Product Overview
Hair-on-Hide Zebra & Cow Rug Cleaner & Conditioner Kit H4 Plus by Leather Doctor cleans, rinses, hydrates, and fat liquors the hide, and protects the hair.
Kit H4 Plus is an upsize version of Kit H4 with extra concentrates when mixed with distilled water yielding up to an extra 1.64 quarts of Hydrator 3.3 and 1.58 quarts of Fatliquor 5.0 respectively to cater for bigger size or dryer hides.
This is an innovative leather-safe, pH 3 - 5 system formulated for keeping hair-on hide at its highest level of appearance, enhancing its softness and strength, and preventing premature aging that leads to stiffness, curls, rips, and tears.
The telltale sign of hide or skin starving from fatliquor (fat and oil) is the creases, wrinkles and fold lines during shipping or storage that fail to make the rug lay flat.
As the hide or skin is almost returning to rawhide with a lack of fatliquor it becomes noisy when contact as the fiber becomes stuck together.
The reverse suede side that is not seen is vital in producing a pleasing appearance and needs to be relaxed and softened up.
Fatliquoring to rejuvenate and soften the suede side is accomplished by Hydrator 3.3 first to relax and separate the stick-together fiber before fatliquoring.
Fatliquor 5.0 fat plumps and the oil lubricates the suede for softness without a darkening effect. A well-rejuvenated hide or skin will lie, as flat without curls to the edges is a job well done.
Clean the suede side with Clean 3.8 and Rinse 3.0 using a Brush 4, Eraser 5, and towel extract.
The hair side is cleaned with Hair 5.5, followed by Rinse Hair 4.0, towel extracts, and groomed with Brush 4.
Protector S Plus is a silky-feel rub-resistant protector that lubricates the hair from abrasion wear when the hair is rubbed. It imparts non-stick properties to shield the hair from silky soiling as a preventive care. Moreover, it diffuses a classic leather scent to charm.
Content - People Also Ask:
1* How Cleaning, Hydrating and Fatliquoring is done on the Hide side?
2* How Cleaning and Conditioning is done on the Hair Side?
3* How Hydrating and Fatliquoring Option is done from the Hair Side?
4* How to Lay Flat a Curl Hair-on Rug?
5* How to Hydrate to Relax a Hair-on Rug?
6* How to Fatliquor to Soften a Hair-on Rug?
7* What is the Hide or Skin Approximate Quantity or Percentage of Fatliquor?
Products used Clean 3.8, Rinse 3.0, Hydrator 3.3, and Fatliquor 5.0.
Tools used are Hide Brush 4, Eraser 5, Towel, Vacuum Cleaner, Plastic Sheet, etc.
Step-1. Dry Soil Removal:
1. Vacuum off any foreign soil with the help of the Hide Brush 4.
2. Exfoliate to renew the fresh nap with the help of Eraser 5, followed by a vacuum cleaner.
Step-2. Wet Soil Removal:
1. Apply Clean 3.8 and agitate with Hide Brush 4 and Eraser-5, then towel extract until it appears clean.
2. Spray Rinse 3.0 and towel extract until it is completely clean and squeaky.
Step-3. Hydrating:
The hydrating process relaxes the hide or skin of stiffness from diminishing the original fatliquor.
Fatliquor diminishes as the hide or skin ages, accelerates when exposed to direct heat, and evaporates as VOC (volatile organic compound).
Stiffness results from water damage when the fatliquor leaches out, and when it becomes dry back, the fibrils stick together.
Hydrating is to precondition the hide or skin for fatliquoring; it helps to relax and separate the stick-together fibrils and opens up the inter-fibrillary spaces for effective colloidal water movement within the hide or skin structure.
Hydrator 3.3 facilitates wick-up foreign contamination to be towel extracted when damp and erased when crispy dry.
Hydrator 3.3 plumps the hide or skin to ease away the unnatural creases and wrinkles.
Hydrator 3.3 stabilizes the pH integrity of the hide or skin and charges the protein fiber ionic positive below its pH neutral to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative fatliquor more effectively.
It is recommended therefore to hydrate the hide or skin to an optimum level by prolonged dwelling, with moisture oozing out when gently pressed between the thumb and fingers.
Kill Mold 3.6 is recommended to control pre-existing mold growth.
1. Hydrator 3.3 is sprayed with foam brush control to hydrate the entire thickness of the hide or skin. Extract with a dry absorbent white terry towel to inspect for an even appearance without blotchiness, and it is ready for immediate fatliquoring.
2. Severe dryness or stiffness will require a longer dwell time of up to 72 hours with evaporation control, covering with a clear plastic sheet. When the hide or skin is plump, limp, and laying flat, extract until the towel shows dry or about 25% reading from a moisture meter and immediately proceed to fatliquoring.
Step-4. Fatliquoring:
Fatliquor 5.0 an emulsion of fat and oil originally introduced to the hide or skin to impart its desirous suppleness continues to diminish through evaporation as it ages, accelerated when exposed to heat.
