Prespotting tools for suede, leather
respotting suede and
leather garments before drycleaning or wetcleaning requires the
use of spot remover tools as well as safe liquid spot removers.
Spot remover tools are used in combination with safe liquid
spot removers to provide mechanical action which can facilitate
spot and stain removal.
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Spotting brushes made specifically for use
on suede and leather come in two types: the nylon bristle
spotting brush and the wire bristle spotting brush.
Spotting spatulas used for spotting suede
and leather also come in two types: the flat bone spatula and
the flat stainless steel spatula.
Spotting guns normally deliver three
things to the stained or soiled area: safe suede and leather
prespotters, like Royaltone’s Spot Wiz wet liquid spot
remover for drycleaning or Leather Magic wet side prespotter
for wetcleaning; high pressure air; and steam. However, steam
should not be used in spotting leather. Never use steam to spot
suede, leather or fur items!
Spotting brushes
The nylon bristle spotting brush provides
mechanical action when spotting soft suedes and all smooth
leathers. This softer bristle will reduce the possibility of
damaging delicate suedes or by scratching the surface of smooth
leathers.
The wire bristle spotting brush is used
only on tough, thick cowhide and pigskin suedes. These skins
are strong and can easily withstand the extra harsh mechanical
action produced at the head of the wire bristle spotting brush.
Since the cowhide and pigskin suedes can handle the extra
mechanical action, the use of the wire bristle spotting brush
will reduce the time and labor required to work on the stained
or soiled areas on these skins as it reduces the number of
times the spot must be brushed. The wire bristle spotting brush
is never to be used on any smooth leather or soft, delicate
suede.
Spotting brushes may be used with either a
tamping action or a brushing action on the stained or soiled
area to help break up the stain and loosen the soil.
Spotting spatulas
The flat bone spatula and the stainless
steel spatula are both used in the same way as in drycleaning
to work the liquid spot removers into the stains to try to
break them up. The spatula is usually rounded on one end and
pointed on the other end. It should never be used to try to dig
out a stain. It should be held almost flat against the skin and
worked back and forth over the stain in a sliding or rubbing
action to help loosen the stain.
Spotting gun
The spotting gun should be used to deliver
the wet liquid spot remover to the surface of the suede or
leather that is stained or soiled. It may also be used to
deliver compressed air to the surface of the skin to blow away
debris left from abrasive spotting or to dry the surface after
prespotting.
Caution: Never use live steam on any part
of any suede, leather or fur when prespotting it!
Live steam will not pass through the dense
network of interlocking fibers that characterize the skins from
which suede, leather and fur are made. Live steam will only wet
the skin and apply heat to it. This combination of moisture and
heat will cause most skins to draw up and harden. The resulting
ruined item will be a claim. So, don’t do it!
One way to be sure you do not accidentally
apply steam to the suedes and leathers you are prespotting is
to use a hand sprayer to apply the leather prespotters to the
suedes and leathers instead of using the spotting gun. That way
you will never inadvertently apply steam to the leather and
never generate a claim.
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 session is scheduled for April 1-2 and June 10-11 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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