In simple terms, special effect leather upholstery almost always consists of two coats of color applied at different times to achieve a specific look.

It normally goes something like this:

1. A lighter, base coat of pigment (not dye)

2. A darker, effect coat of either pigment or dye.

The basic idea with effect leathers is to make a pigmented leather appear to be more aniline, or natural looking. Adding the effect coat gives the piece more depth and variation, which is exactly what solid colored pigmented leathers lack. These are sometimes called bi-cast leathers.

This is very appealing to both customers and furniture store salespeople because they can get the best of both worlds: The look of aniline with the durability of painted leather… sounds great, right?

The challenge

Top grain aniline leathers show all markings and they change with age. Some people want their furniture to look the same for its entire life.

With the wide range of effect leather available, it makes sense to the leather-buying public. Or at least it did until the last decade or so. Until then, manufacturing techniques involved using quality pigments and finishes.

Unfortunately, the industry has seen a rather dramatic shift in practices and many companies have chosen to use cheaper, more available pigments and finishes. Why is this important to understand? Because the industry has seen a huge increase in the demand for effect leathers, mainly for a single reason: Effect leathers cost less.

These are often the “leather” sofas selling for $400. This should be the first tip-off to the consumer — but it's not. Most consumers are driven by price. The furniture stores love effect leathers because they are far easier to sell.

But, as technicians, when we encounter a bi-cast/effect piece, it is critical to perform extensive testing to prevent damage.

Let's be clear on one thing: Effect leathers are not always durable during cleaning.

If an effect leather was properly manufactured, it has a good base coat, the effect coat is applied and then the finish (usually polyurethane) locks it all together for years of enjoyment.

If it is a low-quality effect piece, many times the base coat is applied correctly — which is the easy part — but the effect coat is nothing more than tinted finish. It has even been discovered that some companies have used aniline dyes for the effect because they are transparent color. If all of this is not identified prior to cleaning, you can and usually will remove color.

What to look for

1. A two-tone effect, involving light and dark colors together

2. The furniture is relatively new; less than 10 years old

3. The customer has never had it cleaned professionally.

Number three is very important information. Remember, cleaning is the routine removal of soil. If it has never been cleaned, then there is an abnormal accumulation of soil, which is highly destructive and can cause damage to even quality leather color.

If we are not cautious, the top (effect) color can be removed right along with the soil.

Avoiding the problem

Do more than a quick visual test. Look for variation in color. Sometimes, the effect is very subtle. Take your time. Follow procedure. After visual test, perform your scratch test. You will not see a scratch.

Continuing to follow procedure, you should come to the wet test. This type of leather will not absorb moisture. This is where technicians get into trouble. Never conduct a large-area test.

With a clean towel wrapped around a finger, gently apply the aniline cleaner to several places on the furniture. Many leather pieces are not 100 percent leather. Sometimes, they have vinyl outside panels. If you do not see color movement, then you may proceed with gentle cleaning of the piece.

If it is heavily soiled, then you must understand that aggressively cleaning could set you up for failure. You must assign responsibility of soil. It is not your dirt.

Chris Hulsey has nearly 20 years of industry experience and is the senior corporate instructor for Stanley Steemer. He is an Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC)- approved instructor for CCT, UFT, WRT, ASD and LCT, and is an IICRC Master Textile Cleaner and Master Water Restorer. He can be reached at Chris.Hulsey@steemer.com.