Why do we use a foam cleaner to deep clean leather?
Why do we need to protect our leather?
Why do I need to deep clean my leather?
Why do we use a foam cleaner to deep clean leather?
Foam cleaning is a far gentler way of cleaning leather than spraying liquids that can do permanent damage to the finish. Foam cleaning using water based leather cleaners such as LTT Leather Shampoo or Ultra Leather Shampoo helps to rehydrate the leather and is the safest way of deep cleaning your leather.
Foam cleaning allows for dwell time which increases its cleansing properties & allows the foam to get deep into the grain pattern on the leather gently lifting out the dirt. It avoids streaking which is most associated with spray & liquid cleaners which can often stain the leather permanently
Dirt can be removed from the leather more effectively as it is held in the foam, most liquid cleaners simply move the dirt around on the surface
It is recommended that you deep clean your leather once or twice a year depending on colour and usage.
Lazy Leather can be used as an ongoing maintenance cleaner to help keep your leather clean and free from day to day dust and soiling.
Why do we need to protect our leather?
Prevention is better than repair
LEATHER PROTECTION is an essential element in leather care.
Although the product which is waterbased does act in some ways as a ‘conditioner or feed’ (by helping to re balance the moisture level in the hide) it does not add oils, waxes or silicones which can be detrimental to modern leather finishes.
Its primary function is to form a barrier between the finish on the leather and any soils that may settle on it, helping to keep the leather clean and helps to avoid costly repairs.
Dirt comes in several forms:-
Dry soils
These consist of dust and microscopic particles. These are abrassive and act in a similar way to fine sandpaper on the leather finish when subjected to friction (being sat on!)
Sticky residues
Fats and oils or similar things transferred from clothing or spills not properly cleaned up. If these are not damaging in themselves they act as a 'glue' to dry soils that may come into contact with the surface and hold them there making the ‘sandpaper’ effect more destructive, and dusting or wiping less effective as a cleaning process.
Body oils
Body oils from heads and hands (or any bare skin) are the main culprits but body oils can also migrate through clothing. Due to the porous nature of leather (even on finished leathers), these will tend to sink into the surface quickly. Of all the ‘dirt’, they can be the most damaging because the acids in the body oils will have a destructive action on leather and leather finishes, causing pigments to break down over time and causing stains on Aniline style (absorbent) leathers.
Dye transfer (and ink)
Although thses are technically not dirt, both can cause very difficult problems to resolve and need treating as soon as they become apparent. Delay can make them very difficult/impossible to remove. Pale leathers in particular should be treated with LTT Ultra Leather Protect to help prevent dye transfer building up.
LTT Leather Protect or LTT Ultra Leather Protect can reduce or eliminate the destructive effect of all the above. All LTT Leather Protectors are a fluoro-chemical formulation in a water base. On application the water will either soak into the leather (‘conditioning’ it) or evaporate and leave a porous residue* on the surface. This layer does not alter the leather finish in any way but acts as an extremely effective barrier against dirt.
This allows the dirt to remain on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away.
*this property is necessary to allow the leather to continue to 'breathe'
Dirt can still be absorbed into the leather but will take much longer to do so
Regular maintenance cleaning will help to keep your leather in the best condition by removing the dirt from the surface. These two easy steps eliminate the need for ‘conditioning’ products which (if they contain oils, waxes or silicones) may be detrimental to the finish on the leather. Maintenance cleaning products such as Lazy Leather do not remove the protection when cleaning but when deep cleaning has taken place with LTT Leather Shampoo or LTT Ultra Leather Shampoo which are detergent cleaners the protection must be reapplied.
Aniline Leather
Sensitive leathers such as Aniline style leather (those that absorb moisture easily and surface mark), will need more regualr protecting to help prevent the absorption of body oils.
Pigment coated leathers
Pale pigment leathers will require more protecting and cleaning than dark leather but dark leathers should still be cleaned regularly and protected as the dirt will still be present and will damage the finish in the same way.
Why do I need to deep clean my leather?
Your Pigment Coated (Finished) leather should be deep cleaned or professionally cleaned once or twice a year depending on usage and colour. Ongoing maintenance cleaning (high wear areas) in between deep cleans can be done with Lazy Leather
IMPORTANT NOTE:- If you have just purchased new leather furniture we strongly advise that you apply a coat of LTT Leather Protect or Ultra Leather Protect. This will help in resisting dirt and stains and make future cleaning much more successful. It is particularly important if your leather is white, cream or pale coloured as this will help in resisting and removing dye transfer.
PLEASE NOTE:
1. Two-tone, sauvage, and antique finishes, even on new leather can sometimesbe delicate and wash off (always test product first)
2. Excessive body oils (from hair, skin etc.) may show as dark or tacky areas that mark pale when scratched. These areas should be cleaned very carefully as there is likely to be damage to the surface. If there is any sign of colour loss stop immediately and get advice
ITEMS REQUIRED:
LTT Leather Shampoo or Ultra Leather Shampoo
Sponge
LTT Leather Protect or Ultra Leather Protect
White Lint Free Cloths
PROCESS:
Lightly vacuum or brush the surface if there is excessive dust and dirt present. This step will not normally be necessary for regular cleaning.
Add 4-5 drops of LTT Leather Shampoo or Ultra Leather Shampoo into a small bucket of warm water and using the sponge wipe down the surfaces to be cleaned, rinsing the sponge regularly.
This will introduce moisture to the surface and start the cleaning process.
Now, using the foaming bottle, apply foam to an area to be cleaned (outside arm, back cushion etc.) and allow to sit for 15 to 30 seconds or so.
The foam on its own will start to lift the dirt.
Then agitate gently with the sponge rinsing frequently and adding more cleaning product as required. The size of the area you work will depend on how quickly the foam dissipates.
After agitation you should lift the foam off with absorbent paper towel (or terry towels).
If the foam is allowed to dry then any dirt that it holds will be left on the surface.
When you have cleaned once, check the results and repeat the process as required.
Several gentle cleans are better than one heavy scrub. It may not be necessary to clean the whole piece of furniture each time.
Outside arms and backs will not get as much dirt or body contact as the seats, arms and back cushions and may only need cleaning once or twice a year.
Contact areas (seats, arms and back cushions) will need cleaning more often.
On white, cream or pale coloured suites if a blue/grey shading remains after several cleaning attempts please read our article on Dye Transfer
After cleaning your leather always treat with LTT Leather Protect or Ultra Leather Protect.
