Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Mike Halliday on December 23, 2006, 08:09:13 am
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I was told that 50% of suites sold now are leather, so the growth in leather cleaning is going to be phenomenal.
but over the last month every house I've been in which has a leather suite I've mentioned its cleaning.
guess what most of them say?
"Its leather all it needs is wiping with a damp cloth, that why i bought leather"
I'm starting to believe that because 50% of suites now sold are leather this will mean less work for us, because most people will clean it themselves.
Mike
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Mike
You may be right...I think that I have only cleaned about half a dozen leather suites during 2006.
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It's simply about educating customers, leather not only needs cleaning but more importantly requires Protecting" on a regular basis to prolong the "life" of the leather.
Other avenues to consider are leather repair and recolour which can be very profitable.
There will always be folks who will just wipe them down now and then, just as there are people who run a vax over their carpets now and then.......
Merry Xmas to Everybody and all that. :)
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Hi Guys,
I'ts O.K a customer saying all it needs is a wipe over, but most won't do it and its 3 years down the line they call us.
I prefer cleaning leather to fabric, because the customer perceived it as more difficukt I can charge more .
Cheers
Doug
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I have to say that my leather suite is dead easy to keep clean :D
Its a brown leather from DFS. really big and comfy, nice and soft.
We have had it for 3 years now, all I do is wipe it down once every few months with the detergent cleaner that they (DFS) gave me with the suite.
A few drops in some water, wipe with damp cloth, use dry cloth to finish off.
Takes about 15 mins to do it all !
3 years of hard use, and it still looks like new !
I have a 12 year old son and 2 cats who like to lie all over it.
We also eat many meals on trays watching the telly, so you get the picture, it is WELL USED.
Chris
ps Not sure that I am to bothered about the upholstery side of the business slowing down ? I still hate cleaning suites.
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So Chris two more years to go and your suite will collapse ;) dfs really I would have thought you should have known better.
dfs suites are designed to last 5 years , then of you go and buy another for 5 years great isnt it if thats the sort of the you like .
Geoff
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thats just the way it is people getting fed up paying the 100.00+ it cost to get a fabric one cleaned :( :( :(
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So Chris two more years to go and your suite will collapse ;) dfs really I would have thought you should have known better
Geoff
I agree that DFS suites did have a bad reputation. But things have improved a lot over the years.
i paid £2000 for the 2 x 3 seater sofas ( BIG SOFAS !) and i can honestly say that i am chuffed with them.
They really do still look like new, I expect to get a good 10 years out of them :D
I have come across many " quality" suites that are really no better than mine, but cost the customer double :o
Value for money is what its all about.
regards
Chris
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hi, when i first started in this game about 12 years ago i recon every third job was a sofa , now its every 50th job which is amazing i think ,leather sofas hit our trade bigtime imo , i hav two red sofas in my bar at home and they are 5 years old still look new if they were fabric it be diffrent story, the demand for cleaning leather is nowwere near what fabric was, and the comments about edu people is bull i think if it dont look dirty they aint gooner get it cleaned
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Hi Gary,
I cleaned 5 suites last week which is quite enough, they are definitely harder work and less lucrative.
Cheers
oug
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Its very rare to clean a Leather suite that are not beige, these are the only one's that show up the soil that get stuck in the grains.
Often when I'm quoting at the customers house I get out some microsplitter brush & cotton towel and clean a small dirty area and some are amazed what a difference can be made.
Phil
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leather cleaning can be done by the customer but why not sell conditioning and protection.
Shaun
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Hi Phil,
Do u clean leather with M/S then?
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Yes, but only the Land of Leather type suites, anything expensive or un-usual I would walk away as I dont have enough knowledge.
In the New year I do intend to do something about getting Leather training.
Phil
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Thanx Phil, i clean a fair bit of leather, using stuff from either LTT, Prochem or Chemspec, apply conditioner and protector too.
Does anyone else on here clean leather with M/S ? What results do you get as opposed to propriety brands of leather cleaner...??
