West Elm Dekalb Aniline

Hello,

I have a 2-year old West Elm DeKalb Sectional that has developed quite a rough surface on the seating area. This is due largely to the fact that we are not big users of air conditioning and so wear shorts during the summer, with the result that oils and sweat from the backs of our legs have been seeping into the leather:

Attachment 7127

Attachment 7128

Some material has definitely been lost, but I am not that concerned. Mostly I'm interested in cleaning the surface, recovering the original softness, and protecting it for summers to come. What combination of products should I be using?

The link described the sectional as “Aniline leather has a natural look and soft, waxy finish that will scuff over time and develop a beautiful vintage patina with age and use.”

From http://www.leatherdoctor.com/aniline-waxy-matte-finish/
Aniline Waxy-Matte Finishes Leather is usually a full grain hide that is chrome-tanned to produce a soft-hand and a transparent aniline dye color through to the reverse suede side to enhance its natural beauty. It takes on a sauvage appearance as the beauty of the grain is shown through naturally with a soft waxy texture. The fine waxy-matte appearance derives from the emulsion topcoat applied and is further protected with a matching non-stick, rub-resistant protector to reduce wear to the finishes. As leather is an amphoteric material or pH sensitive, leather-safe products with a pH value between 3 and 5 are highly recommended for general care, otherwise they have to be pH balanced to its leather pH neutral (iso-electric point or pI). Aniline leathers are also more UV sensitive and periodic leather rejuvenating it revives color intensity and maintains its suppleness from stiffness and cracking.

And this Aniline (A.w) Waxy-Matte Leather Problem Solving Matrix is used as reference for cleaning and restoration . . .
Attachment 7144


>>> Mostly I'm interested in cleaning the surface,
See row #A1 to A6 to determine the level of cleaning that you intent to solve.


>>> with the result that oils and sweat from the backs of our legs have been seeping into the leather:
See row #B1 for degreasing and pH balancing the sweat contamination (leather damages is from the sweat that shift the pH value of the leather).


>>> recovering the original softness,
See row E1 for leather dryness and stiffness rejuvenation steps.


>>> and protecting it for summers to come.
Surface non-stick and rub-resistant protection that complement the leather waxy finish is with Protector-W (scentless) or W+ (leather-scented) would be a better choice to impart a leather-scent instead of the odor from the sweat.

Decide what you want and individual system products may be hand pick accordingly for example Proctector-W+ from
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/protector-w-4/
and to neutralize the body odor with CleanOdor-4.5 from:
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/cleanodor-4-5/

>>> What combination of products should I be using?
Once you decided what you want to achieve, the “Soiling”, “Stain” and “Odor” type may be combine in sequence prior to leather rejuvenating it with the Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system, when dry thereafter the final application is the Protector-W+.

Let me know your intent and I will walk you through!

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]

Thank you! Apologies for the delay - we've been out of the country for several weeks.

I would characterize the situation as dry rather than greasy - I suspect it's more the salts from the sweat than any body oils that have been causing the issues. I don't find the minor discoloration particularly bad, so would the following make sense?

A4 Heavy (Periodic Cleaning)
CleanStrong-4.3
Clean-3.8
Rinse-3.0
Hydrator-3.3
Fatliquor-5.0
Protector-W+

What volumes are appropriate for each product to cover the entire sofa per application?

I suspect the Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Adhesor-73 > Aniline-76 > AnilineTop-21W would not be appropriate without a specific grease stain spot, is this correct?

>>> I would characterize the situation as dry rather than greasy - I suspect it's more the salts from the sweat than any body oils that have been causing the issues. I don't find the minor discoloration particularly bad, so would the following make sense?
A4 Heavy (Periodic Cleaning)
CleanStrong-4.3
Clean-3.8
Rinse-3.0
Hydrator-3.3
Fatliquor-5.0
Protector-W+

Picture #1 shows leather damages from sweat (when read with a pH meter would shows the shifting of its pH value from 3 to 5 to much higher) and will need to be pH balance back to its chemistry pH integrity. Leather is an “amphoteric” material, that is why the fermenting sweat affects the leather protein fiber, while the other leather constituents like the tanning agents, dyestuff and fatliquor remains unchanged. The shifting ionic positive (+ve) protein fibers loses its attraction towards the ionic negative (-ve) leather constituents that leads to the denaturing of the leather that reveals as mud cracking and most possible test with dye bleeding.


>>> I suspect the Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Adhesor-73 > Aniline-76 > AnilineTop-21W would not be appropriate without a specific grease stain spot, is this correct?

Picture #2 would require the above procedure, both removing the body contact contamination, repairs and refinishing.


