Rebecca Minkoff Nikki and Balenciaga Day Bag - cleaning?

[floflocat]

Hi Roger,

I recently bought 2 used bags from eBay and would like to purchase some appropriate to clean them.

The first one is a Rebecca Minkoff Nikki bag.
Looks like it has blue dye transfer on the back (please correct me if my guess is wrong).


The second one is a Balenciaga day bag.

The handle is the major problem area.
And I think the rest of the bag need some revive too.

Can you please advise how to clean them? thank you in advance!

[floflocat]

Here are more pictures of the Balenciaga Day Bag.

[Roger Koh]

Thank you for the pictures.

Rebecca Minkoff Nikki Leather Identification:
This is most likely aniline leather with its cream tint, as they are no white dyes it could also be semi-aniline with micro-pigment.

Blue Dye Transfer Stain:
A leather-safe Prep-4.4 is recommended for the stain remover. Sticky residue has to be removed with Clean-3.8 follows with Rinse-3.0

Finishes Damages:
Picture #3, shows the stain as well as the finishes damages.

Leather Rejuvenating:
To relax the overstretch leather Hydrator-3.3 helps prior to replenish the fatliquor with Fatliquor-5.0 for softness and strength.

Reduce Friction Wear:
A buttery-feel rub-resistant protection helps reduce friction with Protector-B+


Products mentioned are found in this Kit A3, based on the Aniline Leather Problem Solving Guide.


Aniline Leather Problem Solving Guide



Leather Doctor Kit A3 – Aniline Leather Care Kit

Leather Doctor® Kit A3, aniline leather care kit is an innovative leather-safe (pH 3 - 5) system designed for keeping leathers at their highest level of appearance, maintaining its pH chemistry integrity, enhancing their suppleness and prevents premature ageing. Leathers that faced the sun, closed to fireplace and heaters dries out the fat and oil that keeps it supple sooner than the non-heat exposed areas. The diminishing of the fat and oil through evaporation results in the leather fibers being stick closer together that results in stiffness and when flexed during used will lead to cracks. Periodic use of Hydrator-3.3 to plumps the stick together fibers prior to fat and oil replenishing with Fatliquor-5.0 will keep the leather supple and strong. Thus, reduce the premature ageing of the leather against stiffness and cracking. The surface wear of the leather is greatly reduced with friction noise reduction. This is preventable with a rub-resistant Protector-B+ that imparts a natural buttery-feel. Periodic cleaning and rinsing with Cleaner-3.8 follows by Rinse-3.0 to the bare body contact areas like headrest and armrest helps reduce greasy soiling build-up. Restorative cleaning and occasional dye stains removal from new blue jeans is accomplished with Prep-4.4. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this leather-safe holistic care system.

[Roger Koh]

Balenciaga Day Bag:
This leather type is identified as Aniline Wax Pull-up fashion effect.

Information on Aniline Wax Pull-up Leathers:
Wax Pull-up leathers derive its color from dye, fatliquor and wax. When this leather is pulled, stretched or scratched, the wax dissipate characteristically and become lighter in those areas. Wax pull-up effect created from aniline gives the leather a lively distressed look. The term “crazy horse” is associated with some heavy wax pull-up applied to aniline leathers. These are secondary wax infused into the leather. Besides contributing to the color intensity, it improves in water shedding effect. Emulsion wax when applied to the leather penetrates while some coagulates as fine crystal and remains on the surface. The dried surface white powdery deposits are then heat activated and when they melt, they coat the surface with a glossy sheen. Impregnated emulsion pull-up wax behaves similar to fatliquor, they do diminish through ageing and will need periodic replenishing. Sunlight and stretching through high wear areas are two main indications that the infused wax or oil needs replenishing.

Handle Degreasing:
Degreasing the handles is accomplished with Degreaser-2.2 follows with Acidifier-2.0 for control bleeding.

Reviving or Rejuvenating:
Relaxing of the leather stiffness to rid of unwanted creases is accomplished with Hydrator-3.3 with stretching.
Softening of the leather is achieved by replenishing the leather structure with Fatliquor-5.0 immediately after Hydrator-3.3.
Reviving the diminishing wax effect is with Wax Effect-8.6

Picture Observation:
Third last picture shows possible some dye transfer stain that will require Prep-4.4 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0.
The unknown brown marks other than Prep-4.4 may require specialty stain remover according to the Leather Problem Solving Guide.

In your situation, you would want to combine the two kits with no duplication of products ordered.

Aniline Wax Pull-Up Leather Problem Solving Guide as reference to the cleaning and restoration of this bag.





