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View Full Version : Aniline (Waxy-Matte) - Sofa, Chair, Ottoman - severe back arm persperation and oil, for: "DeFillipi"



chet
10-03-2014, 04:57 AM
Sofa is in very bad condition, severe oil and perspiration on back cushion and top of both back cushions. Bottom cushion worn and stained feels like nubuck. Sorry no before pics, my technician didn't follow procedures. We have cleaned perspiration areas with degrease 2.2 dwelled cleaned, recleaned with 2.2 hydrate and fatliquored overnight. It is now crispy dry. How should we proceed now.

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overall of problem areas

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sweaty back area

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top of cushion

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Top of same cushion

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top of left cushion, arm pit ?

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Bottom cushion

chet
10-03-2014, 05:03 AM
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Overall of how sofa looks now

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Chair looks uniform but needs some dye

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Ottoman looks uniform too but will need some dye

chet
10-03-2014, 08:28 AM
So you know where we are at now; We used aniline eraser to remove loose soil, then I lightly sanded with 1000 grit. areas still look terrible as they always do when oily contamination is present. I then used "Leather Degreaser, Leather Master" inside and outside. Cushions are not removable but I can unzip to get to back side. I have had good luck with Leather Master Degreaser, why don't you use or recommend it?
disgusting how much sweat and oil is in these areas.

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after erasing and slight sanding

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After applying Leather Degreaser, where it is getting yellow are the heaviest deposits of oil.

Roger Koh
10-03-2014, 11:51 AM
>>> I have had good luck with Leather Master Degreaser, why don't you use or recommend it?

Too high VOC for enclosed working environment, paying half the cost for propelling the product, solvent content further dries up surrounding area that makes these area very vulnerable to further cracking, messy clean up that also need breathing mask and dry vacuuming. Not leather safe with potential side effects of leaching out tanning agents, dyestuff and fat liquor, denaturing or reverting to rawhide.

Degreaser-2.2 is water-based with 2 leather-safe functions, degreasing and protonating.
Degreasing:
It is easier to remove from the reverse suede side. However, suspended soiling will still need the help of Hydrator-3.3 to bring it out to the surface. Eraser-5 is used on the suede side when the leather is crispy dry and “reverse transfer” technique is used on the leather smooth side to trap the soiling through the paper towel instead of still remaining on the leather surface.
Protonating:
In sweat contaminated areas the urea contents shift alkaline when fermented by the natural bacteria from the atmosphere. Prolong contamination will produce a tacky or slimy feel when test with wet fingers. As such the leather have shown signs of denaturing or reverting to rawhide. Three basic components of the leather are the tanning agents, dyestuff and fatliquor. All these leather constituents are ionic negative (-ve). The protein fiber in a healthy state is ionic positive (+ve). The sweat contamination causes the protein fiber to shift ionic negatives (-ve), it will require a low pH value to balance it back to the original healthy state. Thus Degreaser-2.2 is developed with a pH value of 2.2. The rinse follow-up is to used Acidifier-2.0 at pH value 2.0 to further protonate the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve). Further removal of suspended soiling below surface is to use Hydrator-3.3 to further assist colloidal water movement to the surface. Without the effective working of Hydrator-3.3, the suspended soiling will still remains below surface.


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
[email protected]
www.LeatherDoctor.com

chet
10-03-2014, 02:48 PM
Hasn't the sweat, human oil and bacteria already turned the leather back to rawhide? The VOCs are relatively safe if we have to wear a mask to dramatically speed up the process it is well worth it. As you can see we can only try to get to the suede side of the leather, it is at least possible with an aerosol that we can spray inside and try to aim at the problem area.

Is it possible to make a leather safe product, like your Degrease 2.2 that is mixed with a poulticing powder that would give the same effect as the aerosol degreaser? Can we try to mix 2.2 degreaser with "Absorb a stain" or some other poultice powder? I've thought of mixing the two and painting it on to develop a poultice?

