Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mike Halliday on October 24, 2006, 05:18:27 pm
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OK, I've done the course and I'm all set to go out and clean leather suites :D :D
what actually do I need to take into the house?
rags, towels, scrubbing brushes etc...etc how many?
on a secondery note; I was talking to a carpet cleaner who use Microsplitters on all his leather suites, anyone tried this?
thanks Mike
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Basic equipment:
Cleaning product (in a foaming bottle for ease of use)
Leather Protector (in a finger tip spray for economy)
Sponges x 2
White cloth (a few small ones for applying protector)
Paper towel or terry towel whichever you prefer
Small bucket
Microscope (essential for identification)
Drop cloth
Ink stick (may be useful)
Can of black pigment (for re-antiquing if you run into such a problem)
Brush for getting product into the grain (kitchen brush or similar but not a brand new one as this is too harsh)
Set up cost is not very high as you can see. We do a starter kit for cleaners for £90.00.
Were the basic requirements not covered on the course??
We have used microsplitters on leather with no particularly discernable results. Foam cleaners are better as they encapsulate the dirt and hold it so that when you remove the foam the dirt goes with it.
Judy
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As regards Terry towels, go to ASDA, their own brand Smart price white hand towels 74 pence each, good size for cleaning / spotting, always wash well and CHEAP AS CHIPS!!
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http://www.orkin.co.uk/. Check this site out. Their leather food smells of new leather, my customers love it !! ;D Geoff.
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Come on Judy there's enough politics on the boards as it is!
Like most that go on any courses you always have loads of questions after the event.
Shaun
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Hi Judy, I may be interested in this leather course next year, what`s the cost / time scale and where are they held??? Many thanks, Geoff
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i have just cleaned a leather,
and i know for a fact you need at least 5/6 hand towels on most jobs
bucket of warm clean water , to rinse your sponge out many times, so as not
to inhibit the, cleaning process
the more , protector , you administer the , better , the finished product
hope this helps.
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Have you tried a tampico brush to get in the grain?? ( Gently ). Also shoe polishing brushes work well ( they're soft and obviously designed for leather ! )
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Vanguard
Which protector are you using, that gives such a great finish. I'm fairly new to cleaning leather, having only been doing it for about 16 years, so I'm always keen to learn, new treatments.
robbie
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Robbie
There are a number of good protection creams out there from various suppliers.
Use one that gives the best wow factor.
I personally like to finish with a balsam that has a nice leather smell and stays gleeming for a couple of weeks.
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I normally use craftex leather cleaner with hand hot water, soft brush and terry towels. Craftex cleaner also feeds but i finish off with the orkin as it leaves a nice soft finish and a great leather smell. I only do leather with a top coat ( which is most of them these days ) as I really don't know enough about nubuck and other stuff. Geoff
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Think I'm missing the point here I thought what was being referred to, was PROTECTION. I think what you're referring to, is a finishing product, to enhance the appearance and give a nice smell.
robbie
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The Balsam also protects the finish.
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OK, so who supplies balsam and out of curiosity, does it protect in the same way that promite protects?
robbie
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I use Chem spec leather cleaner and conditioner, terry towels and a tampico brush.
No problems in 5 years, exellent results.
Why make a simple job so complicated ?
MICROSCOPE ! ? ???
Test first.
chris
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Hi Rob
No Promite is different, if it is Alltecs Promite, as it is an active ingredient that helps stop soilage but also carries on killing dust mites.
With leather protectors all you are basically doing is protecting the top coat finish and stopping it from drying out as much as possible.There are litrally loads of different types from balsms,oils,creams etc that can be applied dependant on the type of finish the leather has over it and if used on a regular basis all work.
Some people dont like to leave the leather shinny but I do and my customers love the look and the smell when ive finished it.
The one 2 favour most at the minute is the protection cream from Furniture Clinic and the other is Super v11 Leather Balsam which is from a company in Germany called World Wide.
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Chris
The first test you should do on leather is with a Microscope.This will tell you the type of leather your dealing with and also the condition of the top coat,this cannot be seen with the naked eye.
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Ive just ordered these - seem like a bargain and should be enough to last years. No more going round the shops looking for cheap towels ;D
http://www.totalcleaningsupplies.co.uk/unitrader/shop/product/184
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Most 'conditioners' will not protect the finish in the way that leather protectors will and many, if not most do not work and are only something to give a good feel to the finish. Leather does not need feeding what it needs is re-hydrating.
If a leather is matt to start with you should not be adding something that will make it shine!!!
Anything containing oils and waxes will clog the surface and attract more dirt and grease to the leather which will in the end break down the finish.
Leather cleaning is not complicated but leather identification is all important as you need to know what has been done to the surface of the leather before you start and what the results might be.
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If the finish has a matt finish why not make it shine! customers think it looks cleaner and new looking.
Re dont use oils & waxs as they clog up the leather.
That is true only of leather that has no finish on it such as aniline.
Judy you try to make too much of a science out of cleaning leather.
Basically in the every day world that the guys are out there cleaning 95% of all leather we come across( and all leather sold) is pigmented.
Pigmented finished leather is when a pigment ( colour) / paint is put over the leather then a finish is applied over that.
That means that the leather is totally coated.
