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I purchased a set of captains, 1st and 2nd row, from a guy with a wrecked 05 expedition king ranch, and the console. It seems to have normal soiling from sweat and light cracks from clothing abrasion and dehydration. A few spots have what seems to be beverage rings and condensation. Not sure if there are any other stains. Can you help with a kit and procedure please? Pics attached.
Dave
Here is a quick look at the recommended kit . . .
A problem solving guide. . .
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...Auto-LPG-1.jpg
The best possible quality can be achieve without changing the finishes of the leather (that is retaining its original aniline, then the color has to be compromised; that is dark enough to camouflage existing stubborn stains).
The whole exercise than would be in this priority:
1] Stain:
Stain removal especially the console that has unusual darkening effect with great contrast from the original color and since it was bought as it is, we have to guess what causes this darkening effect and try to remove it off to the original color if possible. The result of this dark color removal will decide how our eventual color will look like. As it is the kit comes with Dark-Brown, and will be lighten up with either Yellow or Red-Brown to arrive at the best color possible.
2] Leather Cracking:
The leather is too dry that result in liken to “mud cracking”. This restoration will require lots of Hydrator-3.3 to relax and plumps up the leather. Thereafter maintain with Fatliquor-5.0 replenishing – sufficient fatliquor will result the leather to be as soft as you wish.
3] Structural Weakness:
This structural weakness shows more prevalent on the driver seat than the passenger seat. This will require Impregnator-26 to further smoothen out the uneven absorbency of the surface preparing the surface for dye coating.
4] Needless to say the supply in this kit may run out, depending how the leather react in terms of absorbency and the numbers of seats to be done.
Thanks Roger. I guess I'll have to recondition the driver seat first to see if I have enough product to finish the entire job. I'm looking forward to the project and the professional direction you offer, which led me to this forum in the first place.
Dave
#1 King Ford Console
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...onsolecopy.jpg
#2 King Ford Passenger Seat
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...gFord-copy.jpg
#3 King Ford Driver Seat
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...drivercopy.jpg
#4 King Ford Driver Seat – Mud Cracking
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...close1copy.jpg
General info:
Leather Rejuvenator – Hydrating Conditioner
A leather safe hydrator has a pH range from 3 to 4, it is an acidic surfactantcy solution that is design to harmonize with the neutral pH of leather with a multipurpose functionality, such as:
• Hydrating dried, stiffed or shrunk leathers to separates the crushed, stick together fibrils and relaxes them in the inter-fibrillary leather structure for effective distribution of subsequent fatliquor.
• Facilitating colloidal water movement within the leather structure during the wicking process to move soiling particulates to the surface.
• Reactivating the dormant dyestuff to resurface thus reducing the contrast between the color coat and the leather crust.
• Reducing the interfacial tension as a preconditioner to eliminate blotchiness on subsequent application especially on absorbent leathers.
• Charging the leather protein fibers ionic positive below its iso-electric point to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative charged fatliquor.
• Checking surface cleanliness, since molecular layers of oil can prevent adhesion of subsequent coating.
• Facilitating better finish penetration during refinishing thus providing good surface properties, especially the uniformity of surface dyeing during aniline refinishing.
When use as a surface interfacial tension inspection purpose; a very light mist-spray suffices, to check for evenness of absorption to avoid blotchiness for subsequent application like fatliquor replenishing or dyestuff refinishing. When used as a leather structure rejuvenator, a complete plumping of the leather structure is highly recommended to realize its full potential. A check with thumb and finger with a little moisture oozing out would be the optimum level of hydration. When this level of moisture is reached, the damp leather is recommended to be sealed off with plastic cling wrapper to control evaporation. Dwelling while fully hydrated for up to 72 hours will deliver the result desired when the leather is further treated for optimum physical appearance.