I've tried your method of tissue and paper towels and have had any luck getting it to pull oily contamination out of the leather. If you have a sequence of pictures of you doing it on a difficult situation like this, please post them. Better yet do you have a video showing exactly how to do it and the results?

chet
10-03-2014, 02:56 PM
Another question; Are we ever able to re-tan lather on site? I know we use Fat-Liquor but is it possible to reintroduce chromium, or another tanning agent?

chet
10-03-2014, 03:21 PM
Another question Roger, Is possible to re-tan the leather with chromium or another tanning agent in home? I know fat liquor is for softening and nurturing the hide, but is it possible to reverse leather that is beginning to rot (turning to rawhide) back to leather?

Roger Koh
10-03-2014, 03:22 PM
>>> Hasn't the sweat, human oil and bacteria already turned the leather back to rawhide?

The main problem is the sweat that contains traces of ammonia. When the tannin agents leaches out it shows black in color, when fatliquor leaks out it shows whitish and color runs if any is obvious for aniline leathers. Evident of denaturing or reverting to rawhide is the feel of tackiness or sliminess when wet. That is why we developed such low pH value for the Degreaser-2.2 and Acidifier-2.0 to protonate the protein fiber so that it may attract the leather constituents back to the high pH exposed areas. A squeaky feel thereafter indicates the leather is returning back to its normal healthy state. The product suffix number indicates its pH value.


>>> The VOCs are relatively safe if we have to wear a mask to dramatically speed up the process it is well worth it.

Agree!

>>> As you can see we can only try to get to the suede side of the leather, it is at least possible with an aerosol that we can spray inside and try to aim at the problem area.

Any methods we used, it is still best from the suede side where the fiber is sparser. Using an upholstery tool extraction with clean water below 50 degrees Celsius helps (too hot causes shrinkages)


>>> Is it possible to make a leather safe product, like your Degrease 2.2 that is mixed with a poulticing powder that would give the same effect as the aerosol degreaser?
Can we try to mix 2.2 degreaser with "Absorb a stain" or some other poultice powder? I've thought of mixing the two and painting it on to develop a poultice?
Yes, you may.


>>> I've tried your method of tissue and paper towels and have had any luck getting it to pull oily contamination out of the leather. If you have a sequence of pictures of you doing it on a difficult situation like this, please post them. Better yet do you have a video showing exactly how to do it and the results?

It may be tedious but I still get the result satisfactorily to proceed with color restoration without any peeling problems.

Roger Koh
10-03-2014, 03:39 PM
>>> Another question Roger, Is possible to re-tan the leather with chromium or another tanning agent in home? I know fat liquor is for softening and nurturing the hide, but is it possible to reverse leather that is beginning to rot (turning to rawhide) back to leather?

Yes! It can, but the leather has to be free from grease with a consistent pH value ready for tanning, otherwise the tannin agent does not have any access to the protein sites and if the fibers “is beginning to rot” or becoming gelatinize, the individual fibers are not there anymore or coagulates, the tanning will not take effect.

chet
10-07-2014, 04:46 AM
In these badly dammaged areas, how should we proceed to fill the cracks and strengthen the leather. What order for Stucco, Impregnator, and Adhesion?

chet
10-07-2014, 05:01 AM
When I use Rinse, the leather feels squeeky clean, but when it dries it looks terrible and feels stiff.

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How the back cushion looks now

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closeup middle back

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close up top

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Close up

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close up left top

Roger Koh
10-07-2014, 09:37 AM
Prior to repairs the leather should be:

1: Degreased and rejuvenated in a leather safe system: Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3. The leather should feel squeaky when wet with Acidifier-2.0 and Fatliquor-5.0 replenished to soften up the leather from cracking when dry.


>>> What order for Stucco, Impregnator, and Adhesion?

