Not all leathers are the same and understanding the type of leather you have is important so that it can be cleaned and cared for with the correct products. Take our interactive Quiz below to quickly and accurately identify your leather type and receive some of LTT Leather Care's top tips!
PIGMENT COATED or PROTECTED Leather
For further information see our Leather A-Z
Pigment Coated or Protected Leather
Used on furniture leather and on most car interiors
How to test:
To see if you have a pigment coated or protected leather put a drop of water on the surface and see whether it soaks into the leather or stays on the surface
If the water stays on the surface you have this type of leather
Leather that has a pigment coated surface with a clear coat finish
Protect from new with Ultra Leather Protect
Regularly clean with Lazy Leather particularly on the contact areas of the furniture
Deep Clean with Ultra Leather Shampoo or have professionally cleaned once a year
Products containing oils or waxes (including conditioners) should be avoided on this type of leather
Ink – this will always be easier to remove if the leather has been protected – use Ink Remover as soon as possible (for further information see Removing Ink from Leather)
Urine and Bacteria – Use Em Clean
Dye transfer – this is very common on pale coloured pigment coated leather that has not been protected – for easy removal use Jean & Dye Transfer Remover Kit and once resolved protect with Ultra Leather Protect
Other types of leather in this range include Two Tone and Antique Leathers which are treated in the same way, however care should be taken in the cleaning process as the top coatings are not always as stable as on single colour pigments
Two Tone Leather
Antique Style Leather
Nubuck
Nubuck Leather
Nubuck Sofa
For further information see our Leather A-Z
Nubuck or Suede leather
The softest and most expensive of all the leathers
Nubuck will have a ‘nap’ on the surface that feels like a billiard table
The nap will change the shade of the leather if you run your hand across in different directions
Nubuck is created from Full Grain leather that has been buffed on the surface to open up the fibres, this make is very soft but also very absorbent
Nubuck should be protected very regularly with Waterstop protector and cleaned with a Nubuck Brush and Nubuck Cloths
DO NOT attempt to wet clean Nubuck with any type of wet cleaning system including foam cleaners as these will not work
For technical problems such as stains or body oils please seek professional advice
Nubuck should not be mistaken for Alcantara which is a fabric created to look and feel like Nubuck
ANILINE or PULL UP Leather
Aniline Leather
Pull Up Leather
For further information see our Leather A-Z
Easily absorbs stains and spillages so should always be protected annually with Aniline LeatherGuard and regularly cleaned with Aniline Cleaner
Spillages - remove as soon as possible and clean the whole panel
Body oils or grease build up - use Leather Degreaser
Body Oils on leather
Mould, odours or bodily fluid stains - use Em Clean
Ink Removal – generally speaking ink cannot be removed from these types of leather - DO NOT use ink removing products – take further advice
SEMI ANILINE Leather (Micropigment)
For further information see our Leather A-Z
A Full Grain Leather with a finish of clear coat or a fine layer of pigment to make the leather more serviceable
The surface will be natural and smooth – natural scars may be visible
This type of leather may absorb spillages after a short time which will leave the area darker
Body oils or grease build up - use Leather Degreaser
The leather may be slightly absorbent but not as absorbent as an Aniline Style leather
The leather will feel soft and warm to the touch
Semi Aniline leather should be protected with Aniline Leather Guard and cleaned on a regular basis with Aniline Cleaner
Semi Aniline Leather can fade over time
Faded Colour – if your leather is absorbent you can use Aniline Dyes to restore colour loss
For less absorbent leather use Leather Recolour
Ink – it is best to take professional advice on the removal of ink as it will depend on the finish on the leather for the method used (link to Contact us)
Grease – due to the absorbent nature of the leather body and head oils can be absorbed on the contact areas – use Leather Degreaser to remove
SEMI ANILINE Leather (Micropigment)
For further information see our Leather A-Z
A Full Grain Leather with a finish of clear coat or a fine layer of pigment to make the leather more serviceable
The surface will be natural and smooth – natural scars may be visible
This type of leather may absorb spillages after a short time which will leave the area darker
Body oils or grease build up - use Leather Degreaser
The leather may be slightly absorbent but not as absorbent as an Aniline Style leather
The leather will feel soft and warm to the touch
Semi Aniline leather should be protected with Aniline Leather Guard and cleaned on a regular basis with Aniline Cleaner
Semi Aniline Leather can fade over time
Faded Colour – if your leather is absorbent you can use Aniline Dyes to restore colour loss
For less absorbent leather use Leather Recolour
Ink – it is best to take professional advice on the removal of ink as it will depend on the finish on the leather for the method used (link to Contact us)
Grease – due to the absorbent nature of the leather body and head oils can be absorbed on the contact areas – use Leather Degreaser to remove