Fatliquor content diminishes through leaching as well in a non-leather-safe solution and manifests as stiffness when the skin becomes dry again.
Fatliquoring is done with “fatliquor-in-a-bottle” as a spray-on instead of the original immersion method.
Fatliquor is the lifeblood of leather derived from fats, oils, and water.
Fatliquor a microemulsion when applied penetrates the leather and hydrogen bond with the hide or skin protein fiber.
Fatliquor fat content plumps the skin with fullness, the oil content lubricates the individual fibrils, and the encasing water breaks free leaving the inter-fibrillary spaces void for natural transpiration.
Effective fatliquoring will leave a non-greasy or non-oily surface when dry.
Fatliquor, besides softening the skin with flatness, it enhances its rip tensile strength greatly.
Fatliquor relaxes coarse breaks, creases, and wrinkles and prevents cracking.
Fatliquor helps to keep the skin at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature aging.
1. Fatliquor 5.0 is applied with foam brush control for an even appearance.
2. Repeat application between drying time as the water contents evaporate until it is saturated.
3. The fully saturated hide or skin is left for slow natural drying for extra softness.
4. Use Eraser 4 to remove wick-up soiling residue and inspect for visual satisfaction.
2* How Cleaning and Conditioning is done on the Hair Side?
Products used Hair 5.5, Rinse Hair 4.0 and Protector S.
Tools used are Hide Brush 4, Towel, Vacuum Cleaner, etc.
Step-1. Dry Soil Removal:
1. Vacuum off foreign soiling with the help of Hide Brush 4 at a slant angle.
Step-2. Wet Soil Removal:
1. Hair 5.5 is applied brush along the lay of hair in one direction and towel extract until it shows clean.
2. Rinse Hair 4.0 is applied and towel extract to a squeaky clean.
3. Let natural drying and dry towel wipe off wick-up soiling.
Step-3. Non-Stick, Rub-Resistant Protection:
1. Protector S Plus is shaken well misted and brushed in with a towel to pick up soiling at the same time.
2. When dry thereafter groom with Hide Brush 4 or a slick comb for best appearance and it is ready for use.
3* How Hydrating and Fatliquoring is done from the Hair Side?
Products used Hair 5.5, Rinse Hair 4.0, Protector S, Hydrator 3.3 and Fatliquor 5.0.
Tools used are Hide Brush 4, Towel, Vacuum Cleaner, etc.
Step-1. Dry Soil Removal:
1. Vacuum off foreign soiling with the help of Hide Brush 4.
Step-2. Wet Soil Removal:
1. Hair 5.5 is applied, brush along the lay of hair in one direction and towel extract until it shows clean.
2. Rinse Hair 4.0 is applied and towel extract to a squeaky clean.
3. Let natural drying and dry towel wipe off wick-up soiling.
Step-3. Hydrating:
Hydrating from the hair side is inevitable when the back is stitched up without direct access.
Hydrating is for relaxing stiff hide for effective fatliquoring and working together to rejuvenate the leather for suppleness with softness and strength.
The strength of the hair depends on the health of the hide or skin and when it becomes too dry the hair easily falls out with friction rubs.
Hydrating is to relax the skin of stiffness from diminishing fatliquor.
Fatliquor diminishes as the skin ages, accelerates when exposed to direct heat, and evaporates as VOC (volatile organic compound).
Stiffness is common from a water damage situation too, when fatliquor leaches out, and when it becomes dry again the fibrils stick together.
Hydrating helps to relax and separate the stick-together fibrils and opens up the inter-fibrillary spaces for effective colloidal water movement within the hide or skin structure.
It facilitates wick-up foreign contamination to be towel extracted when damp and erased when crispy dry.
It plumps the leather to ease away the unnatural creases and wrinkles.
It stabilizes the pH integrity of the skin and charges the skin protein fiber ionic positive below its pH neutral to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative fatliquor more effectively.
It is recommended therefore to hydrate the hide or skin to an optimum level, with moisture oozing out when gently pressed between the thumb and fingers.
Prolong dwell time will maximize the effects with the help of covering with clear plastic to prevent evaporation.
Kill Mold 3.6 is recommended to control preexisting mold growth for caution.
1. The hair is combed back to reveal the hide or skin or grain and Hydrator 3.3 is applied directly into it to wet out and saturate the hide or skin.
2. Effective dwell time to relax the skin may take up to 72 hours with plastic covering for evaporation control depending on the severity of dryness.
3. When hide or skin is hydrated limp and relaxed, excess moisture is terry cotton towel extracted until the towel shows dry.
Step-4. Fatliquoring:
Fatliquor 5.0 is an emulsion of fat and oil introduced to the hide or skin to impart its desirous suppleness.
It continues to diminish through evaporation as the skin ages, accelerated when exposed to heat.
