National Clothesline

The purpose of the rinse cycle in wetcleaning suede, leather and trimmed cloth garments is to provide prefinish conditioning to impart added softness to the leather with a special leather softener conditioner and increase firmness of the leather with a special leather sizing conditioner.

When the rinse cycle in the wetcleaning process for suede and leather is used to prefinish condition and soften the skins prior to drying and finishing, a leather softener conditioner product like Royaltone’s Leather Soft is added to the rinse water.

Add four ounces of the leather softener conditioner per suede or leather garment (or one ounce per pound) to the wetcleaning water in the washer.

Use cool water at a low level with a water temperature of 100°F or less.

The washer should remain loaded with no more than one half of its rated poundage capacity with dry weight suede, leather or trimmed cloth garments.

Rinse for three to five minutes to soften and condition the garments.

When the rinse cycle of the wetcleaning process for suede and leather is used to add body and firmness to limp skins prior to drying and finishing, a leather sizing conditioner product like Royaltone’s Leather Size is added to the rinse water.

Add one to two ounces per suede or leather garment (or one-half ounce per pound) to the wetcleaning water in the washer.

Use cool water at a low level with a water temperature of 100°F or less.

The washer should be loaded with no more than one half its rated poundage capacity with dry weight suedes, leathers or trimmed cloth garments.

Rinse for three to five minutes to firm up the garments.

Author’s note: Do not attempt to use products that are not specifically formulated for use with suede and leather. The safe suede and leather products referred to in this article must be specially formulated to process suedes, leathers and trimmed cloth without causing color loss, color bleed, color transfer, stiffening of the skins or matting down the nap. Products made for use with cloth items will not give the same results when used as described in this article.