Leather Rejuvenator – Fatliquor Conditioner
Fatliquor is a concoction of oil and related fatty substance derives from animal, vegetable and mineral sources; formulated as a stable emulsion that resembles the look of fresh milk in a bottle. The objective of fatliquor is for lubricating the leather fibrils like millions of interlocking miniature chains of hinges for flexibility and softness. Preconditioning the leather prior to accepting fatliquor topping-up has its share of contribution in many ways, in terms of appearance, without the blotchiness. The stiffness of leather if any, needs to be relaxed for an effectively distribution of the fatliquor. Leather fiber pH chemistry stability charge need be strengthen ionic positive (+ve), to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative (-ve) charge of the fatliquor. All these benefits from preconditioning the leather derive from the dwelling power of an acidic leather safe hydrator. It is a process of penetrating and distributing which lubricates the fibrils so that after drying they will be capable of sliding over one another smoothly. In addition to regulating its stretchability, compressibility and flexibility, the fatliquor contributes greatly to its rip tensile strength. Thus, helps to keep leather at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature ageing.
Degreaser
Degreasers are specialty leather cleaning agent that may be solvent-based or water-based; formulation are available in both liquid spray and direct gel application. It is designed to be used primarily on heavy penetrated oily, greasy and sweaty soiling derived from skin and hair contact. Dwell time is one of the essential fundamental for effective soil suspension to take effect. Solvent-based comes in the form of aerosol spray as well as gel type. These products extract the oil and change it into powder residue to be vacuumed thereafter, and the remaining gel removed with solvent-based related products; besides the indirect cleanup mess, health and fire hazard is another consideration. The water-based pH specific type functions as an emulsifier, transforming the contamination milky in color for direct towel extraction; follows with an acidic matching rinse to complete the degreasing process. This acidic water-based system helps with bleeding control and simultaneously charging the protein fiber ionic positive, for a more effective hydrogen bonding with the other ionic negative charged leather constituents like dyestuff and fatliquor; thus stabilizing the chemistry integrity of the leather while removing foreign contamination. In most degreasing situation, existing fatliquor or natural oils are inevitably removed to a degree and leather rejuvenating for suppleness and strength is accomplished by proceeding to hydrating and fatliquor replenishing it. Protective latex glove is recommended, as almost all degreasers will remove oil from our skin as well. For the solvent-based types, a dust and mist mask is recommended during the process from breathing the airborne mist or dust.
Rinse
Rinse is aqueous solution that has a pH range of 2 to 4, design for removing residues after degreaser or cleaner. Browning or resoiling can occur without first removing the remaining residue. Effective rinsing will result in a squeaky-feel, free of suds feeling. Rinse is also used in routine cleaning to neutralize perspiration residue from browning the leather or turning it sticky.
Acidifier
Acidifier is a low pH acid solution use for dye bleeding control and neutralizing alkaline overexposure that cause browning, marks, streaks, brightness, or sliminess from spills or cleaners and stickiness from perspiration contamination.
Stain Remover - Protein
Protein cleaner is usually an alkaline solution design for removing protein stains. Protein stains like milk, blood, etc. has the tendency to coagulate with the leather protein fiber. It would require a protein cleaner to swell the stains in order to release it. It is highly recommended that alkaline cleaners are neutralized with an acidic counterpart thereafter, example would be using an acidifier, tarnish or urine remover when it has accomplish it purpose of specialty soil removing.
Stain Remover - Stripper
Stripper is design to remove unwanted deteriorated finishing prior to color refinishing. Specialty stripper serves two purposes, besides stripping the unwanted finishes; its low acidic pH controls dye bleeding at the same time. Strippers are either solvent-based or water-based, water-based strippers are pH specific. Use one that is dry free of any sticky residue would be a better choice. Stripper could be used as a spotter to remove oil based stain with extra caution as not to remove the existing finish. In most cases if the stripper is absorbed by the leather crust it will dry up the leather of its natural oil or fatliquor and will require hydrating to relax the fibers prior to fatliquor replenishing it. Leather or suede eraser would be a good combination for such removal without hurting the leather.
