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The Old Grey Whistle Test
King Ranch Leather
Automobile Interior Environment
The interior environment of an automobile can be extremely demanding on any material used. Temperatures range from hot dry summer days, to freezing nights. Both high and low humidity, even air conditioning that cools, but also dries. Leather's greatest enemies are; sun, heat, body oils, perspiration (that contains urea as well as organic salts and acids) and body heat, which causes acids to become more aggressive and alters the viscosity of oils, allowing them to permeate the leathers finish, and ultra violet radiation (UV), which dries the hide, fades the colour by bleaching, and can cause the leather to fail by drying out the fibres causing the urethane and / or the hide to crack.
King Ranch, Chaparral or Castano (Ford F-Series) leather
Leathers which have been both vat (immersion) dyed and have a finish on the surface are referred to as Micro Pigment (automotive-grade aniline) This type of leather has become more popular in recent years because it incorporates much of the softness and feel of fully aniline dyed leather with the protective benefits of surface finishing
Early model Ford F150 King Ranch leather upholstery used unfinished leather but later models switched to micro pigment (automotive-grade aniline) finished leather. This micro pigment finished leather is often protected by a micro-thin urethane, which is sometimes has pigmentation (colour) added, hence the name. It is important to understand that the seats were not intended to retain the pristine factory finish, they will weather and gain character beginning almost immediately; they are also subject to photo degeneration (fading) very quickly.
Cleaning
Remove surface dirt and dust and any body oils, cleaning the seams periodically is important as dirt / grit will abrade the stitching causing them to fail, prise them apart, then use a soft brush, vacuum and then use a foam cleaner, one section at a time, and then finally wipe off with a clean, damp 100% cotton micro fibre towel
The advantage of foam over liquid is the minimum amount of moisture, very important for cleaning absorbent and moisture sensitive leathers.
Use foam cleaner, which should be given dwell time and then gentle agitation with a medium stiff bristled brush to get the product into the materials surface, the low moisture content of foam can then be easily rinsed and the surface dried. Remove excess product and debris with a clean, damp 100% cotton micro fibre towel. If the foam is allowed to dry the soil will be re-deposited to the surface. Check the results and repeat process as necessary
For heavily soiled areas use a foam cleaner (Leather Masterâ„¢ Foam Cleaner) that contains a surfactant that will lift dirt and soil, allow react time to do its work and then use a soft brush to agitate and loosen the dirt (Swissvax Leather Brush) especially on light coloured leathers; this enables the cleaning of the micro pores and creases and lifts the dirt out and reveal any further work that needs doing (dye transfer, stains, etc)
Wet a towel with warm water, wringing out excess. Proceed to wipe the leather to remove any dirt and moisten the surface. If you are working on a large item, do one section at a time so you can apply Leather Masterâ„¢ Soft Touch (ex Vital) while the surface is still moist. This is not ) a conditioner per se but is used to improve and maintain the tactile feel and lustre by rehydration and to ensure the leather remains matte, soft and supple.
Apply a small amount to a clean, damp 100% cotton micro fibre towel, use a circular motion and slight pressure to ensure the product permeates the dried-out pores, but do not push hard enough to damage the leather. Allow 20-30 minutes dwell time and then wipe surface with a dry 100% cotton micro fibre towel.
Protection
It’s essential as it will protect the surface finish, without hindering transpiration, while acting as a sacrificial layer; this way you are not actually cleaning the Leather's original surface, but cleaning from the surface of the protection. It also makes dirt easier to clean off
Leather Masterâ„¢ - Protection Cream (a Scotchgardâ„¢ type product specifically formulated for lather) the polymers penetrate the surface of finished leather and cross-link to form a durable protective film that is breathable, allowing transpiration and keeps the leather supple. Being aqueous (water- based) it restores moisture to finished leather and provides a protective sacrificial barrier against all kinds of soiling, water, oil, alcohol-based stains and perspiration marks, so you are cleaning the protective layer
Ultra violet (UV) protection - 303® Aerospace Protectant will provide invaluable ultra violet (UV) protection against photo degradation (fading); especially in a roadster or convertible vehicle, steering wheel and dashboards
Is water-based and will provide invaluable ultra violet (UV) radiation protection against photo degradation (fading) protection; especially in a roadster or convertible vehicles. It doesn’t contain silicones, so it won't attract and capture dust. You should apply to a clean surface (it doesn’t contain any cleaning agents)
It will not prevent finished leather hydration (transpiration and evaporation of moisture) as it’s water-based, although it coats the leather with a micro fine coating; it will not seal it per se.
Associated Articles
1. “Reference sources and bibliography used for leather articles� - http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopi...graphy-used-leather-articles.html#post1474865
2. “Leather Articles Hyperlinks� http://www.autopia.org/forum/autopia-detailing-wiki/141973-leather-articles-hyperlinks.html