Mustang Red Leather Help

Hello,
I posted on another Forum and Roger already gave me some advice. I purchased a used 2006 Mustang Gt with red leather interior. Its actually leather and vinyl and as the leather aged it started to look dull compared to the vinyl. I tried cleaning it with Lexol cleaner and it didn't seem to do anything. At the recommendation of someone on the other forum I tried Collinite leather and vinyl wax (855). Unfortunately it transfered a great deal of dye from the leather to the cloth I was using to clean the seats. Roger has advised me that I need to apply a top coat to protect the leather and restore the finish. I'd like to know what products I need to use, and do I need to re-dye the leather as well. Thanks for your help. Pics below:

Before Collinite Leather and Vinyl Wax:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...0/DSC00374.jpg
After:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...m/DSC00409.jpg
After:http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...0/DSC00408.jpg
One of the towels used:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/galler...0/DSC00414.jpg

Here are my recommendations:

1] The color rub-ff or dye-bleeding (to be confirmed with Stripper-2.3 test on the stained cloth) need to be controlled and leather-structure chemistry integrity stabilized – by Acidifier-2.0.

2] Foreign contamination need to be stripped clean for new topcoat application – Prep-7.7 > Cleaner-3.8 > Rinse-3.0.

3] If bleeding is from the leather-structure that have affected the dyestuff; it would have affected the original fatliquor making the leather structure stiffer than original, to replenish lost of fatliquor, rejuvenate by – Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0.

4] To even out the color difference between the vinyl and leather color refinishing is an option; otherwise skip the adhesion coat and colorcoat, go straight to topcoat – (Adhesor-7.3 > custom color Pigment Micro-54) > Topcoat Micro-72Gloss or Satin to match.

5] To protect the topcoat – use Leather Scent-B (buttery-feel) to impart a non-stick, rub-resistant protection for easy leather care.


I will post the product recommended…


Are you sending me this cloth to test it out, whether its the leather-colorcoat rubbing off or bleeding from the leather-structure and the pH reading of the product too?


Roger Koh
[email protected]

Thank you, I have received the towel for dye/pigment testing and it is confirmed that it’s the rub-off of color pigment.

The Collonite sample pH reading shows a pH of 9.

Lexol Cleaner reads pH 6 and Lexol Conditioner reads 6.3

For comparison a leather-safe system of products uses a pH 3.8 cleaner follows with a pH 3.0 rinse and topcoat protection with a pH of 5.8.

pH value is one of the contributing factors that resulted in side-effects as discuss in the other thread Opinions on using APC to clean leather??; and in this case it is manifested as poor wet rubbing.

The topcoat that protects this red colorcoat is already gone; since it is clear we may not even notice them removed before our eyes.

Going back to the tons of information from the other thread, I cut and paste some here for easy reference.


8] Pigment Color Coating:
Auto pigment is UV stronger than the typical indoor furnishing pigment type. The opaque color coating we see is a film ratio averaging 1 part pigment to 2 part binder in various formulations; with an average micron thickness of 0.02mm. This pigment color coating is essentially for the fashion aesthetic appeal.

11] Topcoating:
The objective of the topcoat is to impart a film forming coating that provides abrasion and stain resistance to the colorcoat. It is this topcoating that decides its desired luster of glossy, satin or matte. Without this topcoat, the color basecoat would be: a) poor in aesthetics such as appearance and feel; b) susceptible to sticking together or attracting loose dust and dye especially in hot humid climate region; c) poor physical properties such as wet rub, sweat resistant and scuff resistant; d) poor in ageing properties such as soil resistant and wet cleaning resistant.

5] Leather Safe System:
A leather-safe system will ensure that when inevitable alkaline product is used for specific purpose, it is neutralized to return the leather to its pH neutral of 3 to 5; that the chemistry integrity of the leather is not compromised. The level and type of soiling is matched with appropriate calibrated strength of cleaning solution according to problem solving guides, not under cleaning it nor over cleaning it; with adopted leather cleaning principles based on tannery practices worldwide.

Your experience with using products of different pH value from 6 to 9; means it is 1000 times more damaging with 9 than 6 for the leather to tolerate it, as pH value is calculated in the power of 10.

Moreover when using non leather-safe products to clean it prior, it may be already over the alkaline threshold of intolerance and this last straw of high pH conditioner immediately shows the damages; therefore it has been already recommended that when alkaline solution of any kind is used for cleaning leather, it mandatory to neutralized it with a acidic pH 2.0 acidifier to bring the leather to its neutral of 3-5 (6) for coated leathers.

A solution is to test out with acidifying it to see if the poor rubbing is reversible with a pH 2.0 acidifier.

Otherwise for a long term worry-free solution, it is recommended that it be refinished: Colorcoat > Topcoat > Topcoat Protector.

Roger Koh
[email protected]
Tomorrow’s leather care Technology delivered Today!

Wow thanks for your help! I'm shocked that a company would sell something for use on leather that is so unsafe.

Now I just need to get it fixed.

What products do you recommend?




http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...oatPeeling.jpg

This picture shows a leather refinishing job on a 5 years old VW; notice the new color is already peeling off revealing a darker original shade.

The leather finish that flakes off has a stiff feel, as this was bought used; the owner does not know how it was done, probably by one to the detailers in this trade; never have a chance to see how their work stand against stress of compressibility, stretchability and flexibility.

The new owner now has the extra burden to strip these refinish coating entirely to see why the new coating was put there…you can make an obvious guess, if you see close enough.

The point I like to bring to your attention is to do a job thoroughly and holistically, as leather seat is not only for look that brings pride and value to your vehicle; but the intent finish must be able to withstand what the seat is design for – seating abuse.

These are points to ponder when comes to refinishing leather.

1] All foreign contamination including non original OEM aftermarket products has to be thoroughly stripped with a pH 2.3 leather stripper or equivalent.

2] Residue from the stripper has to be rinse off with a pH 3.0 rinse or equivalent.

3] Alkaline exposed existing colorcoat has to be rectified with a pH 2.0 acidifier to bring the leather back to its neutral pH chemistry integrity (pH 3 – 5 [6]).

4] Fine sanding with 1500 sanding grit is recommended to prepare the surfaces for better anchorage.

5] A very soft adhesion promoter as sealer coating is to ensure that it bites into the existing coating; necessary to ensure against peeling from friction rubs.

6] Choose a product that has the most compressibility, stretchability and flexibility, and among the products the “elastomeric” type is at the bottom of this scale in extensibility. Need a water based product that can enhance the vinyl to look like leather, than the other way round of leather that looks like vinyl. Certainly a micro pigment type would deliver a much finer finish than the thick standard pigments type. Moreover when done with airbrushing will certainly produce a better professional result without the streaks and drips.

7] The topcoat that is currently used by most OEM leather for auto is of the urethane type; these are the non-yellowing type that will increase the physical properties such as wet rub, sweat resistant and scuff resistant.

8] Protector helps reduce rubs by imparting a buttery-feel that lubricates the surface for easy sliding in and out of the seat worry-free.


Roger Koh
[email protected]
Tomorrow’s leather care Technology delivered Today!