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I am looking for three or four other guys to do the leather cleaning course with, sometime in January or February date to be fixed as yet. I have been in contact with Andy from LTT and he says it's £400 per day but split between four or five students it works out much better.
If any of you guys or ladies interested please get in touch with me.
wotnocloud@hotmail.co.uk
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Still waiting for LTT to get back to me re Free courses Quote Judy
Book me on ether one Essex or Farnham and let me know. Unquote
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=27295.0
Phil
Did you get booked into one of there venues? Think I’ve been blown out! ??? ???
Mike
Hard floor/wood/Mabel, there has to be a niche market out there! Only today went to a house very upmarket area, only one carpet in the entire home stairs and landing, did get a pw job out of them in the summer subject to site survey.
Len
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"Its leather all it needs is wiping with a damp cloth, that why i bought leather"
Because that's what DFS and the like tell them!
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Still waiting for LTT to get back to me re Free courses Quote Judy
Book me on ether one Essex or Farnham and let me know. Unquote
http://www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=27295.0
Phil
Did you get booked into one of there venues? Think I’ve been blown out! ??? ???
Len
Len happy to go to the Farnham one if you go.
Can you remember what the date was?
Phil
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Phil
Of course I remember Key words, bit like elephant = mice = jump = wife (what a trainer pigging out on the roses today, yesterday and the day before)
16th Feb. Farnham bit of a trot for you! Essex would be nearer and you would save £3.80 toll charges or are you biting at the bit a month earlier.
Still feel blown out and it not Christmas day (Quote 7th Nov Have got all your bookings entered. Will contact you all shortly.
Regards
Judy unquote)
Len
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What a load of unbelievable negative nonesense.............
Are you men, or mice.........
If you don't offer Leather Cleaning / Conditioning, as a service, how the hell do you expect anyone to know?
I have been cleaning leather suites for nearly twenty years and although it's true, that a damp cloth soaked in diluted Lux flakes will keep leather suites looking fresh, it's a very boring job and takes a bit more than 15 mins.
Do you wash your car, or get it washed for you, for a couple of quid. Likewise, do you wash your windows, or get a window cleaner to do them for you.........?
We've had a number of Dralon suites, over the years, which my wife cleaned regularly, with a clean, damp cloth. This kept the fabric " as new " for the time we owned the suites, just as the same treatment would keep a leather suite clean..........if done often enough, BUT, very, very few people can be bothered to do this.
The majority would love to have their sutes clean and fresh at all times, BUT, they can't afford, or believe the charges made by some cleaning companies are excessive, so they either, leave then too long, or make a half hearted effort, with Fairy liquid, or Saddle soap and realise there's a little more to it.
If you TELL YOUR CLIENTS that you clean leather and you charge realistic prices, you will get plenty to clean.
Incidentally............I live in the Northern part of the UK and leather sales have been higher up here, pro rata, for years.
But then, we 've always been the UK's innovators, in most things, BINGE DRINKING and football hooliganism, excluded.
Have yourselves a POSITIVE and PROSPEROUS 2007.
Best wishes to you all.
robbie
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I went on the LTT taster the other day, i agree with Shaun, if set up properly there is certainly money to be made in selling protector or a protector service, a suite should have the protector applied about once a quarter ish and doesnt take very long so why not get them on a DD and charge your minumin call out once a quarter to call and protect thier suite. Only problem with this would be when customer see's how easy it is to apply at which point you could sell em the protector yourself. Worth looking at.
Dene
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contact ben at furniture clinic top guy knows his stuff will sort u a course for£100
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contact ben at furniture clinic top guy knows his stuff will sort u a course for£100
i agree Ben is the best. attended his course and LTT and found that Ben was a better value course. also he is more approachable and friendly :)
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Aquamagic
Where did you get the idea, that protection should be re-applied on a quarterly basis. If applied properly, protection will last 5 - 6 years and will survive several cleans.
You can tell whether it's still protecting, or in many cases, whether it's ever been applied, in the first place, as soon as you prespray, or spray / test.
