Printable View
I'm working on a Nubuck Chair. The arms and back near head are darker from soil and body oil,. Not real shiny but the nap is matted and darker.
Can this be cleaned to a point that the areas in question are no longer darker?
Can the NuBuck be conditioned to restore the fat liquor?
Can a protector be applied to protect from stains and soil?
Picture #1 - Dry Soil Removal with nubuckBrush2™)
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/1-4.jpg
Picture #2 - Leather safe (pH 3-5) wet cleaning process into the leather structure.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/2-3.jpg
Picture #3 - Fatliquoring while the leather structure is rehydrated and still moist.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/3-3.jpg
Picture #4 - Slow natural drying preferred for extra texture softness.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/4-3.jpg
Picture #5 - Exfoliating matted and high used areas with nubuckEraser™ / leatherBrush2™ for “a silky finger writing effect”.
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn4/Rogerkoh/5-2.jpg
"I'm working on a Nubuck Chair. The arms and back near head are darker from soil and body oil,. Not real shiny but the nap is matted and darker"...by Chet
“Can this be cleaned to a point that the areas in question are no longer darker?”
Yes to almost pre-grease condition (old and prolonged oils that oxidized may have a yellowing effect that can be rectified with d’Yellow7.0™and mild color loss could be rectified with a soaking of relaxer3.3 to bring fresh dyestuff to the surface).
Procedure restoration (salvage) cleaning steps: d’Oil4.4™/d’Grease4.9™ > clean3.8™ > rinse3.0™ with nubuckBrush3™ / nubuckEraser5™.
“Can the NuBuck be conditioned to restore the fat liquor?”
While the nubuck is still moist (structure condition it for texture softness and tensile strength) by spray and brush (nubuckBrush3™) soaking with fatliquo5.0™.
Leave for very slow drying for extra softness.
When it is crispy dry exfoliate suspended dark residue with nubuckEraser5™.
“Can a protector be applied to protect from stains and soil?”
A non-stick silky feel non-film forming that allows breathability with a classic leather scent: leatherScent’S™.
Additional questions are welcome!
Roger Koh
LeatherDoctor® System
I noticed that the fat liquor was being applied with an air brush?
If it's over applied what happens?
You also applied it while the leather was still wet or damp?
How long do you let the fat liquor air dry?
This seems like a long process, which is fine for restorative work, is there a maintenance method that will work in the home that would be used yearly or before full restoration is needed?
I would like to try your products, do you have a catalog and instruction manual?
I noticed that the fat liquor was being applied with an air brush?
On Nubuck, Suede, Pure Aniline, Vegetable Tanned especially for appearance sake we want to have a very even spray because these are highly absorbent leathers (not able to just spray straight from the bottle and just simply spread with a foam brush like non-absorbent pigmented leathers or semi-absorbent semi-aniline leathers).
If it's over applied what happens?
It is also being used to balance the tone or saturation for color difference (example faded areas will need to be applied more to bring up the intensity of the lost color).
It is also being used as fine spray after spot degreasing to level up the color difference without the need of color matching.
You also applied it while the leather was still wet or damp?
This continuous sequence of process while the leather is still moist allows the anionic (-) fatliquor to be penetrated evenly and move fast throughout the internal inter-fibrillary leather structure for an effective hydrogen bonding with the cationic (+) fibers (thus reduce patchiness or reduce darkening effect from a dry, uneven and fast fiber physical absorption).
How long do you let the fat liquor air dry?
For extra softness I rather cover it up with a clear plastic sheet to reduce drying.
This very slow drying allows dwell time for “Water Dipole Movement” for lasting hydrogen bonding between the (+) fibers and the (-) fatliquor.
This slow drying also allow thorough water and oil separation - where the oils bond onto the fiber and releases the water that encase it to evaporate clean from the fiber.
This internal water movement also dislodges foreign suspended soil particulates and wicking them up onto the surface as a dark soil film to be brush or exfoliate away in case of nubuck and suede.
This seems like a long process, which is fine for restorative work, is there a maintenance method that will work in the home that would be used yearly or before full restoration is needed?
We practice what we call “Leather Appearance Management Program™” that covers the entire life cycle for each particle types of leather in question.
Levels of cleaning matches level of soiling or contamination like:
1. Restoration (salvage) Cleaning:
This are for severe condition (also include odor, mold, bacteria, urine decontamination, water or smoke damage restoration)
2. Periodic Cleaning:
Every 12 to 24 months depending on furniture’s location use and exposed to soiling.
3. Routine Cleaning:
This includes regular maintenance such as dusting, vacuuming, spotting, etc.
4 to 6 weekly leather scent enhancement with non-stick feel conditioning helps keep leathers in a more attractive and healthy state, while preventing premature wear.
With an unforgettable classic leather scent always makes a customer smile.
Thanks to leatherScent’B™, B for a buttery feel, S for a silky feel, W for a waxy feel or D for a draggy feel.
We are spoiled with choices.
Roger Koh
Master Textile Cleaner (IICRC #942)
Note:
Email me for the product list.
Instruction Manual will be available with approved accredited course (IICRC-LCT)
Roger, On severely contaminated leather, do you ever saturate the leather with cleaner and extract with vacuum instead of towels?
Roger, I do not have your email?
When you understand how vacuum works by “Airlift & Airflow” you could use it effectively.Quote:
Originally Posted by chet
Scratching and marking maybe a problem depending on design of naked hand tools.
A practical approach is by covering the vacuum head with layers of terry towel to allow airflow for effective vacuuming and direct absorption by the towel itself (a two in one vacuum/absorption technique).
Hand scudding with a blunt curved object with immediately absorption by highly absorbent disposal towel does the work fine too!
Vacuum alone might not be effective.
So thus towel alone might equally be not as effective.
Depending on severity of contamination a combination of above method produces the best result.
Roger Koh
MASTER FIRE & SMOKE RESTORER (IICRC #942)