Any structural strengthening repairs are best done on the reverse suede side when the texture is more open then from the grain side.
Order:

1st Impregntor-2.6 is used alone to saturate the leather structure both from the suede side if possible and into the cracks and all absorbent grain surfaces. All surface excess is wipe off immediately with Hydrator-3.3.

2nd Filling of gaps in areas that are subject to flexing will require adding strength to the Stucco-90 for added flexibility to withstand cracks from flexing with up to an equal part with Bond-3D. Donor suede fibers will further add strength when used in combination with Bond-3D.

3rd Adhesor-73 is used as a general surface repair to smooth out any roughness and sanding in-between application to reduce surface build-up.

chet
10-07-2014, 11:42 AM
In the future, how would you have us remove Grease, oil, and perspiration. Please be detailed with steps and how long to let each step dwell.

chet
10-07-2014, 01:11 PM
Can or should Micro 54 Dye be added to Impregnator, Stucco, or Adhesion? If so how much?

chet
10-07-2014, 01:21 PM
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Worse area looks good

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Over all sofa looks good but dye was a little dark, I tried reducing with Ochre but didn't have enough to reduce full quart

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Over all chair and ottoman

I ran a little short on dye and left lower areas and back slightly lighter. Originally we lowered the clients expectations letting him know it would be more like Pigmented leather when done, and loose some of it's aniline feel.

Roger Koh
10-07-2014, 02:04 PM
>>> Can or should Micro 54 Dye be added to Impregnator, Stucco, or Adhesion? If so how much?

All these products are water-based, so they are intermixable. No limit to amount or ratio of mixture, it depends on its usage or purpose.

Roger Koh
10-07-2014, 02:09 PM
>>> Worse area looks good

Besides looking good, it also have to withstand practical usage from cracking too soon.

By the way, I NEVER cracks leather degreasing them, save the unnecessary panic and repairs, learned it the way you experience it - that's why it is always the holistic leather-safe approach for me.

Roger Koh
10-07-2014, 02:14 PM
>>> Over all sofa looks good but dye was a little dark, I tried reducing with Ochre but didn't have enough to reduce full quart.

You can use Aniline-76 Clear for colour reducing or Adhesor-73 as an option for intensity adjustment. Using another colour may affect the hue or colour off range.

chet
10-07-2014, 05:41 PM
Roger, Please show your before pictures and sequence of pictures or a video showing your restoration of a severely contaminated leather upholstery piece that you were able to completely restore. As of yet we have not been able to safely remove heavy contamination without the leather getting dark and cracking. I've been cleaning leather and fabrics for many years and apparently i can't follow written directions correctly and need some pictures or a video.
Thanks, Chet

Roger Koh
10-10-2014, 11:23 PM
>>> As of yet we have not been able to safely remove heavy contamination without the leather getting dark and cracking.

What do you think of these pictures?

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chet
10-11-2014, 08:22 AM
Roger, we cleaned this one and I can assure you when we cleaned it, it didn't have the same damage as the the one we're referring to now. As soon as we got this one and others wet with 7.7 and Rinse you could tell the structure of the leather was damaged and was going to be trouble. The pictures of the one you just sent was probably newer damage and the oils didn't effect the leather to such a degree yet. So yes I agree that we can salvage some oil and perspiration damage, but if it is severe i'm still not convinced that it is completely removable.
What steps and how do you want these steps done exactly next time we encounter severe oil/ perspiration damage. I'm open minded and willing to try anything. As I asked earlier, I need steps, dwell time of products and exact procedures so we can try and remedy these type of conditions in the future.

Roger Koh
10-11-2014, 10:44 AM
>>> As soon as we got this one and others wet with 7.7 and Rinse you could tell the structure of the leather was damaged and was going to be trouble.


Why Prep-7.7 and Rinse-3.0 for degreasing?

chet
10-13-2014, 04:36 AM
I miss typed, DeGrease 2.2 is what we are actually using on oily greasy leathers. then we have been rinsing with rinse, until now I don't remember you mentioning acidifier.