If someone has told you, protector should be re-applied quarterly, something, less than honest, is taking place.
robbie
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Seems you are confusing a 'protected' leather (this is another name for a pigmented leather) and leather protector.
Leather protector will need applying 2-3 times a year depending on the type of leather you have and the colour.
A protected leather should last a lot longer than 5-6 years if it is regularly protected with leather protector.
A 'protected' leather is a leather with a clear coat finish (something like varnish on wood) this is often confused with the protection process that is applying a non permanent layer to the surface to sit between the finish coating and the dirt.
We could go on for a long time about this but it is important to protect finish coatings as body oils and general soiling will damage them which is why they need to be cleaned as damaged finishes can be expensive to repair.
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Hi all,
I am thinking about getting into leather cleaning in the new year and getting some training, what with all the new leather suites being sold ;D theres got to be a market for it.
I've seen a few posts on the easy types to clean and ones to steer clear of, whats the easiest way of telling, (without getting too technical ;))
regards
steve
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Judy,
I'm not confusing Protected, with Protection, in fact, I was mistakenly thinking that Aqua M
was referring to all suites, rather than Leather when referring to 3 monthly applications of protector, but I am shocked, that it's being suggested Protection is required on such a regular basis.
You stated some time ago, that the only conditioner required for leather, was water and anything else, was a waste of money and unnecessary.
Not sure what your advocating for Protection, as in my 20 years of cleaning and trialling products, I've only used one Protector on finished leather, which worked in exactly the same way as a Protector on fabric.
I only used this a few times, as I failed to see any real benefit and the outcome, as is usually the case, when adding on costs to consumers.............is longer periods between cleans, or requests for the basic cleaning, only.
It's all very well, suggesting that the cleaning services, add on as much as possible, to maximise sales...........but I'm afraid, the reality, is quite different.
With furniture prices getting lower, including leather, consumers are not going to accept a cleaning cost, which represents around 20% of replacement cost............neither would I.
Everyone is looking for VALUE and this is generally perceived as COST EFFECTIVE.
This doesn't mean CHEAP, but it must represent GOOD VALUE FOR MONEY and cleaning a leather suite, is a lot easier than cleaning fabric, so why "kill the goose"
If there is a drop in individual cleaners volume, of work, perhaps they should take a close look at.....
What standards they are delivering
What they are charging
How they present themselves
and be totally honest about the results.
Being polite, well mannered and giving an impression of confidence and competence, goes a long way.
robbie
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Hi all,
I am thinking about getting into leather cleaning in the new year and getting some training, what with all the new leather suites being sold ;D theres got to be a market for it.
I've seen a few posts on the easy types to clean and ones to steer clear of, whats the easiest way of telling, (without getting too technical ;))
regards
steve
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Judy
Which one am I on? You called it! Please have the courtesy to tell me.
Len
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Was it something you said, Len ?
All the posts from Judy B have been polite and informative, but she seems to be " slinging you a deaffy "
robbie
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Len
At the moment the Farnham course is fully booked for the morning session. If we get other enquiries I will be splitting people out into their preferred morning or afternoon slot. This will be done early in the new year. Anyone who has booked a place so far is guaranteed one. As this was being filled from 2 places I have to wait until the new year to get any numbers from the NFS. Looking forward to seeing you all there on Feb 9th.
I am not ignoring everyone we have just been very busy.
There still seems to be the same confusion as before over 'conditioning' and 'protecting'.
The only 'conditioner' leather needs is moisture (water) so conditioners that contain waxes oils and silicones will probably not be doing any good. These are very different to protectors. Protectors act like a scotchgard and protect the finish on the leather from dirt and oils. On an unfinished leather they inhibit the leather from absorbing dirt and oils.
I do not know of any protector on the market which will last as long as 5-6 years. There is one that lasts up to 2 years but people are not prepared to pay the price of it and also like ones that have to be reapplied as there is re-sales to be made. There are not many very good protectors on the market which is why it is important that you know how to test the one you are using to make sure it works efficiently otherwise there will be no benefit. Many suppliers have now calling their product a protector instead of a conditioner without changing the product which means that they do not work properly as a protector. Even more reason to test. There are some good ones on the market, protectors that work are usually more expensive due to the chemicals they are made from and the testing that goes into them.
