Classifying loads for wetcleaning
Load classifications for wetcleaning suede and leather considers the type of
leather, the color of the leather, combinations of colors on the same leather
item, the weight of the suede and leather and cloth items with leather trim.
Classification by type
The first classification is by type of leather and is accomplished by separating
suede and naked leather items from painted leather and cuir savage leather
items. This separation is
required because painted and cuir savage leathers can lose surface finish color
and gloss as a result of mechanical action if wetcleaned longer than five
minutes. Suede and naked leather items will not lose color if wetcleaned longer
than five minutes using a detergent conditioner like Royaltone’s Prosuede Wet.
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Painted and cuir savage leather items will normally clean easily with a
five-minute or shorter wetcleaning cycle.
Classification by color
The second classification is by color and is accomplished by separating the
suede garments and the leather garments into light colors and dark/bright
colors to avoid unnecessary contact of light and dark items in wetcleaning.
While two ounces per garment of the Prosuede Detergent Plus Conditioner
stabilizes color and protects softness of both dark and light colored leathers,
it is always good practice to wetclean dark or bright colors and light colors
in separate loads.
Classification by weight
The third classification is by weight of suede and leather items and is made on
the basis of differences in the weights of the various types of skins.
Lightweight items made from sheepskin, lambskin, deerskin and trimmed cloth,
etc., are not normally wetcleaned in the same load with heavyweight, stiff,
cowhide and pigskin items. It is always good practice to run separate loads
made up of heavy, rugged, stiff cowhide and pigskin suedes rather than to mix
them with the more delicate lightweight lambskin and sheepskin suedes.
Classification of combinations and trims
This classification begins by separating leather garments made with combinations
of different colored panels of suede or leather from cloth garments trimmed
with suede or leather.
Separate cloth items trimmed with suede from cloth items trimmed with painted
leather. Then separate cloth items trimmed with light-colored suede and painted leather
from those with dark-colored trims.
Combinations of light and dark colors on a single item should be classified as a
dark-colored item.
The item with a dark-colored suede or leather trim must be wetcleaned as though
it was entirely dark-colored. It doesn’t matter if the garment also contains light-colored suede or leather trim or any
type of cloth. The darkest colored suede or leather trim is the critical factor
that determines that the item will be wetcleaned with similarly colored items.
Different colored panels on leather and suede.
Separate combination items made from different colored panels of suede from
those made of different colored panels of painted leather. Then separate items
made from combinations of different colored panels of ligh-colored suede and
painted leather from those with dark-colored panels.
Combinations of light and dark colors on a single item should be classified as a
dark-colored item. The item with a dark-colored suede or leather panel must be
wetcleaned as though it was entirely dark colored.
If the garment also contains light-colored suede or leather panels, the darkest
colored suede or leather panel determines that the item will be wetcleaned with
similar dark-colored items.
Separate trimmed and combination items based on weight. For example, a stiff,
heavy denim trimmed in suede or leather would not normally be wetcleaned with a
silk blouse trimmed in suede or leather.
Likewise, an item that combines various colored panels of heavy cowhide or
pigskin would not be wetcleaned with an item that combines various colored
panels of lightweight lamb skin or doe skin. Separating by weight prevents
damage by mechanical action.
Classification summary
The type of leather, trim or combination on an item dictates the wash time — short for painted leathers, trims or combinations and longer for sueded
leathers, trims or combinations.
The color of the suede or leather, trim or panels determines the items that
should go into a load — light colors or trims together and dark colors or trims together.
The weight of the item determines the other items with which it can be safely
wetcleaned — lightweight items with lightweight items and heavyweight items with heavyweight
items.
