Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: barty on April 21, 2008, 03:36:07 pm
-
Can anybody help,Asked to clean Leather & Suede suite by a new customer no problem with cleaning the leather area but have not cleaned suede before so can you please pass on the correct procdure
-
The first step you need to take is to acertain whether it is suede or a fabric 'look alike'. Buffalo and alcantara can look very much like and are often mistaken for suede.
Suede is very rare on furniture (nubuck is a little more common) and would have been very very expensive (the cost of the suite is always a clue)
If you have trouble deciding give me a ring and I will talk you through. Usually easy to identify with a microscope.
If it is suede it will require a 'dry' approach as anything wet will simply be drawn further into the suede and take any soiling with it. The way we usually approach these is with a napping brush and a nubuck cloth. The napping brush breaks up the surface and the cloth does the cleaning. It is also a good idea to use a suede protector when you have finished as this will help keep it cleaner.
If you try this method on fabric it will ruin it!!!!!
Ring if you need any further help.
Cheers
Judy
-
Picture #1 shows spraying cleaner3.8 to the suede next to the fur trim.
-
Picture #2 shows spraying rinse3.0 thereafter.
-
Picture #3 shows soil extraction.
-
Picture #4 shows dry soil removal after drying.
To Inform! & To Inspire!
Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System
f.com
-
Roger I cleaned my wife's UGG boots with your cleaner and they came up like brand new no kinding (I'll be able to wear them now!)
Shaun
-
You make me smile!
Keep it up!
You can “Wet Clean” suede of any kind safely and effectively with the Leather Doctor® System.
Roger Koh
-
Laughter is theraputic Roger ;D
Shaun
-
Due to the nature of leather it cannot be extraction cleaned as there is no air movement going on so applying wet products only serves to draw the dirt and soiling in further to the leather.
Nubuck and suede are very unstable dye wise and as soiling cannot be extracted, anything on the cloth is more likely to be dye rather than dirt.
The brush is very good as this raises the nap and enables any surface residues of dirt or oils to be cleaned off with a nubuck cloth.
Here to help
-
Roger I got a similar result on my wifes 10 year old suede slip ons that she uses for everything as they are so comfy. I did exactly what you have done in the pictures with the same products and the result was AMAZING, posted the pics a few days ago, dont know if you got a chance to see them.
Roger ive got to say there are some companies a little behind the times now on this side of the pond.
-
Yes, I have seen the picture, Paul.
www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=53515.0
I remember Pete post the result of a baby pink little suede boots too!
www.cleanitup.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=53494.msg450920#msg450920
The following pictures show Blue Jean Dye cleaning on a Puma Suede Shoe.
Picture #1 shows Blue Jean Dye Stains on Puma® Suede Shoe – spot cleaning with spotter4.6™
-
Picture #2 shows Preconditioning with superClean4.0™.
-
Picture #3 shows “Wet Agitation” with suedeBrush3™ after cleaner3.8™ follows with rinse3.0™.
-
Picture #4 shows EXTRACTION – minus the “Airflow and Airlift”.
-
Picture #5 Do you like the Result?
Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System
-
Roger great result 8)
Regarding extraction cleaning and air movement. This is very similar to normal upholstery and carpet cleaning.
I quite often get asked by customers why my stain has reapeared after I cleaned it and it had disappeared.This is usually the case when any volume of a liquid has been spilled onto a carpet or upholstery. What happens is that the stain is cleaned at the top of the fibre or flock and the stain removed,but the residue of the rest of the stain is still in the base.As moisture dries which is upwards the stain/residue then wicks back up the carpet/fibre with the moisture and when dry settles on the surface again( stain reappeared.
Rogers cleaning method is very similar to this as he cleans the suede with chemicals that displace the muck/grease etc and is able to clean most from the surface, the correct acidic type rince will help this. As the leather dries ( outward or upward) the residue that is further down will rise to the surface and when dry can be brushed off. Or it can be cleaned again if the soil is still quite heavy by doing the process again.
Good system Roger and something new for *** to try :)
-
Roger
You have just illustrated, inadvertently, living proof that cleaning in a particular style, is NOT muck spreading, as suggested by some whe can't see beyond HWE.
The principle you've shown so effectively, is vitually the same as the, popular, particularly in the US and Canada, method of cleaning carpets by encapsulation, and O/P machines.
I don't doubt there will be a negative response to this post, but I've been experimenting for a couple of years and Padman in America has a growing fan base of converts / users.
rob
-
But Rob Pad man dont wear Puma trainers :D
-
Never noticed, to be honest, his large hat and Biker beard kinda takes your attention away from his feet.
-
This picture shows Emulsified Dried Wick-Up Barbecue Chicken Grease Removal!
Suede Cleaning is easier than you think!
There is another market segment left untapped – The Dry Cleaners.
Wholesale Garment Cleaning an opportunity?
Any comments!
Roger Koh
Leather Doctor® System
-
Judy you can't get airflow through leather which is true where does the water/cleaner go when being sucked up? what about hard surfaces like amtico floor covering? this has no air flow through it.
The cleaning solution applied can be vacuumed off or spray vacuumed off (HWE) as it is not penetrating onyo the leather backing but rinsing off the layers of dirt and grease infact diluting it and taking it away.
Shaun
-
Shaun
You cannot get airflow through fast enough to draw dirt out. Transpiration occurs in leather naturally that allows it to breathe this is why it can absorb moisture.
The problems that we have encountered when wet cleaning suede and nubuck were that any old dirt that had been drawn into the suede would wick to the surface but could not then be cleaned out of the leather and so the whole thing could look much worse than when you started. You cannot see this problem until the whole thing has completely dried out which on a 3 pce suite would take a very long time. If it then does look worse it is your responsibility to put it right.
We have found the complications and unpredictable results of wet cleaning nubuck and suede (certainly on large items like furniture) are not condusive to running a profitable business.
Hope this helps
-
On pigmented leather HWE works because the water 'bounces' off the coated leather therefore leaveing diluted soils ready for extraction, Roger Koh has explained and uses the IMO best system for suede cleaning.
Shaun
-
Shaun dont beat this one to death mate. We work day in day out with air flow, cleaning and extraction machines so I think we know what we are talking about. It works what you did, Ben has just posted a similar finding on another post.
LTT are far behind the times now and Judy just does not want to move forward. Their loss.
For god sake they havent even got a colour matching machine for dyes and poor Andy has to do it all by eye, no wonder Gunny was waiting 2 weeks for his dye ;D
-
Paul
Your last comment was a bit harsh, LTT have followed a particular path but others, Ben, Roger and yourself have experimented with different methods.
I for one find their products good, as I do Ben's and will have a play with Roger's soon.
With these technical issues it is usually best for all concerned to stick to the technicalities rather than the personalities.
Lets all have a friendly weekend :)
Cheers
Doug