Aniline (Sauvage) - Cat Urine Damage: How to Decontaminate & Restore Cat Urine Damage on Aniline Leather?

[pristine]

I'm posting this cat urine damaged chair because the contamination is more extensive than the previously posted purse.

This damage occurred while the client was away on vacation, and it appears that the cat urinated multiple times.

The bottom seat cushion is so saturated with urine it has become stiff and you can see the white residue from the alkaline salts.

It seems to me that instead of just spraying product, the piece needs to be saturated.

Let me know what you suggest.


#1:
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq54/Pristine_Leather/deerskinwallhangingWaxedAnilineS-14.jpg



#2:
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq54/Pristine_Leather/deerskinwallhangingWaxedAnilineS-13.jpg



#3:
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq54/Pristine_Leather/deerskinwallhangingWaxedAnilineS-12.jpg



#4:
http://i433.photobucket.com/albums/qq54/Pristine_Leather/deerskinwallhangingWaxedAnilineS-11.jpg

[Roger Koh]

In this particular situation the leather is identified as Aniline leather.

The cat urine stain is dried and old, unlike a fresh urine stain like the thread you mentioned regarding the purse.

http://www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=78

The dark stains we see comes from the leached out tanning agents caused by the urine turning alkaline that breaks the hydrogen bond between the protein fibers and the tanning agent.

The white stains we see may be a combination of other salts and the leach out fatliquor often seen as leather spews, where leather surface turns cloudy.

The feel of stiffness also indicates the lost of original fatliquor as seen in the leached out whitish residue.

And the alkalinity stripped the color off the natural fabric (cotton) too!

You will feel slimy when wet with water on the stain areas that show it’s exposed to alkalinity when urines ferment.

We see how we can achieve “saturation” process without spreading the contamination further by controlling it.

The two main “control saturation” should be strictly apply to the below phase #2 & #3.

After spray soaking with simultaneous extraction, fast air dry it with heat fan not more than 100°F or 38°C.

This fast drying process allows the penetrated residue a chance to wick up to the surface, when dry to be repeatedly spray soak and extract.

This clean and dry process is repeated until no further residue appears before moving to the next phase.

Phase #4 is a combination process that allows residues to be wick up and process at one go.

When the contaminated areas are clean to your satisfaction, perform a general restoration cleaning to the entire piece.

So my sequence of procedure is recommended as follows:

Phase #1:
Step 1 - To Remove Dry Soil:
Remove all stains including the fabric using leatherEraser4™, leatherBrush1™ and vacuum clean avoiding stratches.

Phase #2:
Step 2 - To Remove Uric Acid:
Remove the uric acid component with d’Protein11.0™ by spray soaking with simultaneous extraction only to the contaminated areas.
Let it fast dry, when residue wicks to the surface repeat the spray soaking with simultaneous extraction until satisfaction prior moving to the next phase.

Phase #3:
Step 3 - To Neutralize the Ammonia and Alkaline Phosphorus Salt found in Urine from “reverse-tanning” (sign when leather becomes tacky or slimy).
Use d’Urine2.2™ by spray soaking with simultaneous extraction only to the contaminated areas.
Let it fast dry, when residue wicks to the surface repeat the spray soaking with simultaneous extraction until satisfaction prior moving to the next phase.

Phase #4:
Step 4 - To Remove all Remaining Residues:
Use clean3.8™ by spray soaking with simultaneous extraction only to the contaminated areas until towel shows clean.
Step 5 - To Acidify Rinse:
Use rinse3.0™ by spray soaking with simultaneous extraction only to the contaminated areas until towel shows clean.
Let it fast dry, when residue wicks to the surface repeat the spray soaking with simultaneous extraction until satisfaction prior moving to the next phase.

Phase #5: Overall Restoration Cleaning
Step 1: General Stain Removal - use d’Oil4.4™.
Step 2: General Degreasing - use d’Grease4.9™.
Step 3: General Residue Removal - use clean3.8™.
Step 4: Acidifier Rinse - use rinse3.0™.
Step 5: Biocide - use d’Bacteria3.7™.
Step 6: Leather Structure Hydrating - use relaxer3.3™.
Step 7: Leather Structure Softening & Strengthening - use fatliquor5.0™.
Step 8: Leather Tactile Feel Conditioning - use leatherScent’B™.

Optional Refinishing
Step 1: Aniline Prep System
Step 2: Adhesion Coating - use adhesion73™
Step 3: Re-Dyeing by coating - use anilineDye27™
Step 4: Top Coating - use anilineTop54M™

Questions are welcome!

Roger Koh
Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification #942
Leather Care Technician
Master Textile Cleaner
Master Fire & Smoke Restorer
Journeyman Water Restorer
Since 1973