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Leather cleaning is an acquired skill to be able to work with the various types of leathers on the market today. Basically, there are three groups of leather furniture on the market today:
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Pigmented leathers are the only ones that can be successfully cleaned & are recommended for high use situations. These leathers are recognised by their many different colours, glossy appearance & firmness to touch.
Aniline & Semi-aniline leathers are more "natural" looking leathers, usually with a smooth soft finish.
Nubuck has a suede appearance giving a very soft feel & raised "suede" finish.
Once these leathers have become soiled & discoloured through a lot of bare skin contact, mainly in the head rest & arm rest areas, they are extremely difficult to restore. This is accentuated with lighter colours in the dye. They are more suited to conservative usage.
Before cleaning, as with fabric upholstery, the furniture is carefully inspected for cracks, colour loss, top coat loss, unstable repairs in the hide, stability of the top coat & pigment. Potential problems if any, are discussed with the customer, BEFORE cleaning commences. A small section is cleaned to demonstrate the potential result the customer can expect.
Cleaning is usually done on-site. Using drop sheets to protect the flooring surface, & flood lighting to highlight all the surfaces to be reached, varying strength cleaners are employed, depending on the soiling.
When all surfaces have been cleaned, a protective cream is applied, containing fatliquers, to help preserve the surface of the leather from the effects of body oils & perspiration. They also help to keep the leather from drying out in certain circumstances.