National Clothesline

Customers will occasionally bring in a suede or leather garment that has been improperly cleaned by another cleaner.

Such garments can be satisfactorily restored in most cases. However, the restoration process can be time consuming and expensive because it requires specialized spray equipment and materials, is highly labor intensive because it may require masking and preparation, and will require the use of expensive materials like special leather finishes and suede dyes.

Improperly cleaned suedes and leathers usually exhibit one or more of the following problems:

1. Dried out skins.

2. Stiff hard skins.

3. Faded color on suedes or naked skin leathers.

4. Lost surface color finish on painted leathers.

5. Color faded from the suede or leather onto the cloth portions or onto adjacent contrasting colors of suede or leather panels.

Suede and leather garments require special prespotting, cleaning, softening and spray applications with dyes or paint finishes to restore the original color and finish.

Leather garments may also require complete removal of the original finish and spray application of a pigmented surface finish plus special pressing and plating before and after spray finishing.

Although the chances are good for satisfactory restoration of the garment after improper cleaning, it should be remembered and pointed out to customers that the garment they brought in is unwearable as it is and that you will attempt to restore it to a wearable condition at their risk.

After processing the improperly cleaned garment, it may appear to be different because it may not be possible to completely return the stiff skin to its original softness, the skin may still feel dryer than it was originally, the color may differ slightly from the original or the color on a suede may not be perfectly even in an area that was improperly spotted and the color was lost.

Because of all the variations that might occur in restoring an improperly cleaned suede or leather, it is advisable to require a customer release before accepting garments that were improperly cleaned.

It is also advisable to obtain at least partial payment in advance to cover the costs to be incurred before investing time and materials in the restoration of a previously improperly cleaned suede or leather garment. The customer may decide that the finished product is unsatisfactory and refuse to pay for it and let you keep it after you have paid for the cost of the restoration or made the investment of time, effort and materials yourself to restore the leather or suede item.