We are cleaning and dealing with a finish only.
We are not cleaning the leather.
We are not rehydrating the leather.
WE are not going near the leather.
We are cleaning the top finish.
And what ever we put over the finish will only last a short time any way.
So back to my earlier point, the customer wants a clean suite and she wants it too look sparkling.Thats our job,thats what we get paid for, and if it smaells nice as well ;).
If on the other hand you are dealing with the other 5% of the market then that is al totally different deal and most cleaners will walk from them anyway. :)
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Very true
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Unfortunately it isn't true.
Whatever has been done to the leather it needs rehydrating with moisture. Leather breathes and absorbs all the time and so it can absorb moisture which is what it requires.
Yes you are cleaning off the surface but you do need to protect the finish and inhibit it from absorbing body oils and the like which will be very detremental the leather itself.
Anilines are less likely to clog up on the surface than pigments. If you use oils and waxes on a pigment suite it clogs up the finish and then it cannot allow moisture in which is when it dries out and cracks.
There has been a bigger increase in aniline style leathers on the market and we are dealing with them all the time, it is totally unnecessary to walk away from them and is actually where the money can be made. They are easy to deal with.
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well said paul,
i reccomend furniture clinics protection cream good product,
and good value
'
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Anilines are not at all easy to clean and are very hard to deal with.
Most customers will only call you when the leather is very soiled and they cant deal with it them selves.A mildly dirty aniline is very difficult to clean if atall possible to get a satisfatory finish,and usually needs to be recoloured with a pigment.Then is comes pigmented :).
Regarding finishes,any finishes need rehydrating or moisturising so they dont dry out,but the finish cant clog up as it has no pores, it is a solid surface.
Its like a piece of wood that has been painted or varnished,when you clean it you are treating the finish not the wood, very similar. And as for the need for leather to breath, hey its dead ::)
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Paul
Anilines can be restored very easily with aniline dyes and do not need to be pigment coated. Yes they do not clean very easily but the restoration process is very simple and can bring them back looking like new.
All pigment coatings on leather (this does not include bicast) has to be porous that is the way they are made, ring a tannery and ask. If they were not porous and were a solid coating how does body oil get through the finish into the leather? It does not break down the finish until it has filled up the back of the leather so therfore must be absorbed inside.
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It never ceases to amaze me how someone does a days course and suddenly know everything about leather . It makes them look a bit of a plonker when trying to debate with someone who does actually know what their talking about.
Mike
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Yes anilne can be restored by which you mean redyed.
That is not cleaning them.
Alls you are doing is masking over the problem area in a darker colour.
Aniline will also darken in high used/soiled areas and can only be redyed upwards with aniline dyes which are very easy to just rub in.
Body oils or any fluids ( including water as this is also a chemical) that are left on or worn into a finish will eventully break it down over time and then get into the leather.
It depends on the thickness of the finish and pigment and also the age.
Again none of this is rocket science its just common sence to any cleaner with some experience.
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Mike
I have been dealing with leather for years.
I attended the day course to accompany my wife as she wanted to go on it as well as vist furniture clinics premises.
The only plonker here is you as your the only one with out the facts ;D
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Leathers are not all the same.
So ignore those that protect with Promite, they've either ripped the customer off or have no no knowledge
there are differences in leather, those that think they are all the same, ignore them
you need to understand those differences, when you do you can treat the problem honestly.
Nigel
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Paul
My mistake , please accept my apologies
Mike
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Mike no probs.
And please accept my apologies also.
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I apologise for the tone of my post.
It does seem harsh.
Nigel
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Nigel
Sound like you are in a pulpit and have extensive knowledge of the cleaning industry'
There are many carpet and upholstery cleaners, who have learned from experience, that there is more than one way to skin a cat.
Just because you have been taught a particular method of doing something, doesn't mean it's the only, or correct, or best method.
You have a classic conflict of views going on here, with heels being dug in and "no winners"
as many have trained with one outfit and feel confident in their knowledge and new found expertise.
Then, we have the new kid on the block, in the form of a client who believes his man to be " the man "and slaggs of the establishment.
I have to confess, that I don't know whose truth, is the reality,or whether they are just teaching the same thing, but using different words.
There is no need for the attacks on credibility, or is there.
I have a friend, about to attend one of the training sessions, so I will probably attend the other, then we can compare notes and I'll find out what a lousy and crooked operator I've been for the past 16 years and will have to stop using the products which have given me a huge percentage of repeat clients
robbie
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Robbie,
Hence my apology. Shouldn't post a the end of a frustrating day. :-X
Nigel
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Hi Nigel
I notice you're from the old capital of shoe making.
One of the things I learned about Promite, was it's excellent proofing qualities, so much so, that it was re labelled by a leading retailer and used to waterproof shoes
robbie
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I agree, I use it to re-proof my mountaineering jackets and some overspray landed on our concrete drive, a couple of months ago. Rain still beads and pools up on it.
Dave.
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Robbie,
You learn something new, I'll try it on my sofa and see what happens.
By the way, what did they call it for shoes?
Maybe some of m customers will remember it :)
Nigel
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Don't know what it was called, it was in aerosols and I think it was Stimson or Simpson, are they still around.
You can get it from Alltec
I use it and have always found it to be a good product
robbie