Roger,
I received my package today. Fast shipping from Canada. Can you send me a link to the general process of cleaning with your product as far as how to apply, how much to apply, and in which sequence? Also, what to look for when completing a step and how long between steps if time needs to elapse.
Thanks,
Dave
The general description and instruction of the product range can be found in this link:
http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...nd-Instruction
How to apply:
Most of the product that comes in sprayer will be spray accordingly.
Those comes in squeeze bottle will either be applied by the lint-free paper rag or transfer for airbrushing.
How much to apply:
For cleaning apply accordingly and do the cleaning, a repeat may be necessary especially for the Acidifier-2.0 and Rinse-3.0
The Sequence:
The sequence is important as we move from one pH phase to another, example d’Protein-10 has to be followed with a low pH product to neutralize its high pH.
What to look when completing a step:
If we know why we do a certain step we should somehow predict its result, otherwise we may have to repeat due to its severity or insufficient working with the product.
How long in-between steps
Most of the waiting time is to see either for the chemical reaction or for waiting for the leather to dry.
For the hands-on, let us start with the console alone and putting all the rest aside.
1] This console may have more food related stain than the seat and stains may have been further compounded with unknown products that darken the leather in such an extreme, so follow this recommendation:
1.1] Dry Soiling Removal:
Use leather Eraser-4 and erase all over especially the heavily stain areas of any surface soiling particulate – take a picture of the progress.
1.2 ] pH Balancing:
Use Acidifier-2.0 and spray over it evenly wet, agitate with horsehair Brush-1, extract suspenjsding soiling until towel shows clean and cover it up wet with cling wrapper to control evaporation. If time allows leave it until the next day. The purpose is to neutralize and pH balance the possibility alkaline overexposure and charging the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve). Thereafter remove the plastic wrapping and allow to dry; will like to see if the color lightens up a bit when completely dry – take a picture of the progress. If there is an improvement, the process can be repeated to sufficiently pH balance deep into the leather structure. This product has to reach where other alkaline solution have penetrated to overcome the darkening effect. This is one phase of work by itself – pH balancing
1.3] Protein Stain Removal:
Protein stain such as milk from coffee has the tendency to coagulate with the leather protein fiber that will need a high pH product such as d’Protein-10 to swell the fiber to release the stain. Spray over the stain areas and agitate with Brush-1 and towel extract until towel shows clean. The tannin color from coffee may shows as darkening marks that will require a d’Tannin-3.5 to make the tannin color colorless (see the problem solving guide). This sequence has to be ended with d’Tannin-3.5 as an option. If d’Tannin-3.5 is used in the system then, wait till it dry to take a picture to see its progress.
1.4] Degreasing:
This process is to remove body contact oil, grease and perspiration stains. Shake-up the Degreaser-2.2 until it gels up. Apply, spread and agitate with Brush-1; you may see the emulsifying effect of the degreaser turning the soiling slight creamy – extract with towel until it shows clean. Repeat as necessary until towel shows clean. This step is follows with Rinse-3.0 with help of Brush-1 agitation and towel extract until towel shows clean.
1.5] Hydrating:
Hydrating with Hydrator-3.3 follows while the leather is still damp. The hydrator-3.3 is to wet the leather structure out and as it dries it will bring the soiling particulates to the surface. Advance technique place thin facial tissue paper as an extension of the leather surface to allow the soiling particulates to be caught instead of still remaining on the leather surface. Besides removing the soiling particulates, hydrator plays other roles as well as mention before. This hydrating is repeat in subsequent application until all soiling is flush out of the leather structure.
Note:
Hydrating is the end of the cleaning process; it is at this stage that we are able to see the result of the combine effort to remove compound soiling and contamination – let see some pictures before we move on to the next phase of “fatliquor-replenishsing”.
Roger Koh
[email protected]