Hi All,
I have been in touch with roger and am beginning to get my head around proper leather cleaning. I am attaching a pic of an arm of what I think is a leather sofa. Its in a hotel client lobby and is supposed to be cream in colour but is now turning black, Blue (from Denim I think)
Can you help by looking at the picture.
Thanks
John
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/e...airLeather.jpg
Thanks for your help!
Embossed leathers:
This is pigmented finished leather that has been embossed from cowhide to look like alligator skin.
Embossed leather is stiffer by “hand” than most non-embossed leather; due to the compression of the print.
Embossing done on “Vegetable-Tanned” leathers has more permanency than from “Chrome-Aluminum” tannage; whereas “Chrome” alone tannage would be the poorer in the print permanency and the embossing may diminished from usage or cleaning.
Anyway the above is a little background of how the embossing comes from; most likely it is done with the “Chrome-Aluminum” tanned leathers in this case as it is in pigmented finishing.
Embossing of this type is done with plate embossing machine.
Pigmented Finish:
Upholstery pigmented finish may comes in two version; standard and the higher-end pigmented leather known as Semi-Aniline.
The semi-aniline leathers can be generally distinguished by the reverse side being dyed closed to the finish side.
Another unknown feature is that most of the semi-aniline leathers are full-grain leathers; rather than from the top-grain corrected leathers for the standard pigmented leathers. In another word a semi-aniline leather piece of furniture will cost more than a standard leather of the same design.
Recommendation:
For old and heavily used leathers where micro-cracks (see with magnifying glass) have developed to the finish; It's to be treated as a semi-aniline leathers; as the leather then becomes semi-absorbent; that can be observed the darkening effect once the leather is wet during cleaning.
Level of Soiling:
This soiling condition requires a corrective or restorative cleaning and the selection of the sequence of cleaning process should be able to deliver the result; stripping the foreign contamination down to the original OEM finish. It may not reveal the true color if the finish has gone through a color change due to hydrolysation and oxidation; just like most white plastic material that turns yellow near kitchen areas.
Specialty Leather Problem Solving – Dye Transfer from Denim:
The cleaning process would be the same as cleaning accumulated soiling; however with great emphasis on the proper dwelling-time.
Bleaching will be the last resort to improve the situation especially if the color is white or off white.
Follow this Problem Solving Guide for Semi-Aniline Leathers:
Semi-Aniline Leather Problem Solving Guide
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...niline-LPG.jpg
This is the leather care kit for Semi-Aniline leathers
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...AnilineKit.jpg
Semi-Aniline Leather Care Kit-SA.c (S250.p)
Contents:
Prep-7.7 - 60ml
Cleaner-3.8 - 250ml
Rinse-3.0 - 250ml
Leather Scent-B - 120ml
Hydrator-3.3 - 250ml
Fatliquor-5.0 - 250ml
Leather Horsehair Brush-1 - 1pc
3” Poly-Brush® - 1pc
Washable Rags - 5pcs
I will show a picture of the: Leather Ink & Dye Stain Removal (Pigmented) Kit-PIS.s
I’m looking forward to your query.
Roger Koh
[email protected]
Thanks for this Roger,
I have mailed you directly re ordering kit
Ive noticed on other posts your have put a step by step process for using the kits, can you post one for doing this job when you get a chance.
Thanks
John
Hi Roger,
A few questions re your post to extend my learning
Does this mean that this is Cowhide pigmented from its original color to white and then Embossed ?Quote:
This is pigmented finished leather that has been embossed from cowhide to look like alligator skin.
How can I tell a standard version from a Semi-Aniline, is semi Analine always pigmented ?Quote:
Upholstery pigmented finish may comes in two version; standard and the higher-end pigmented leather known as Semi-Aniline.
Do you mean that the reverse side is close in color to the finish side, and where would I check this on a piece of furniture?. If it is not close in color to the finish side would this imply that this is a standard version?Quote:
The semi-aniline leathers can be generally distinguished by the reverse side being dyed closed to the finish side.
Thanks
John
Yes! Embossing is done from pattern plates with hydraulic press and heat after coloring.
