Aladdin's Leather Cleaning
Aladdin’s leather cleaning department only employs technicians that have been certified in both Leather Cleaning and Advanced Leather Cleaning Courses. This insures that your leather items are handled with complete care by our knowledgeable staff. Below you will find more information about leather and the many different types. Each type of leather will require a different process for cleaning or spot treatment.
In both the leather manufacturing and leather cleaning industries leather is classified into three different categories. Dr. Leo Tork of the Leather Master Corporation originally defined these three different categories to help identify care and cleaning requirements. Here are the three leather categories:
- Aniline
- Nubuck
- Protected
Many leather furniture manufactures have been working directly with Leather Master to have the products classified before they reach consumers. On the furniture’s informational tag the leather should be defined either by name or code. It is important that when caring and cleaning for leather that the proper type is defined.
- Aniline: Cleaning Code “A” also called natural, pure, naked or unprotected.
- Nubuck: Cleaning Code “N” also called distressed, bomber, or suede.
- Protected: Cleaning Code “P” also called finished, semi-aniline, everyday, pigmented or painted.
Aniline leather has very little or no protective treatment applied to it. Sometimes it can have a brushed texture that is soft like velvet. Many people may confuse this type of finish on Aniline with Suede leather, which is a variation of Nubuck. Suede is the flesh side of leather while Nubuck is an affect that is done to the grain side making it incredibly soft. The brushing also makes this leather even more absorbent than Aniline. Leathers that have a distressed finish using wax are the most difficult to identify. Nubuck often reflects the natural grain of the leather or have an endless variety of embossed patterns. Nubuck is very popular in the fashion industry because of its texture and vivid colors. All of these qualities and similarities make Aniline and Nubuck leathers sometimes difficult to distinguish.
Protected leathers are the most common leathers and most practical for consumers. This type of leather is more uniform in appearance and color while maintaining the best aspects of a natural product. Protected leathers have a more uniformed color because pigments are applied to the surface at the tannery; it then has a finish applied to the surface that gives it a resistance to heavy use. However the pigments and protectant applied take away from the softness of natural leather, the more that is applied the harder the surface becomes.
The amount of pigment and finishing that is applied is determined by several characteristics including: color, grade or selection, and level of desired resistance. The lighter the desired color of the finished product is will require more pigment. The selection of leather will require different levels of mechanical correction; lower grades of leather will require more correction for uniformity. Finally, the desired level of resistance will determine the finishing needs. For example, automotive leather would require more resistance to sunlight than leather furniture. To test and see if the leather is protected, lightly scratch the surface, if it does not scratch to a lighter color or leave a mark than it is protected leather.
Leather Care Tips
- Leather should always be at least two feet away from a heating source, such as a furnace vent or radiator. Prolonged exposure will cause the leather to dry out.
- Avoid placing leather furniture in direct sunlight including sunlight from windows and skylights. If leather is exposed to direct sunlight over a prolonged period the color will fade. Aniline leather is especially sensitive to sunlight.
- Leather furniture should be wiped down occasionally with a damp soft cloth to clean off dust. You can also use a soft brush attachment on your vacuum.