As for testing leathers:
Leathers are usually simply classified as A: Aniline, P: Pigmented, N: Nubuck. Unfortunately with the many cross over leathers that are now on the market these categories are not sufficient any more. We like to classify leathers as those that will absorb moisture and those that do not. Leathers that do not absorb moisture will clean well if the right products and proceedures are used. Those that do absorb moisture need to be cleaned in a different way and there are other very easy products that can be used to make them look good again. It is best to test moisture absorption with a foamed cleaning product rather than water as some leathers are hydrophobated which would repel water but will not repel a cleaning foam. (This often happens with Nubuck)
However if you want to specifically identify what leather you have there are 5 tests that will tell you the type of leather you are dealing with.
Visual
Touch
Scratch
Moisture absorption
Microscope (this needs to be a 30x to be able to see the correct results, a linen tester or magnifier will not show the same details) A microscope test will enable you to see exactly what has been done to the surface of the leather.
Anyone who is interested in learning should come on one of our free workshop sessions in the New Year.
Hope this helps everyone.
Kind regards and a Happy New Year to everyone.
Judy
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just back in from doing 500 leaflets 90% of suites i seen in L/Rm windows were leather and wooden floors........ :'( :'(
when you coming to scotland with your leather courses?
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Will be doing a free session in either Glasgow or Edinburgh in the New Year, just trying to finalise some dates.
Regards
Judy
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Judy
are you doing any courses in the new year for the south west, we get a bit forgotten about down here (Dorset/Devon)
I know several who would be interested if only it was a bit nearer us?
Exeter / Bournemouth would be good ;D
regards
steve
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We may well be doing one in that area shortly. When we can finalise dates I will make sure they are posted on here so that you all know. We will be covering as many places as we can during 2007.
Regards
Judy
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Glad to hear you're coming, hopefully, to the Glasgow area, soon, it's an awful lot easier to park around Glasgow than Edinburgh.
What kind of premises do you require, I'd be happy to find somewhere suitable.
robbie
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Robbie
Thanks for your help
Can you give me a ring in the New Year and I can let you know what our plans are.
Thanks
Judy
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I to would be interested in attending one of your courses if it was down in the southwest area Exeter Devon.
matt
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Leather cleaning supplies can be purchased online from here and other useful information on brand new site
http://www.furnitureclinic-trade.co.uk/
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Matt
Will be getting down that way soon. Will keep you all posted as they are added to our list. The response has been excellent.
Don't forget any of you who are in the area to come and see us at the Furniture Show. See the latest products and pick our brains while you are there.
Regards
Judy
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Could be interesting at the furniture show Ltt v Furniture Clinic
(http://www.odeon.gr/MEDIA/MediaRepository/10200261/gunfight_at_the_ok_coral.png)
;D ;D
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How pathetic
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How pathetic
Sorry but its not me who has been so negative towards furniture clinic it's been you.There for everyone to see on all the forums ::)
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Steve
Didn’t someone use a Buntline special, but a side by side is far better for close quarters ;D
Len
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We have exhibited alongside many companies at the Furniture Show over the last few years including some of the good suppliers and we get on with all of them.
I have commented on the forums only to make sure that the correct information is given as there is so much misinformation given on other sites about leather.
Regards
Judy
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Judy it was meant as a joke don't take things so personally I use both yours and Ben's products its horses for courses.
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I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Gateshead on the Furniture Clininc Training Course.
Repairs and respraying look so simple when taught like Ben shows you.
I was shown and also did clean, repair and re antique a very old Chesterfield that was there to practise on. You could have passed it off as new.
I would definately recommend going on a www.furnitureclinic.co.uk course, it's training that is made to be fun and simple and there is absolutely no pressure to buy anything while you are there, even the dinner was free!!
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How much was the course Shaun ?