>>> What volumes are appropriate for each product to cover the entire sofa per application?

Each product has its specific purpose, depending on the leather condition and absorbency (just like wetting out the surface of 30 sheets of newsprint versus wetting out a glass surface), and how much required to top up: example if the fatliquor (fat and oil) content present level is 5%, it will require 10% more to do its job and if 10% will need 5% to bring it up to the optimum level. Again it may vary within the same panel as well. A leather moisture meter or its equivalent would be more precise to determine how much fatliquor will be necessary. Remember that the lifeblood of leather is the “fatliquor” (ionic negative -ve charged fat and oil). When kept at its perpetual optimum level at all time of about 15% the leather will live a very, very long time

For your readings:

Leather Approximate Quantity or Percentage of Fatliquor:
The quantities of fatliquor (fat and oil) contents retained in the leather after an universal tannery fatliquoring process may varies up from 14% to 16% depending on the leather types and it usage. This percentage drops as the fat and oil content diminishes or leaches through ageing, water, heat or chemical overexposure.
Leather rejuvenating or fatliquor replenishing is base on weight of the leather in relation to the percentage of remaining fatliquor. A simple calculation of percentage of fatliquor topping up requirement would be as follows:
If the weight of the leather in question is 100gm and fatliquor (fat and oil) content meter reading is less than 1%.
By applying 80gm of Fatliquor-5.0 to it will deliver an end result incremental of 13.3% fatliquor when dry as the 66.6% water contents evaporates.
In the leather rejuvenating Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system, Hydrator-3.3 plays an important role by relaxing, opening up the inter-fibrillary spaces, facilitating and redistributing colloidal water movement, protonating and doing all the pre-conditioning work prior to fatliquoring including cleaning up any excess surface remnants to have a sticky-free surface. In practice with severe dryness the ratio for Hydrator-3.3 is 2 to 1 of Fatliquor-5.0.
It works out to be approximately 160gm of Hydrator-3.3 plus 80gm of Fatliquor-5.0 to replenish a 100gm dry leather from less than 1% back to the original tannery up from 14% to 16% fatliquor content.
In every bottle of Fatliquor-5.0 by weight content is comprises of 16.66% ionic negative (-ve) charged fat and oil, and 83.33% of water, the water content that encased the fat and oil molecule in an emulsion suspension when hydrogen bond with the ionic positive (+ve) leather protein fiber will break free and discharged clear from the leather structure to the surface.

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]


Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Roger Koh

>>> I would characterize the situation as dry rather than greasy - I suspect it's more the salts from the sweat than any body oils that have been causing the issues. I don't find the minor discoloration particularly bad, so would the following make sense?
A4 Heavy (Periodic Cleaning)
CleanStrong-4.3
Clean-3.8
Rinse-3.0
Hydrator-3.3
Fatliquor-5.0
Protector-W+

Picture #1 shows leather damages from sweat (when read with a pH meter would shows the shifting of its pH value from 3 to 5 to much higher) and will need to be pH balance back to its chemistry pH integrity. Leather is an “amphoteric” material, that is why the fermenting sweat affects the leather protein fiber, while the other leather constituents like the tanning agents, dyestuff and fatliquor remains unchanged. The shifting ionic positive (+ve) protein fibers loses its attraction towards the ionic negative (-ve) leather constituents that leads to the denaturing of the leather that reveals as mud cracking and most possible test with dye bleeding.

---

So this necessitates the Degreaser-2.2 + Acidifier-2.0? Also I'm confused as to how sweat with pH around 4-4.5 would cause such an alkaline reaction.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Roger Koh

>>> I suspect the Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Adhesor-73 > Aniline-76 > AnilineTop-21W would not be appropriate without a specific grease stain spot, is this correct?

Picture #2 would require the above procedure, both removing the body contact contamination, repairs and refinishing.

---

Assuming I find the discoloration minor enough to ignore, I presume the Adhesor, Aniline, and AnilineTop steps may be ignored?

>>> So this necessitates the Degreaser-2.2 + Acidifier-2.0?

If you want to get rid of body oil, grease and sweat it is Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system.
If you only want to get rid of the sweat you may opt for CleanPro-1.5 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 system.


>>> Also I'm confused as to how sweat with pH around 4-4.5 would cause such an alkaline reaction.

It is the same as our urine, almost neutral but when it ferments with the bacteria from the atmosphere it acquire the ammonia smell, which is almost a pH value of 10. Sweats have that same trace of urea in it so less drastic when compare with urine. Leather is an “amphoteric” material, that’s why it will shift alkaline.


