Pigmented (Mono-Tone) - Ekornes Stressless Chair "Batick" grade leather – skin oil & perspiration staining and ripped

Hello Roger,

I learned about the Leather Doctor System from some old (2008 vintage) website forums, and I am hoping your business is doing well.

The leather I am working on are cushion covers for an Ekornes Stressless chair, and they have a skin oil staining situation similar to the one in here: How to Remove Oil and Grease from Lazy Boy Semi-Aniline Leather Reclining Sofa Headrest?


How to Remove Oil and Grease from Lazy Boy Semi-Aniline Leather Reclining Sofa Headrest?
Roger I would like your assistance with my sofa headrest. Could you please walk me through the steps, procedures and products, and quantities, that I will first refurbish my headrest and If it proves to improve the sofa I will do the entire sofa. I would also like to kn...

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Can you tell me where I can purchase a kit, and which one you would recommend?


I'm attaching two pictures; the first shows the headrest area, and the second is of one of the armrest areas.
If I can get the perspiration stains out of the leather, I will only need to replace the cover on the seat cushion, which is ripped in two places.
If the stains don't come out, I'll be replacing all the covers.

My understanding is that the leather on this chair is Ekornes' "Batick" grade, and it has color going through it.
Ekornes' describes it this way:

"Batick is a corrected, pigment improved and grain embossed upholstery leather, which has had most of its natural marks removed.
Batick may have a two-tone colour effect to liven up the surface.
Batick is resistant to fading, although changes in colour will occur over time due to use and exposure to light.
A protective layer of lacquer simplifies cleaning."

So, Ekornes describes the leather as through-dyed, but not as aniline.
It's two least expensive grades are noted as "pigment improved," the next grade up is "semi-aniline" and their most expensive grade is "aniline."
I can check with a local dealer to confirm and clarify what type of leather this chair has.

I imagine that the "protective layer of lacquer" wore off where it was most impacted by use and I don't have any reason to believe that this chair received regular maintenance.

If it's helpful to know, I used Lexol brand leather cleaner on all the leather.
The cleaner did not appear to soak into the unstained leather, but it did to the dark stained areas,
which lightened and appeared to be returning to the color of the surrounding leather.
The dark stains returned when the leather dried.
Also, a small but perceptible amount of dye was picked up on the sponge I used to apply the cleaner.

Elsewhere I've seen you recommend overall color refinishing, and I'm open to that.


#1
Attachment 3599


#2
Attachment 3600

>>> I'm attaching two pictures; the first shows the headrest area, and the second is of one of the armrest areas. If I can get the perspiration stains out of the leather.

These two areas show the leather crust with the finishes (colorcoat and topcoat) missing.
The leather crust without any finishes is very absorbent and all liquid stains penetrates.
What we see may be just a tip of an iceberg and it will take many repeat cycles to bring out all the foreign contamination.
One easy way to determine the degree of penetration is to view from the reverse suede side if possible and it is also easier to pull through from the coarser side of the leather just like reversing a funnel effect.
Only all foreign contamination is removed adhesion of new finishes may pose a problem as it continuous pushing its way out as evaporation takes place at the surface.

Solution to the problem is by degreasing with Degreaser-2.2. Degreaser-2.2 at pH 2.2 serves dual purposes, it degreases and protonates the leather protein fiber below its pH neutral, iso-electric point or pI at the same time, charging the pH chemistry integrity cationic or ionic positive (+ve) stronger to hydrogen bond with the non-amphoteric anionic or ionic negative (-ve) leather constituents like the tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. When the leather protein ionic positive (+ve) charges weakens, tanning agent breaks bond and result in tackiness or worst cases sliminess when the leather is damp is a sign of leather denaturing or reverting to rawhide, dyestuff breaks bond and will show signs of bleeding from towel extraction and fatliquor breaks bond result in stiffness when dry that leads to cracks when flexed or stressed.
Acidifier-2.0 at pH 2.0 serves the same purpose to control the pH chemistry integrity of the leather while it rinses suspended surface soiling at the same time.
Hydrator-3.3 at pH 3.3 serves to move below surface suspended soiling or colloidal water movement to redistribute surrounding leather constituents back to hydrogen bond breaking exposed areas and wick up foreign contamination to the surface to be towel extracted when damp and erased with Eraser-4 when crispy dry.

Leather rejuvenating is performed by Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Fatliquor-5.0 system prior to surface leather crust repairs if any. Hydrator-3.3 in the leather rejuvenating process serves as a surfactant or surface-active-agent facilitating the ease of distribution of Fatliquor-5.0. Fatliquor-5.0 an emulsion of fat, oil and water is an anionic or ionic negative (-ve) leather constituent, with its fat to help plumps the leather for fullness eliminating creases and wrinkles, its oil lubricates the individual fiber that behaves like interlocking hinges from sliding over one another with smoothness allows flexing without cracking and the water evaporates that leaves breathing spaces or pores for leather natural transpiration.

The leather at this dry stage and dry preparation to remove all surface wick up soiling is ready to go to the refinishing stage.

