he Royaltone process
for wetcleaning suedes and leathers consists of the following
steps: Acceptance and inspection; stain removal; classification
of loads for wetcleaning; procedures for wetcleaning; drying
methods; and finishing techniques.
Acceptance and inspection
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Conditions of use or abuse include wear
and tear. Conditions of manufacture include trims and buttons.
Natural conditions include tick bites,
belly wrinkles, vein marks, scars and other markings that
originate during the time the animal was wearing the skin used
to make suede and leather garments and items.
Stain removal methods
Stain removal on suedes and leathers is
very different from stain removal on cloth items. First of all,
live steam is NEVER used when spotting suede or leather.
Next, stain removers formulated for use on
cloth items should not be used on any suede or leather item as
they will cause color loss and damage the skin.
Finally, crusty stains are removed from
suede by abrasion or scraping the stain off the surface of the
suede.
Prespotting materials
While many water soluble stains on suedes
and leathers can be removed in the wetcleaning process, there
are some stains that may require prespotting to dissolve them.
As in drycleaning suedes and leathers, traditional wet side
stain removal agents should not be used as they will adversely
affect the color and softness of the skins
Use only a safe, biodegradable
prespotter designed specifically for use on suedes, leathers
and cloth trim in wet cleaning like Royaltone’s Leather
Magic prespotter. It is not necessary to flush the Leather
Magic from the skins before wetcleaning as it will rinse out in
the washer.
Stain removal materials
Solvent soluble stains on suedes and
leathers must be removed before wetcleaning. Stains like paint,
oil, grease and ink on suedes and leathers require water
soluble stain removal products that are formulated specifically
to flush out in the washing machine without removing color,
finish or softness of the skins.
Typical oily type paint, oil and grease
stain removers, made for use on cloth in drycleaning or laundry
should not be used on suedes and leathers. Use only a safe
water soluble non-oily paint, oil, and grease stain remover,
like Royaltone’s Spot Magic, and a non-oily ink stain
remover like Royaltone’s Ink Magic, both of which are
designed for use on suedes, leathers and trimmed cloth in
wetcleaning. It is not necessary to flush the Spot Magic Ink
Magic non-oily ink remover from the skins before wetcleaning as
they will rinse out in the washer.
Spotting procedures
Apply the prespotter to water soluble
stains with a hand sprayer or an air pressure sprayer. Work the
stained area with a brush or spatula if necessary. Do not use
any steam! Wetclean to flush out.
For solvent soluble stains like paint,
oil, grease and ball point pen ink, first wet the suede or
leather thoroughly with the prespotter wetcleaning prespotter,
then apply the non-oily water-soluble POG. Work work the
stained area with a brush or spatula as necessary. Do not use
any steam! Rinse out by wetcleaning immediately.
For most types of ink stains, first wet
the suede or leather thoroughly with the wetcleaning
prespotter, then apply the non-oily water soluble ink stain
remover. Work the ink stained area as needed with a spatula or
brush. Do not use any steam! Rinse out by wetcleaning
immediately.
Dry spotting method for suedes
On suedes, but not leathers, crusty stains
can be removed by first scraping or abrading the stains from
the surface with an abrasive material. Scraping or abrading
crusty stains from the surface of suedes is called abrasive
spotting. The abrasive material used is called the abrasive
spotter. It is a special emery cloth strip with a specific type
and size of grit that will remove the crusty stain without
harming the suede surface.
Abrasive spotter, abrasive spotting
To scrape crusty stains from the surface
of suedes, apply pressure to the abrasive spotter as it is
scraped back and forth across the stain several times in all
directions. This is usually enough to break through the crust
of the stain. Then, any staining material that has soaked down
into the skin may be removed by dissolving it with the stain
removers as explained above.
Stain removal summary
Dry spotting: Scrape
crusty stains off suedes with royaltone’s abrasive
spotter.
Prespotting: Apply
the wetcleaning prespotter; work with a spatula or brush and
wetclean.
P.O.G. Spotting: Apply the prepsotter, wet thoroughly, then apply
the non-oily POG, brush or use spatula and wetclean.
Ink spotting: Apply
the prespotter, wet thoroughly, then apply the non-oily ink
remover, brush or use spatula and wetclean.
Frank Lucenta is president of Royaltone
Co., Inc., a firm that manufacturers the products he developed
to make it possible for any cleaner to safely and profitably
dryclean, wetclean and finish any suede, leather, fur and
trimmed cloth garment. He also wrote related instruction books
that document the process, entitled “Handling Leather and
Suede” and “Cleaning and Finishing Leather and
Suede.” He also teaches small groups of plant owners and
managers how to identify, accept, spot, dryclean and wetclean,
press and recolor suedes, leathers, and furs using his
Royaltone procedures and products. The next Royaltone Leather
training sessions are scheduled for June 5-6 and Sept. 11-12 at
the Royaltone Suedemate Leather Cleaning Center in Tulsa, OK.
For more information on training sessions or on spotting charts
in either English or Korean, call (800) 331-5506, (918)
622-6677, fax (918) 665-6017, or e-mail frank@royaltone.com. Information is also available on the Royaltone
web site, www.royaltone.com.
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