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Its £100 for 1 day course
£200 for a 2 day.
I really am thinking of doing something regards learning about Leather.
Never seen anyone advertising repairs.
Phil
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Thanks Phil
I have sent them an email to get info.
Leather is the future, no doubt. ;)
Chris
ps Hows she running ? My baby was a little diamond over the busy christmas period !
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Repairs take practise which is time but they are simple enough, it's a very well structure course and you get your hands dirty so to speak.
I sometimes feel let down with the quality of some courses but I would go on this course again, it's the best 1 I've been on since I started cleaning in 1988.
And I'm independant, I know judy from LTT does come on the forums and I have no problem with her or her products but I chose this route and am delighted with it that is why I would whole heartedly recommend Furniture Clinic.
Shaun
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LTT are to expensive.
Stupid prices.
A bit of competition will do us all good. ::)
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Getting silly, with the last comment, particularly, when you get so many posters who swear, they won't work for less than " x " pounds and anyone who works for less, is a cowboy, or whatever.
If cost matters to you, does that mean, you're a miserable git, not worth wasting time on, or does it mean, you are just like most people out there, seeking value for money.
I was on the same course as Shaun, although I managed to get there on time !!!!!!!!!but I will still go to the open day, that LTT are running, soon, in my area.
I agree with Shaun, that it's probably the best presented course I've been on, with no holding back. All questions were answered fully and adequately.
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Ah ya moaning Scot! how are you?
Had to give you a head start so you could catch up! and the A1 decided to throw lorries at me!!
Shaun
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The wind had a good attempt at blowing me off the road, on the way home. How was the Friday course ?
robbie
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The best day of the lot, cleaned, repaired and dyed, fantastic!!
Shaun
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where are the courses at Shaun?
YOUR VAN LOOKED GOOD on motorway today , easy to spot!
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So to learn about all 3 subjects its going to be £400.00 & 2 journeys to Newcastle?
Not quite what I thought is was going to be! Suddenly the LTT courses seem better value, or am I missing something here?
What is the difference between repair & restore & which one would be the most useful to attend?
Phil
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So to learn about all 3 subjects its going to be £400.00 & 2 journeys to Newcastle?
Not quite what I thought is was going to be! Suddenly the LTT courses seem better value, or am I missing something here?
What is the difference between repair & restore & which one would be the most useful to attend?
Phil
Depends what your after Phil some people only want to clean and not get involved in the repair side.Obviously with the Ltt course cleaning and repair is covered which some may not want on the downside their large cleaning/repair kit and travel/accomodation to the course you are looking at near to a £1000 for the 2 days.Then you pay to use their logo too.Really its down to each individuals needs Ltt carry courses out at the flood school for lads down South.
Furniture clinics courses are designed to cover each subject individually
Leather repair covers
This course is designed for somebody with knowledge of the different leather types and the ability to clean and care for leather. The course is one step up from this and teaches leather repair. We allow no more than 3 people on this course so you get indepth training and virtually one on one tuition.
What you will learn to do and repair;
* Scuffs & light Scratches
* Cat scratches on seating cushions and on the sides
* Rips, tears, burns & holes
* Light cracking & surface abrasion
* Touch up work on rub off leathers
* Use of an airbursh to touch in faded areas & chemical spills
* Colour Matching
* Grain copying to make an invisible repair
All repairs are carried out on items of upholstery so you can get experience of real life situations
Leather restoration covers
This is the most advanced course we teach in leather. This course teaches you how to restore leather to a new condition. A maximum of 3 people at a time attend this course making it very hands on with a high level of tuition.
Structure
The older leather is, the more chance it is badly damaged - and there is a lot of old leather out there. In car interior and upholstery furniture the leather wears away, cracks and becomes rough. The first thing this course looks at is repairing cracking and other damage to the leather and then completely restoring its colour. This makes the leather look like brand new.
The next skill to be taught is colour change and re-finishing. These are both simple to learn and do as they are just a follow on from restoring the colour. It is possible to change the colour of leather from any one colour to another.
