Nubuck: Cleaning Nubuck Ottoman w/stains

Roger,

I received my cleaning kit for Nubuck and want to thank you very much. Here are some photographs of the ottoman I will be cleaning and I just want to confirm the process and proceedure.

Step 1. Brush with a Nubuck brush and remove all dry soiling.

Step 2. Spray an even spray of supercleaner4.0, concentrating especially on the oily stains, agitate lightly with a Nubuck brush and allow to dwell for 5 or 10 minutes. (Do not extract with towels at this step.)

Step 3. Spray an even spray of cleaner 3.8 and agitate with a Nubuck brush, extract with a clean towel. Remove as much soil as is possible until towel shows no more.

Step 4. Inspect. If more soil is evident repeat step 3. If happy proceed to step 5.

Step 5. Spray an even spray of rinse 3.0 agitate with a Nubuck brush and extract with a clean towel until no more soil is present.

Step 6. Inspect. If stains are still present repeat step 1-5. If item is clean proceed to step 7.

Step 7. Spray on a even spray of fatliquor 5.0. (Because this is a light colored ottoman, should I dilute 1 part fatliguor to 10 parts distilled water?) Allow to dry.

Step 8. Spray on an even spray of leatherscentS and allow to dry. Groom the Nubuck to ensure softness.

Is this everything I will need to do? Are there any steps of procedures I am missing?

Thanks for everything Roger!

Dear Pioneer and Viewers,

Re: How To Remove Oily Stain from Nubuck

My observations and recommendations are as follows:

Step 1 Remove by vacuuming – use a HEPA vacuum for IAQ especially when in a commercial building.

Step 2 Spray on the stain and feather out gradually to the entire ottoman allow 5 to 10 minutes dwell time or longer. Before it dries extract with towel. Train our eyes to see at an angle (light reflection), the dark oily stain should blend with the darkening by the deGreaser4.1™ or/& superCleaner4.0™ with the surrounding. If ring mark is still present repeat the process. The degreaser or/& super preconditioner works by penetrating; lubricating and suspending the oily stain from the depth average thickness is 1.5mm about 20 pages of newsprint. This initiate wicking and extracting with dry absorbent towel should diminish the stain when view at an angle. If in doubt, a light spray over and beyond the original size of the stain and check against the light for satisfaction.

Step 3 OK

Step 4 OK

Step 5 Brushing with nubuckBrush2™ is optional with judgment (time saving).

Step 6 See, when checking the oil stain at this step, we have wasted the product and time spend on step 3 to 5 and reapplying deGreaser4.1™ or/& superCleaner4.0™ would have diminishing power. That oily stain should be tackled at step 2 for efficiency in product and time. At this stage inspection is for general overall result beyond the stain. This stage is the end of the cleaning process for overall appearance. Although it has a darkening effect, you could see the even appearances, with no patchiness. Do as much extraction as possible (color traces are normal and will enhance final hue with satisfaction unlike bleeds that cause by alkaline exposure – that will cause rings and patchiness partly due to fugitive tanning agents too) the nubuck should look plump-up.

Step 7 For professional result, use airbrushing for better control or an air gun a time saver. Mist pump or trigger sprayer does not gives a true “cone shape” – it gives a ring spray with virtually hollow at the centre (need to move and spray simultaneously). The dilution is partly in the dampness of the nubuck. Fatliquqor5.0™ is the true version of the tannery fatliquoring process. When spray onto damp leather, suede or nubuck should not give a darkening effect but seasons the hue richly. The difference is the amount use that is one spray, two sprays or five even spray. To replenish fatliquor for softness and strength the criteria is to have the fatliquor penetrate into the leather, any amount that stays on the surface is useless (product and time wasted). Damp brushing with nubuckBrush2™ helps in overall final dry appearances. Ambient temperature, slow-drying with no direct sunlight produces a softer “handle”.

Step 7A When crispy dry, all foreign residue will be wicked up to the surface, the oily stains may appear darker than the surrounding (cause more residue). These dark residues should be brush away. Hand staking using the edge of a sauce is most appropriate to soften the nubuck as soft as you wish. A practical approach to cut time is first to check on all dark resurface soil with nubuckBrush2™ for satisfaction > stacking > brushing and grooming.

Step 8 OK

Take pictures every step as record for future reference.

Show and explain to your customer each step you take.

Most reasonable customers will feel that they have underpaid you.

You will keep this customer for life as long as the nubuck is there!

Nubuck is big bucks $$$, three to five times better than cleaning pigmented leather.

It is the megabucks, the pioneer and the last frontier of the leather cleaning and restoration industry.

Sadly most cleaners just walk away when they see this buck; they never thought it could be safely and effectively cleaning with a sensuous feel better than a showroom piece most of the time.

Roger Koh
IICRC#942 LCT MTC MSR
Leather Doctor® System
[email protected]