2003 Ford F150 King Ranch: Cleaning & Restoration

Good if we know the original color from hidden areas to decide what color best able to camouflage unwanted remaining of stains. The expose area of the back seat may have been faded from the original color and not the right match. It looks like we are heading for an ultimate color restoration. However, a collective sequence of process is necessary to ultimately cumulating to the desire result with a pH chemistry integrity of the leather, clean appearance, suppleness of the leather and smoothness of the feel and even restoring the classic leather scent.

A: pH integrity of the leather
Unknown alkaline or high solvent products may have been used that cause the leather to denature further from dryness. This is check with wetting the leather and hand detecting for tackiness or stickiness. Acidifier-2.0 is used to rinse off existing cleaning residue and protonate the protein leather fiber ionic positive (+ve) to strengthen the hydrogen bonding between the protein fibers and the leather constituents like the tanning agents, dyestuff and fatliquor.

B: Stains Removal:
“darkened in some areas and lite spotty in others” Body oil, grease and sweat or perspiration may be evident from picture #5 on the back rest. Picture #2 & #3 seating cushion may be a accumulation of soiling and cleaning residue that shows the darkening effect.
These stains are removed and leather protonate at the same time with Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system. Unknown spotting may be further treated accordingly in reference to the leather problem-solving guide.

C: Hydrating:
Hydrator-3.3 is a multi functional product and in this situation is used for colloidal water movement to moves any suspended soiling from beneath the leather surface up in conjunction with Degreaser-2.2 as the stain removal process as above B. It is also used to relax the dry out stick together fibers that stiffens the leather from suppleness and in this function is used in conjunction with Fatliquor-5.0.

D: Fatliquoring:
Fatliquor-5.0 will soften up the leather as soft as you wish once the leather structure is relaxed with Hydrator-3.3. Suppleness of the leather depends on the percentage of fatliquor content and up to 14% from tannery standard will return the leather to its original suppleness with softness and strength.

E: Repairs:
“All of the coats of the King ranch lotion have made it look better but does just dry out as well and then it no longer feels smooth but rough feel in a way.” The roughness is the wear through the topcoat and what you feel rough is the worn leather crust. Adhesor-73 will help to smooth out the worn leather crust.

F: Re-dyeing:
When leather crust goes for a repair with Adhesor-73, redyeing is only possible with a “coating” dyestuff and the choice is either using a “transparent” dyestuff or a “translucent” dyestuff with more hiding power.

G: Topcoat:
Topcoat seals the color coating and is available as gloss or satin.

H: Protector:
Protector-B+ is a non-stick, rub-resistant protector that imparts a buttery-feel and a classic leather scent.

#Guide.
Attachment 3952

Most products mentioned above are found in this Kit-K7.tc except for the choice of color type and custom matching service as an option.

Attachment 3953
Leather Doctor Kit K7.tc – King Ranch Leather Topcoat Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit K7.tc, King Ranch leather topcoat refinishing kit is designed for periodic maintenance to bring up appearance to a higher level of acceptance. Leather is subject to friction wearing and becomes evident as accidental scratch; scuff and abrasion to deteriorating from greasy sweat stains. A preventive measure to reduce topcoat wearing is by a routine application of Protector-B+, which imparts a natural buttery-feel and cuts friction noise that translates to less friction wear thus prolongs the wear of the topcoats from sliding in and out of seats. Prior to application of topcoat the leather surface should be free of stains or surface contamination to be sensible otherwise both the beauty of the grain and the beast of the blemishing stains will be magnify or amplify through as well.
Corrective or restorative cleaning is the first process and typically degreasing is the basic as otherwise any greasy surface may be a detrimental to topcoat lasting adhesion. Degreaser-2.2 with a pH of 2.2 takes beyond surface degreasing is also design for deep penetrated body oil, grease and sweat. Its pH value helps stabilize the leather chemistry integrity by protonating the protein fiber ionic more positive (+ve) while degreasing takes place simultaneously. Acidifier-2.0 is the recommended rinse with a pH value of 2.0 acts as a bleeding controller eliminating any rings when the leather dries. Suspended body contamination within the leather structure that still produces a darkening effect may need the help of Hydrator-3.3 to moves the colloid within the inter fibrillary spaces through consecutive wicking process by stretchable paper towel reverse transfer technique. This proven technique allows the soiling particulates to be trapped by the paper towel to be peel off when crispy dry then still remaining on the leather surface. An inspection with Eraser-4 removing any surface wick-up soiling will decide its readiness to proceed with top coating. Other soiling and stains such as blue jean dye, leather belt, plastic ink print, newsprint, ballpoint ink, stamp pad ink, sticky label residue, crayon, chewing gum, silicone shine, permanent marker or accumulated soiling may require the attention of Prep-4.4 to do the lubricating, penetrating and suspending action follows with Clean-3.0 to removes the sticky residue and Rinse-3.0 to rinse to a healthy squeaky clean. Other stain types may need matching solution such as protein stain and tanning stains, etc. Until all stains are taken care of that the renewal of topcoat becomes practical, otherwise camouflaging dyestuff need to come into play.
Sun fading is inevitable or unavoidable due to UV sensitivity of aniline dyestuff, besides the loss of color; heat affects fatliquor by escalating evaporation thus diminishes the intensity of the color appearance as well. However activating the dormant dyestuff within the leather structure to resurface and replenishing of the fatliquor for color intensity as well correct color loss to a degree. The activating of the dormant dyestuff is done with saturating Hydrator-3.3 up to 72 hours with control evaporation using cling wrapper thereafter replenishing of the fatliquor follows with consecutive evaporating cycle until saturate and leave for natural drying for extra softness. Any surface residue is drive-in with Hydrator-3.3 to a healthy squeaky feel, let dry and surface is dry prepared with Eraser-4 prior to top coating.
AnilineTop-83G, gloss is used first to amplify or magnify the color intensity with drying and optional sanding in between coats of roughness to satisfaction prior to adjusting its luster level with AnilineTop-83S satin or a mix between to have a custom gloss. Application is done with lint free towel, foam brush or airbrushing for professional result.
A choice of protector with scentless Protector-D for steering wheel and shift gear with a draggy non-slip grip, while classic leather scented Protector-B+ a non-stick, rub-resistant protector imparts a buttery-feel, reduces noises that translate to less friction wear from sliding in and out of seats or a mix of both for individual preferences.
This kit comes with reduced weight option to save on shipping thus the 250ml concentrate ratio such as Clean-3.8, Rinse-3.0, Acidifier-2.0, Hydrator-3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 has to be cut or filled up with distilled water prior to use. Note the suffix number denotes the product pH value.