The final thing we look at, which is also suprisngly easy to pick up, is re-applying antique finishes to leather. This is where you get bright patches of colour showing through on chesterfields where the top caot colour has worn away.
Leather cleaning covers
The leather cleaning course is designed for the complete newcomer to leather cleaning. The course teaches everything you will need to know to professionally clean, condition, protect and remove stains from leather.
1. Background of Leather: Learn how leather is made and why we use it.
2. Leather Types: Learn how to identify the different leather types.
3. Cleaning: We look into the different techniques used to clean the different types of leather.
4. Conditioning/Protecting: You will learn about conditioning and protecting leather, how it works and why we do it.
5. Ink & Stain Removal: Simple methods to safely remove ink and other stains from the surface of leather.
6. Re-Finishing: A simple task that is sometimes necessary with old leathers. You will be taught how to quickly and professional re-apply the transparent finish (lacquer) to leather that wears away with use.
http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Training.htm
LTT course
Description For the complete newcomer the course will give a thorough introduction to upholstery leather and an excellent foundation for warranty service work. For experienced furniture technicians it is designed to give the knowledge to confidently assess and, with practice, repair and restore damaged leather.
The course begins with a brief overview of the tanning process as a background to upholstery leather, followed by an in depth look at the types of leather, and the treatments and finishes applied to leather that are likely to be encountered in the furniture market. Leather identification is a key factor in successful repair work so several techniques will be taught to assist in identification.
A product range will be thoroughly reviewed and their recommended uses demonstrated for each type of leather as appropriate. This will include:
- Cleaning and routine maintenance
- Removing light scuffs and scratches
- Ink removal (new and old)
- Repairing surface damage
- Cuts and punctures
- Colour mixing and colour applications
- Grain copying
- Aniline cleaning and colour restoration
The course involves a lot of ‘hands on’ experience and there will be the opportunity to use all the products and work with a selection of leather types. Items of furniture are available in the workshop for practice. The Leather Clinic one day course always follows on from this course and many students make use of the opportunity to practice their new skills under supervision
http://www.lttsolutions.net/training.asp#
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Thanks Steve
The 2 day LTT course covers all the items covered in the 3 day course at Furniture Clinic so it now appears that having put his course up by 50% he is more expensive. 3 days out of work, 2 night accomadation etc.
At LTT all the individual subjects covered are done in depth and hands on, They are taught by a qualified instructor with 20+ years experience in the industry using products that have been tested and developed with many years experience.
Leather cleaning is very easy and does not take long to demonstrate but what is important is to understand leather identification and what can and cannot be repaired or 'cleaned'. If you do not cover these things on a course for cleaners then they will make many mistakes and will not be able to correctly advise the customer on what can be done. Cleaning leather throws up all sorts of other potential problems and it is imperative that the cleaning technician understands the theories of repair and restoration even if he does not practice it himself. Therefore, in our opinion it is much better to combine all the elements in one course so that the technician/cleaner has the full picture
In addition we also teach colour mixing which is a very important part of repair work. I know you can always get colour mixed for you but it is useful to know how to adjust colours for repair.
I think the £1000 quoted by Steve also includes the price of a repair kit and this would be the same at Furniture Clinic unless he is still giving them away.
The difference in the courses is how they are taught and the experience of the tutors involved. LTT have been training in the UK for 5 years now and have trained over 1000 technicians and Andy Alcock was a leather repair instructor in the States before that. He was also a troubleshooter in the States for one of the biggest Warranty companies in the world (at that time) so his background knowledge of leather repair and restoration is second to none. All our technical staff are IICRC and LTT trained and therefore offer the highest standard of technical support that is available.
You pays your money and you takes your choice.
Regards
Judy
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Phil did Dave ring you about my offer, might useful to you regarding leather cleaning.
Mike
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Hi, Ben from Furniture Clinic! :D
To clarify a few things. All a carpet and upholstery cleaner needs to learn is covered on the 2 day course. The cost for this is £250 + VAT.