>>> Assuming I find the discoloration minor enough to ignore,

Discoloration may be activated from the dormant dyestuff from within the leather structure to resurface with Hydrator-3.3. Heat from sunlight also causes fatliquor (ionic negative -ve charged fat and oil) to evaporate thus loss the color intensity together as well. Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 will rejuvenate both the color intensity and leather suppleness.


>> I presume the Adhesor, Aniline, and AnilineTop steps may be ignored?

These refinishing steps may be ignore or delayed, as you please, However Repairs is prior to refinishing.

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]

So in toto, are the products applied from left to right in the matrix, i.e.:

Degreaser-2.2 > CleanStrong 4.3 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Protector-W+?

OR should the Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifer-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 be followed by CleanStrong 4.3 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Protector-W+ in two separate cycles?

Refer to the matrix - “Stain Type” B1 would supersede or replace any of the above “Soiling Type” from A1 to A6.

Thus Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifer-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 > Protector-W+ in one cleaning suffice.

Note:

Do not apply Protector-W+ if there is a need for AnilineTop-21W or related finishing system, it is then applied at the end of the repair and or refinishing system.

See Matrix Row B1 for Penetrated Oil, Grease and Sweat and

E3 for "worn" Structural Problem".

So, as instructed I applied Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifer-2.0 according to the instructions on the bottles/website. The result:

Attachment 7363

Terrible. Testing on a small area went fine, but on the main panel, the degreaser left significant marring/lightening only on the places where it was directly applied, but not the areas to which I spread it with a foam brush before agitation.

What now? As it stands, this cushion appears like a lost cause. Very disappointing result.

>>> Very disappointing result.

Don't jump into a conclusion too soon, better to ask the why than to be very disappointed.
To an inexperience, not understanding my system approach, it appears to be so!

See an example of a disappointed experience too soon here and learn.
http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...-from-dog-peed

Have you figure out why, it appears so very disappointing?

Or you prefer a guaranteed personal coaching by Skype is also available at US$99/- an hour to see you through!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Roger Koh

>>> Very disappointing result.

To an inexperience, it is!

See an example here:
http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...-from-dog-peed

Do you want to move forward?

---

What are next steps?

Let me get this straight - now that following instructions has resulted in this mess, you want me to pay $99 an hour for further instructions to fix it?

>>> So, as instructed I applied Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifer-2.0 according to the instructions on the bottles/website. The result:

The missing product is Hydrator-3.3.
With reference to the above Leather Problem Solving Matrix - see row #B1 to complete the 3 continuous steps of Degreaser-2.2 > Acidifier-2.0 > Hydrator-3.3 for body oil, grease and sweat decontamination.


>>> What now? As it stands, this cushion appears like a lost cause. Very disappointing result.

From “very disappointing result” picture, follow these steps:

A - DRY SOIL REMOVAL - Brush-1 and Eraser-4:
A1 - Lightly stretch the leather to open up the pores.
A2 - Brush with leather Brush-1.
A3 - Erase with leather Eraser-4.

B - DEGREASING - Degreaser-2.2:
B1 - Shake Degreaser-2.2 until it gels, saturate to reach penetrated soiling with Brush-1 and/or Eraser-4 and extract with a terry cotton towel until towel shows clean.
B2 - Re-apply and allow dwelling 5 to 60 minutes or before it dries for a complete soiling suspension to occur and towel extract until it shows clean.
B3 - Immediately proceed to C for surface rinsing.

C - SURFACE RINSING - Acidifier-2.0:
C1 - Spray Acidifier-2.0 to saturate penetrated soiling and use dry terry cotton towel to extract until towel shows clean.
C2 - Immediately proceed to D for reverse-transfer soiling removal:

D - REVERSE-TRANSFER SOIL REMOVAL - Hydrator-3.3:
D1 - Spray Hydrator-3.3 to saturate penetrated soiling and use dry terry cotton towel to extract until towel shows clean.
D2 - Re-apply to saturate evenly, lay Towel-T5 and wet-stretch out with Brush-1 void of air space and let natural drying.
D3 - Peel off Towel-T5 when crispy dry to see effect of this ‘reverse-transfer’ technic to pull penetrated soiling off the leather structure.

E - DRY SOIL REMOVAL - Brush-1 and Eraser-4:
E1 - Lightly stretch the leather to open up the pores.
E2 - Brush with leather Brush-1.
E3 - Erase with leather Eraser-4.
E5 - Inspect for satisfaction, otherwise repeat or proceed with other class of stain removal.

Show some pictures after (A) and (D2) if the instruction is followed accordingly.

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected]