein fiber and its negative leather constituents like the tanning agent and fatliquor (fat, oil and water) is initiated. Leather rejuvenating system for softness and strength is accomplishes with Hydrator-3.3 follows with Fatliquor-5.0. Surface uneven absorption is seals with Adhesor-73 to reduce the need for color over-coating thus increase its flexibility and stretchability from premature cracking. Protector-B+ imparts a non-stick rub-resistant surface with a buttery feel, reduces noises that translate into less friction wear. As the leather surface is well lubricated it reduces compression when comes to heavy body contact thus reduces compressed creases and wrinkles.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com

[Roger Koh]

Color matching:

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[sydneyleathercleaners]

I think you should prevent keeping it in an area that gets a lot of sunlight... it can make your pull up recliner to fade in color and lose its shine. Unless you like the faded look...

[scscomp]

Roger, the urine stains are very old, perhaps 15 years or more. Your treatment solution for the stains sounds like you are assuming they are recent. Is the treatment solution you suggested the same for old, completely dry stains and for recently placed stains?

[Roger Koh]

The d’Urine-2.1 at pH 2.1 is design to neutralize the potential uric acid or protein components of the contamination from shifting ammonia-like to a potential pH value of 10. This shifting to high pH is the result of the natural bacteria from the atmosphere working on the contamination. The leather pH neutral averages ~4, so there is a potential massive ionic strength difference of 100’000 times that works to denature and reverting the leather to rawhide and eventually cracks the leather or dry rotting it. You may put your finger through in most of sever cases and it is too late, if the contamination is at the end of the decaying cycle. What need to hold the fragile leather structure together is by Impregnator-26 or Bond-3D with Patch-4S, if they’re hardly any smell or tackiness when damp? Best is to work from the suede side if possible. Urine Decontamination > Leather Rejuvenating > Structural Repairs to bring back the suppleness of the leather prior to refinishing.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
[email protected]

[scscomp]

I have a few small patches that have already turned to rawhide. They are the darker areas on the picture. When I originally treated them with vinegar, I think I pulled out as much of the discoloration of the stained areas as possible. Quite a bit came off on the rag. I then applied fatliquor to the entire area. The leather feels soft and the surface is smooth, albeit stained. The rawhide areas are soft and supple as well but have a slight appearance of rawhide. If I intend to recolor this piece to a med/dark brown shade, should I continue to try to get the stain back to a neutral tan color or can I just apply the Microtop 54 dye to cover the stain? Also, I assume you think I should apply Impregnator -26 on the rawhide areas before dyeing. Will the areas where Impregnator -26 is applied be visible after the piece is dyed?

[Roger Koh]

Tips:

>>> I then applied fatliquor to the entire area. The leather feels soft and the surface is smooth, albeit stained.

You did not mentioned about hydrating which is the pre-conditioner to break the surface tension, relax and separates the stick together fiber within the leather fiber structure and effective hydrating allows up to 72 hours with evaporation control, makes fatliquoring more effective.


>>> If I intend to recolor this piece to a med/dark brown shade, should I continue to try to get the stain back to a neutral tan color or can I just apply the Microtop 54 dye to cover the stain?

You may do a testing using a cotton swab to see how many application you will need to cover up, otherwise the color coating may becomes too thick.


>>> I assume you think I should apply Impregnator -26 on the rawhide areas before dyeing. Will the areas where Impregnator -26 is applied be visible after the piece is dyed?

Impregnator-26 is for below surface structural repairs for strength, nothing to do with appearance.