The reason I increased the price was because I am only allowing 3 people on the repair courses. This is so I can offer a better level of tuition and guidance. I had 6 on the last course, and although I have had great feedback, I would rather reduce the numbers so that when people leave the course, they will be more confident to go out and actually start making repairs.
The restoration course looks into resotring complete items of upholstery. We repair and re-antique a leather sofa. Change the colour of some small upholstery and do touch up work and fix problems by restoirng the colour on other items of upholstery. This course is more suited for an upholsterer or someone who has their own workshop.
--> So if you book the leather cleaning and repair courses you will learn everything you need to know to go out and clean and repair leather.
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So,
A 2 day course at the Furniture clinc teaching you everything you need to know is £250.00
A 2 day course at LLT with everything you need to know is £350.00
What is different about the LLT Workshop at £400 for 4 people.
I know nothing about Leather so would I be better off going on the 2 day courses?
Phil
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Hi,
I do not know whats on the other £400 course at LTT.
What I do know, that for a carpet & upholstery cleaner. Especially one who is just starting to add leather clenaing. That it is best to attend just the leather clenaing course or do a 2 day course.
If you are travelling from luton aswell, your probably best doing the 2 day course to save having to travel back up north again! On the repair course we provide you with the technical info and knowledge to make the repairs, show you how its done and let you practice..........we then give you some upholstery to take away so you can perfect your skills.
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The workshop days for £400.00 are generally run for technicians who have had some experience in the field (Leather Technicians who have worked for other companies etc) and/or have had some degree of training previously. (IICRC, LTT etc.) They then come to spend a day in the workshop. It covers whatever is required by the delegates and the agenda is agreed and discussed beforehand.
This usually tends to be a corporate day for businesses with multiple technicians/cleaners which gives them the chance to test and practice things under supervision in our fully equipped workshops, however there are often individuals who just want a days workshop experience and we can put people together when required. We have one running on the 28th February with a couple of places that can be filled. If 4 delegates share these days it only costs £100 + VAT per delegate.
If you are just starting out the best way is to attend one of our free courses on leather cleaning which will enable you to make a start and decide whether the further courses are worth you investment. The 2 day course is then the best one to do.
We also do corporate technical courses for companies with multiple technicians which are the same as the 2 day course in content and package. These are done at a cost of £750.00 + VAT per day for a maximum of 8 delegates, this then works out cheaper for them than sending individual technicians on the monthly courses. These can be done on any days to suit requirements and we generally do about 2 or 3 per month.
Hope this clarifies things
Judy
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To help differentiate between our courses please red this. It should make things more clear.
We run three training courses.
1. Leather Cleaning Course
2. Leather Repair Course
3. Leather Restoration Course
Each gets more advanced as it goes down the list 1-3.
Leather Cleaning Course - This course teaches the newcomer everything they need to know about leather, how its made, why we use it and how to clean and care for it. It also looks at ink and stain removal and re-finishing, with both leather colours and lacquers. This course is ideal for carpet and upholstery cleaners as it teaches you everything you need to professionally clean and maintain leather, not only that, but it also teaches you how to rectify any damages you may cause to the leather. Things like a peeling finish (common on cheap leather) and colour loss, which may happen when removing stains.
Leather Repair Course - This course teaches you everything you need to know to make simple cosmetic repairs to leather.
- scuffs & scratches
- rips, tears, burns & holes
- surface wear, rough areas and abrasion
- colour loss due to chemical spills and worn areas
- topuching up antique finishes
- aniline/pull up restoration
- cat scratches on full grain leather and on finished splits
- grain copying
- colour matching with water based colourants and also repair compounds
- airbrush work
So if you want to offer the complete service as a leather repair technician this is the course you need. It teaches you everything you need to know to go into someones house or in your own work area and make any type of repair to leather. Not only that but we only allow a maximum of three people on the course so it is very indepth with a high level of tuition. Very hands on and we work only with real upholstery after teahcing you the basic skills.