Semi-Aniline are dyed with aniline dyes; these dyes are transparent, it’s suppose to enhance the natural beauty of the leather grain; however sometimes the blemishes is too much that they do not past the grade for aniline; thus rejected and to save the leather pieces for further sales by the tannery; they are micro-pigmented to even out the blemishes, and sold as semi-aniline for lesser price.
To tell the difference, have to look at the reverse suede side; if it’s dye than it is a semi-aniline; otherwise the standard if chrome-tanned will have a bluish-greenish-grayish color.
Since it is micro-pigmented it may be semi-absorbent; and the range may be from the higher-end closer in characteristic to aniline leathers and the lower-end characteristic closer to a standard pigment. It would depend from which tannery they come from. In short...a pigmented leather that has first being aniline dyed is classified as a semi-aniline.
Color is only close as Aniline color is transparent and pigmented color is opaque; more over the light reflection from a napped surface is also different from a smooth surface.
Checking is either from the swab on the cushion deck or need to remove the dust cloth to look into the reverse side.
It would not be very far wrong to treat all pigmented leathers as semi-aniline; when cleaning and restoration is concern - then you would not make mistake of over coloring them if it is actually a semi-aniline.
Here is the kit for ink and dye stains basic, intermediate and advance application.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...h/Kit-PISs.jpg
Pigmented Leather Ink and Dye Stain Removal Kit-PIS.s
Contents:
Bleach-10.3 – 30gm
d’Tarnish-1.3 – 60ml
Prep-7.7 – 60ml
Cleaner-3.8 – 250ml
Acidifier-2.0 – 250ml
Leather Scent-B – 120ml
Leather (horsehair) Brush-1 – 1pc
3” Poly-Brush® - 1pc
Washable Rags – 5pcs
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Byrne
Phase 1: Removal by Penetrating, Lubricating and Suspending.
Step 1 - Use Prep-7.7 apply, agitate and spread with horsehair brush-1; let it dwell 4 hours and remove the suspended dye stains with cotton towel; inspect, if dyes stains is pick-up by towel, the remaining penetrated dyes would need to take a longer dwell time; reapply Prep-7.7 and leave it overnight; inspect again, extract and leave it overnight again if necessary.
Step 2 - When it is satisfactory removed; spray Cleaner-3.8 and agitate to remove all remaining sticky residue.
Step 3 - Spray Rinse-3.0 and extract until towel shows clean.
Phase 2: Acidic Bleaching.
Step 1 - When Phase 1 is completely exhausted, proceed to spray or sponge with d'Tarnish-1.3 and leave overnight for chemical reaction to take place.
Step 2 - Remaining residue to be brush off and wipe with distilled water, inspect.
Phase 3: Alkaline Bleaching
Step 1 - See mixing instruction to produce a creamy paste and apply to the leather and leave overnight.
Step 2 - Remaining powdery residue has to be brush off; and neutralized with Acidifier-2.0, inspect.
In most cases, the simplest is to continue using the Prep-7.7 to do its work;
unless it is exhausted and the dyes does not move at all; when it continues to move, it is recommended to stay on course.
Bleaching with alkaline has its side effect as it is NOT to be used on pigmented leathers that becomes absorbent into the leather structure.
It will denature the leather structure and the sign is that it turns the leather yellow.
Roger Koh
[email protected]
Hi Roger,
Thank you again for this information.
The Sofa itself is in the Lobby of a hotel and time is important to them.
Because Im not sure that the staining on the leather is Denim Dye, (Its a guess from looking at it, but im not 100% sure)
Would it be possible to start the cleaning at Phase 1 Step 2 and see what happens and if need be go back to Phase 1 Step 1.
The reason I ask is, Im not trying to cut corners but rather save time. Clean is more important to the hotel rather then Perfect. I would want perfect, but time is money and I would expect the hotel to argue over the extra time.
Yes my arguement would be if you want it right then we need to do this, if you want it clean, we can do this but it wont be right.
I Hope this makes sense,
Thanks
John
If you have 15 minutes of time to spare, let the Prep-7.7 sit there while you can do some other things.
As this situation requires a corrective cleaning and is best perform in 3 steps.
Step 2 and 3 combination without the step 1 for routine maintenance cleaning.
I may have other tips that may suite your situation, like wrapping with cling wrapper and putting the sofa in use while allowing the Prep-7.7 to do its working as well.