In Part I we discussed Aniline Leather and what it is and how to clean it. Now we are going to discuss Semi-Aniline Leather:
Semi-Aniline Leather is leather which has been dyed, very similar to Aniline Leather, except that there is a protective coating on top. This coating is usually extremely thin allowing the leather to feel very natural and supple. With this type of coating it can be clear, tinted, or dyed. Unfortunately, this thin coating does not hide defects of any kind so only a few are treated this way. For instance, if the hide is dyed red, then the coat used over it will be clear. The dyed clear coat is very unforgiving so you will need to be very careful.
With this type of leather you will need to keep it treated by frequently cleaning and vacuuming it. You can find Semi-Aniline leather in, for example, the Ford King Ranch. This type will repel water which protects it from stains but as mentioned above it will show scars, cuts, natural surface grain and more. This would be exactly like what you would expect for Aniline Leather.
How you would clean it:
- Saturate a sponge in a bucket of lukewarm water.
- Squeeze the sponge so it is moist and put some product on the sponge.
- Work the product into the sponge until you have a foam to work with.
- Apply the foam to one panel at a time – this is important…work in small sections. Gently rub the sponge over the panel for agitation – in some cases you may have to use a soft-haired brush (such as a nail brush).
- Wipe the panel clean with a microfiber towel to remove the soap residue and suspended soils.
- Repeat steps 1-5 for the entire seat/section of leather. Keep in mind that those areas of your upholstery that get exposed to skin will require special attention.
- After you are finished wiping down the leather with the cleaner product you should buff the leather with a dry microfiber towel to remove any excess cleaner from the seams and cracks as well as dry the surface and prepare it for the conditioner.