Leather Restoration Course - This course again, is a step up from the leather repair course. Where the repair course looks at making small and simple repairs to the surface of leather. This course looks at restoring complete items of upholstery to a new condition.
- re-antiquing
- restoring the colour to old and very worn furniture
- changing the colour of leather
This course also looks into the applications prior to re-colouring leather. For example, smoothing over the surface and filling in cracks and badly worn areas.
This course is more suited to someone like an upholsterer or someone with workshop space.
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The 2 day LTT course covers all the items covered in the 3 day course at Furniture Clinic so it now appears that having put his course up by 50% he is more expensive. 3 days out of work, 2 night accomadation etc.
NOT TRUE.
No where does it say on your website that you re-antique a whole arm chair or change the colour of leather. That is what our leather restoration course is about.
It appears Judy, that my course for 2 days is £250. Thats £100 cheaper than yours. Not only that but it covers all the same topics. There is also only 3 people maximum allowed on the course so each student will have a higher level of tuition, rather than if there were 6+ students to one teacher.
Judy, I do not like the way you b*tch about my company, it is totally unprofessional and I suggest you stop doing it.
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Everything is covered on our 2 day course including re-antiquing and a demonstration of pigment restoration, with hands on if required (corporate courses would cover this in detail). Re-antiquing is a standard part of our course as it is such a common problem to come across. Cleaners need to know about this as some of the finishes today will wash off just with water. Pigment Restoration is demonstrated to show technicians what can be done. As we do a lot of recolouring work in our workshop for the insurance industry there is always samples to show this.
Our facilities and teaching methods adequatley cover the training of up to 8 delegates and all delegates are given practice on all elements. We have a fully equipped workshop and separate training room which enables us to cover practical and theory work to a high degree. Andy has professional teaching qualifications in a practical subject so teaching this number has never been an issue
All we are aiming to do is give people a clear indication of the courses available.
As we have now outlined Andys qualifications and extensive experince in the work we do maybe you could let us know what qualifications/experience you have as a teacher/trainer and what experience you have had carrying out technical work in the field which enables you to train to the level you do. This way people will be able to judge for themselves which way they want to go and have a true picture of both lots of courses.
The website is currently being re-vamped and will include many more features than it does at present. Anyone booking our course is fully aware of the contents.
I have always treated posts in a professional manner as with the entire running of our business and have only stated facts about our own business and any information that has been posted. We are here to support the technicians in the industry.
I feel that it is others that have caused the problems between us and am sorry if you feel this way.
You are (and always have been) more than welcome at LTT if you want to see our set up.
Regards
Judy
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As we have now outlined Andys qualifications and extensive experince in the work we do maybe you could let us know what qualifications/experience you have as a teacher/trainer and what experience you have had carrying out technical work in the field which enables you to train to the level you do. This way people will be able to judge for themselves which way they want to go and have a true picture of both lots of courses.
Well, everyone of my products has been designed and made based upon previous experience working at earnshaws and head of production at Clariant. For anyone who doesn't know.........those companies made/make the finishes that are used on leather, the pigments and the lacquers and the dyes. Not just for a short while either, we have over 15 years experience in making and designing those finishes.
So, who better to make the care and repair products for leather, than the people who designed the finishes on the leathers?????????
In addition to that, we have been retailing and manufacturing cleaning and care products for over 10 years now, and developed the repair side of things over the last 2/3 years.
We have no training in this field, as everything we do and make has been designed by us. So who could actually train us? Everything has been developed by us, and is constantly under development.
Andy has professional teaching qualifications in a practical subject so teaching this number has never been an issue.
Regardless, the smaller the group the easier it is to teach, the more your customers learn.
Pigment Restoration is demonstrated to show technicians what can be done.
So it is not the same. We teach it and let people have a go. Not just demonstrate. That is the difference...........so the courses are not the same.
I feel that it is others that have caused the problems between us and am sorry if you feel this way. You are (and always have been) more than welcome at LTT if you want to see our set up.
Thats fine Judy, I hope we can get along in the future. It may be best for you to not respond about what other people say then, especially when that response comes negatively towards my company.