Leather Doctor Kit Aw5.dr – Aniline Wax Pull-up Leather Degreaser Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit Aw5.dr, aniline wax pull-up leather degreaser kit is designed for routine degreasing leathers from preventing topcoat and dyestuff finishes damages especially to the headrest and armrest areas with most of bare body contacts. Topcoat and dyestuff refinishing products are found in Kit Aw6.tc and Kit Aw7.cl respectively. Preventive regular surface degreasing is preferred over corrective penetrated degreasing as most often, the topcoat is damaged and in severe cases, the dyestuff break bonds with the protein fiber. Preventive degreasing is done before a penetrating darkening effect manifest. Degreaser-2.2 is a waterbased (pH 2.2) multifunctional degreaser that besides emulsifying the grease contamination, it controls dye bleeding and charging the protein fiber ionic positive for strengthening the ionic attraction between the ionic negative tanning agent, dyestuff and fatliquor. Deflocculated and suspended soiling is towel extracted, thereafter rinse and pH balanced with Acidifier-2.0 to prevent the leather from reverting to rawhide. When leather feels sticky or slimy it is a sign of leather denaturing, a squeaky feel when wet is a sign of healthy leather. Hydrator-3.3 relaxes stiff leathers and removes surface tension free from surface blotchiness prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fat and oil is replenished with Fatliquor-5.0 to rejuvenate the leather for the desired suppleness when dry.Wax Effect-8.6 rejuvenates the structural wax pull-up effect and coagulates a cloudy waxy coating on the surface to be heat activated into the characteristic glossy sheen. Protector-D+ enhances a non-stick draggy-feel to shield against sticky soiling, besides healing and concealing lightening scuff and abrasion marks. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this holistic leather-safe aniline wax pull-up leathers degreasing system.

[floflocat]

Hi Roger,
Thank you so much for your detailed explanations.
It seems that I should get either kit with some add-ons items.
I can see that the Kit A3 has Protector-B+ and Kit Aw5.dr has Protector-D+.
Does it matters which Protector I use on these 2 bags?

Thank you in advance.

[Roger Koh]

Some similarity with differences.

The “+” sign indicates that they are leather-scented; otherwise you can opt for the scentless version Protector-B or D.

Both are non-film forming that allows leather natural transpiration to take place or breathes, the moisture in the bag can pass through the leather as vapor thus reducing the potential bacteria or mold infestation.

“B” is short for buttery-feel, that impart a non-stick, rub-resistant protection against sticky soiling including the common ballpoint ink from dispensing it nasty ink. Rub-resistant protection helps in reducing friction noise thus prolongs the leather finishes wear.

“D” is short for draggy-feel that gives grip to the leather, a waxy non-stick protection that heals and conceal scuff marks especially to aniline wax pull-up leathers.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant

[floflocat]

Picture Observation:
Third last picture shows possible some dye transfer stain that will require Prep-4.4 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0.
The unknown brown marks other than Prep-4.4 may require specialty stain remover according to the Leather Problem Solving Guide

Hi Roger,
While I'm waiting for the Hydrator to dwell for 72 hours, I would like to work on cleaning the body of the bag.
Can you give me detailed instruction on how to clean the dye transfer?

If I want to give the bag a general overall cleaning, what product should I use and how to do it?

Thanks again for your great help!
Regards,
Florence

[Roger Koh]

>>>While I'm waiting for the Hydrator to dwell for 72 hours,

Do you have pictures of how it is being dwelled?



>>>I would like to work on cleaning the body of the bag.

Stain removal comes first before general cleaning. For general cleaning depending on the soiling level, check out the level of soiling type and apply accordingly.


>>>Can you give me detailed instruction on how to clean the dye transfer?

From the Guide Stain Type, the second row shows the steps for dye transfer removal; do according to the recommended steps.


>>>If I want to give the bag a general overall cleaning, what product should I use and how to do it?

If the general overall cleaning is for Restorative Cleaning then it should be the same as dye transfer stain removal – Prep-4.4 > Clean-3.8 > Rinse-3.0. The difference is the dwell time for Prep-4.4, remaining Clean-3.8 and Rinse-3.0 is the same.

[floflocat]

Reviving or Rejuvenating:
Relaxing of the leather stiffness to rid of unwanted creases is accomplished with Hydrator-3.3 with stretching.

Hi Roger,
What does it means by "stretching" here? And how and when to do it?
Regards,
Florence

[Roger Koh]

Hi Roger,
What does it means by "stretching" here? And how and when to do it?
Regards,
Florence

"Stretching" is done while the leather is limp or softened up at the end of dwell time. Unnatural creases if any is stretch cross-wise to minimize the unwanted creases. Hydrating one of its purposes is to precondition the leather structure to facilitate the replenishing of diminishing fatliquor (fat, oil and water) more efficiently. Fat plumps the leather structure for fullness, oil lubricates the interconnecting fibrils with smoothness and strength and the water leaves to impart air spaces for leather natural transpiration characteristic.