Adhesor-73 seals the leather crust with smoothness and promotes good adhesion for Micro-54 coloring.

MicroTop-54S satin is the typical luster level for semi-aniline leathers that protects the color coating.

Protector-B+ prolongs the wear of the finishes by imparting a soft buttery-feel, it reduces friction-rubbing noises thus translates to less friction wear.


>>> Could you please walk me through the steps, procedures and products, and quantities,

The above are the sequence of procedures with appropriate products; as for quantities it is for you to decide.


>>> I will only need to replace the cover on the seat cushion, which is ripped in two places.

The ripped is repaired with a leather Patch-4S as a sub-patch and leather Bond-3D and it will become part of the leather without the need for replacement.


>>> So, Ekornes describes the leather as through-dyed, but not as aniline.

It's two least expensive grades are noted as "pigment improved," the next grade up is "semi-aniline" and their most expensive grade is "aniline."
When the leather crust is aniline dyed through and micro-pigmented, it is classed as semi-aniline.
The color refinishing system starter Kit Sa7.cl is the correct match, only the color need to be match, the general appearance of the color is “Ochre” to match it right will need extra black and white. Otherwise you can send in a sample for custom matching.


>>> I imagine that the "protective layer of lacquer" wore off where it was most impacted by use and I don't have any reason to believe that this chair received regular maintenance.

Protector-B+ leather scented or scentless version Protector-B reduces friction rubs to prolong the wear of the finishes and when applied during regular routine, periodic care will certainly improve the overall appearance.


>>> Batick is resistant to fading, although changes in colour will occur over time due to use and exposure to light. A protective layer of lacquer simplifies cleaning."

Micro-54 is design with UV inhibitor to resist fading.
The protective layer refers to MicroTop-54S satin luster and this seal the color coat strong against cleaning, otherwise the color coat alone will be too vulnerable to staining and cleaning.


>>> Batick may have a two-tone colour effect to liven up the surface.

Pictures show that they are monotone, you have show the unused back area to determine the color effect.
Two-tone color uses a secondary coloring to impart a cloudy or molted effect if it is then 2Tone-37 will the the additional color to go on top of the primary coloring.


>>> If it's helpful to know, I used Lexol brand leather cleaner on all the leather.
The cleaner did not appear to soak into the unstained leather, but it did to the dark stained areas,
which lightened and appeared to be returning to the color of the surrounding leather.
The dark stains returned when the leather dried.


Before using any product, we have to know its pH value.
Leather have an average pH value of 3 – 5, and this is refer to as its pH neutral, or iso-electric point or pI.
Leather is not a homogenous material, but it is converted from rawhide or skin of protein in nature.
It is preserved with tanning agents like chrome commonly for soft leather like yours, crust coloring from dyestuff and suppleness of leather from fatliquor (fat, oil and water), all these ingredient imparted into leather during the tanning process is also known as its leather constituents.
The problem is that the leather protein fiber is amphoteric and its leather constituents are not.
Any pH value above the pI of leather will shift the protein fiber ionic negative (-ve) and here is where the problem lies – hydrogen bonding breaks when both leather protein fiber and its constituents becomes both negative and like magnet it repels. This does not happen instantly unless you clean the leather with a pH of 10 like windex but a graduate denaturing of the leather when used non-safe leather cleaner. Leather-safe leather cleaner should be within the pH neutral of leather about 3 to 5 in harmony with the amphoteric protein part of the leather.


>>> Also, a small but perceptible amount of dye was picked up on the sponge I used to apply the cleaner.
The product used have cause the breaking of the hydrogen bond between the leather protein fiber and the dyestuff.
The cleaner have shifted the ionic charges of the protein fiber negative thus weakens the ionic attraction and results as bleeding.
What you cannot see is the fatliquor but when dry the leather becomes stiffer.
Tackiness may be detected when the leather is damp, an indication that the tanning agent have break the hydrogen bond as well.
leather non-safe products result in more long term damages.


>>> Elsewhere I've seen you recommend overall color refinishing, and I'm open to that.
Can you tell me where I can purchase a kit, and which one you would recommend?
Here is the recommended kit and you can find the details from the on-line store - http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...-Sa7.cl/Detail

Attachment 3604
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.

Thank you for your detailed reply, Roger. I've read it through several times and must confess that I'm struggling to understand the process. I'll keep studying it, but in the meantime, the link provided at the end for the purchase of a kit took me to the kit for semi-aniline leather (Leather Doctor Kit Sa7.cl – Semi-Aniline Leather Color Refinishing Kit)--is this the one you meant to recommend for the Ekornes leather cover I am working on, even though it appears to be pigmented leather?

Semi-Aniline finishes is also know as Micro-Pigmented leather. Micro-Pigmented are the finer pigmented version done over aniline-dyed through leather crust, so you will see colors of the same range from the reverse suede side. Pigmented finishes usually refers to the lower end leathers without going through any dyeing of the leather crust.

There is no mistake for Kit Sa7.cl for what we see. It only needs to have a color match to get it back to the original color, otherwise you will get the closest standard color which is “ochre” with the kit. http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...ing/Categories


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
[email protected]