Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Graeme@Access on February 27, 2006, 08:35:23 pm
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Hi,
I was wondering if any of you could please take some time and help us with a troublesome leather cleaning issue we surveyed tonight.
The client had someone round at the weekend who was sick on thier pigmented leather 3-seater. They cleaned it up asap and have not treated it with any cleaning products, only water. You can still smell the sick of it, so its definately fresh.
We use Alltech leather cleaner and refinishing cream on these types regularly with fair to good results. So i tested and found the pigment to be fine to the detergents and finishing cream. However, when working on the edge of the stain, i noticed the pigment was mobile and the leather took on a darkened appearance on the edge of the sick.
So i stopped and qualified the client that leather is an animal product made of protien, and stomach fluids are designed to digest the likes.
What can we do? I feel like a walkaway, but we have never turned a job down. Is this the fiirst one or is there something i can treat this with or suggest?
Please see the attached picture to see the full extent of the staining.
Many Thanks
Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions
Edit: Spelling and it probably still not right.
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Walk away and let them claim on their insurance.
The job does however have some curiosity value. I think this a job for a leather specialist.
Dave
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get in toucj with andy allcock at ltt he will advise but as sick is acidic could be a leather dye treatment
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you cant say cock on here ::)
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one for you nick test your skills
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http://www.lttsolutions.net/
There is a lady called Judy Bass who is a specialist in leather, they are on Cleantalk site, put your question to her and she will help.
Rgds
Phil
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judy bass is part of LTT
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Hi,
I have emailed LTT,
Many thanks for your replies
Cheers
Graeme
Access Cleaning Solutions
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Thought I would post the reply I sent to Graeme so that you caould all see it.
From the general appearance of the furniture/leather in the photograph we think the leather type/finish may be what we call a micro pigment. This is full grain leather with a light coating of pigment. This coating is usually not enough to resist heavy soaking and therefore vomit with its stomach acids etc would soak through and possibly stain the leather. Unfortunately it is probably a bit late now but what I would have done is to gently soak the whole panel, turning it dark then using a sponge or paper towel try to draw some of the moisture back out of the leather along with residues of the vomit. Do not try to extract with a machine. Then dry gently to see if anything has happened. It may be permanently stained, it may dry out a little lighter, the results on this type of leather are not predictable. The above comments are only from the photograph and we would need a leather sample to make a fully correct analysis of what may be going on.
If you do not mind I hope the added comments will be useful. Please always be sure what type of leather/finish you are working on as this can make a big difference to product use and techniques. Also if the customer had used a good leather protector rather than a refinishing cream the vomit may have sat on the surface longer which may not have resulted in the staining.
I hope this has been of some help to you. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.
Regards
Judy