It diminishes through leaching when flooded or through an alkaline solution and manifests as stiffness when the skin becomes dry again.
Fatliquoring is done with “fatliquor-in-a-bottle” as a spray-on.
Fatliquor is the lifeblood of hide or skin derived from fats, oils, and water. On application, it penetrates the leather and hydrogen bonds with the protein fiber.
The fat plumps the skin with fullness, the oil lubricates the individual fibrils, and the encasing water breaks free, leaving the inter-fibrillary spaces void for transpiration.
Effective fatliquoring will leave a non-greasy or non-oily surface when dry. Fatliquoring besides softening the hide or skin with flatness, fatliquor enhances its rip tensile strength greatly.
It relaxes coarse breaks, creases, wrinkles, and curls and prevents cracking.
It helps to keep the hide or skin at its optimum physical performance and prevent premature aging.
The hair attachment on the hide or skin depends much on the health and strength to hold it.
1. The hair is combed back to reveal the hide or skin. Fatliquor 5.0 is applied directly into it to wet out and saturate the hide or skin.
2. More is applied when the water contents evaporate leaving behind the fat and oil, it is repeated until the pre-calculated desired amount is replenished.
3. The hair is clean with Hydrator 3.3 by spraying and wiping it off with a terry towel.
Step-5. Non-Stick, Rub-Resistant Protection:
1. Protector S Plus is shaken well and mist sprayed evenly and brush-in with towel to pick up soiling at the same time.
2. When dry thereafter groom with Hide Brush 4 at a slant angle or a slick comb for best appearance and it is ready for use.
4* How to Lay Flat a Curl Hair-on Rug?
Cowhide and other hair-on rugs may not lie flat the first time or may eventually curl up again at the edges.
This refuse-to-lay flat phenomenon is directly related to the dryness of its original fatliquor (ionic negative charged fat and oil).
The optimum average percentage of fat and oil content averages 14% (read from a leather moisture meter or equivalent).
Moisture meter may show percentage fluctuation of fat and oil moisture level from area to area when a rug is first put to lie flat and as the rug ages the edges that curl normally reflects drops in percentages of fat and oil content as well due to evaporation.
To rectify and put the rug to lay flat to satisfaction, the rug has to be hydrated to even out its uneven tension in addition to fat and oil content replenished to increase its suppleness.
Without topping up its fat and oil content the rug will stiffen up and eventually lead to rips and tears easily.
5* How to Hydrate to Relax a Hair-on Rug?
1. The rug is turned over to the suede side.
2. Soiling is removed with hide Brush 4 and deteriorated fibers are exfoliated with Eraser 5.
3. Suspended soiling is vacuum dust-free.
4. The thickness of the hide is saturated to an optimum level with moisture oozing out when gently pressed between thumb and fingers with Hydrator 3.3.
5. While still damp, it is then worked using a spatula from the center to the edges to flatten the lay.
6. Troublesome areas may need reapplication of Hydrator 3.3 and work over again until satisfaction.
7. With inspection satisfaction of flattened rug, the hide is towel clean extracted from the center to the edges until a dry cotton terry towel shows clean and dry.
6* How to Fatliquor to Soften a Hair-on Rug?
1. Before the hide dries Fatliquor 5.0 is applied and distributed with foam Brush 2 or Brush 4 to saturation.
2. With each almost-drying cycle more fatliquor is applied until the pre-determined amount is replenished to achieve the desired average 14 percent of fat and oil content when dried.
3. The hide is left for slow drying for extra suppleness and ready to be flipped over ready for use.
7* What is the Hide Approximate Quantity of Fatliquor?
Fatliquor (fat and oil) contents retained in the hide or skin after a universal modern tannery fatliquoring process may vary up to 14% depending on the leather type and its usage.
Fatliquor content percentage drops as the fat and oil diminish or leaches through aging, water, heat, or alkaline overexposure.
Fatliquoring is based on the weight of the hide or skin to the percentage of remaining fatliquor.
A simple calculation of the percentage of fatliquor topping-up requirement would be as follows:
If the weight of the hide or skin in question is 100gm and the fatliquor (fat and oil) content meter reading is less than 1%.
Applying 80gm of Fatliquor 5.0 will deliver a result incremental of 13.3% fatliquor when dry as the 66.6% water contents evaporate.
In the hide or skin fatliquoring system, Hydrator 3.3 relaxes, opening up the inter-fibrillary spaces, facilitating and redistributing colloidal water movement, protonating, and doing all the pre-conditioning work before fatliquoring including cleaning up any excess surface remnants to have a sticky-free surface.
In practice with severe dryness, the ratio for Hydrator 3.3 is 2 to 1 of Fatliquor 5.0.
It is approximately 160gm of Hydrator 3.3, plus 80gm of Fatliquor 5.0 to replenish 100gm dry leather from less than 1% back to the original tannery up to 14% fatliquor content.
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Edited on December 20, 2023 by Roger Koh
