Product Overview
Aniline Waxy Matte Leather Dye Refinishing Kit AM7.cl by Leather Doctor degrease, acidify, clean, rinse, hydrate, fatliquor, dye, seal, and condition waxed leather.
The refinishing process for Waxy Matte Aniline Leather consists of four key stages:
- Cleaning, Hydrating & Fatliquoring, Dyeing & Sealing, and Conditioning.
- Each stage is essential for restoring the leather’s appearance, suppleness, and durability.
A 4-product system is used to remove body oils, grease, sweat, and general soiling while maintaining the leather’s pH integrity:
- Degreaser 2.2 – Breaks down and emulsifies body oils and grease.
- Soft 3.8 – Removes general soiling and residual buildup.
- Rinse 3.0 – Final rinse to remove cleaner residues and return the leather to its optimal pH.
- Acidifier 2.0 – Neutralizes alkalinity and stabilizes the leather’s pH balance.
A 2-product system replenishes lost moisture and fatliquor to maintain the leather’s suppleness:
- Hydrator 3.3 – Rehydrates leather fibers, helping to relax stiffness and improve color saturation.
- Fatliquor 5.0 – Restores essential fats and oils to prevent cracking and maintain leather flexibility.
A 4-product system is used to restore color intensity and ensure a natural matte finish:
- Aniline 21 – A staining dye.
- Adhesor 73 – A prep and enhance adhesion before color coating.
- Dye 21 – A next-generation transparent surface coating dyestuff.
- Matte 21 – A waxy matte topcoat to seal and protect the dyed surface while maintaining its original finish.
A 1-product system creates a non-stick, rub-resistant barrier to reduce wear and prolong the leather’s lifespan:
- Protector W or Protector W Plus – A waxy-feel conditioner that enhances resistance to scuffing, abrasion, and soiling, with the Plus version offering a leather scent.
✅ Degreaser 2.2
✅ Soft 3.8
✅ Rinse 3.0
✅ Acidifier 2.0
✅ Hydrator 3.3
✅ Aniline 21
✅ Fatliquor 5.0
✅ Adhesor 73
✅ Dye 21
✅ Matte 21
✅ Protector W
✅ Brush 1
✅ Foam 2
✅ Towel 5
✅ Eraser 4
✅ Sand 2000
Deep-Cleansing, Leather-Safe Degreaser for All Leather Types:
Degreaser 2.2 Key Benefits:
- Ideal for use on headrests, armrests, collars, cuffs, handles, and steering wheels, this powerful cleaner penetrates deep to lift embedded grime while maintaining the integrity of the leather.
- With a pH value of 2.2, Degreaser 2.2 is leather-safe and prevents common issues like dye bleeding and surface damage.
- Unlike harsh solvent-based alternatives, it cleans effectively without drying out or weakening the leather structure.
- Suitable for all leather types—including absorbent and sensitive finishes like Nubuck and suede—Degreaser 2.2 is an essential tool for restoring and preserving leather’s natural beauty, softness, and longevity.
- Soft 3.8 is among the mildest of cleaners with a lower cleaning power than Strong 4.3 and Super 4.9.
Why Choose Soft 3.8?
- Soft 3.8 is the mildest among the Leather Doctor's range of cleaners which is safe for all leather, nubuck, and suede.
- Always test clean with Soft 3.8 and evaluate the result to your satisfaction before progressively increasing the cleaning power to Strong 4.3 or Super 4.9.
- Accumulated soiling may require the next level of Prep 4.4 preparatory cleaners.
- Penetrated body oil, grease, and sweat requires Degreaser 2.2 and is rinsed with Acidifier 2.0.
- Provides the “just right” strength—a balance between under-cleaning and over-cleaning.
- Part of a holistic leather-safe system: always follow rinse with Rinse 3.0
Soft 3.8 Key Benefits:
- Gently Cleans Without Harsh Effects – Maintains leather’s natural integrity
- Works Seamlessly with Prep 4.4 and Prep 7.7 – Allows for after cleaning of sticky residue
- Prevents Rings & Browning – Ideal for pH-sensitive leathers
- Residue-Free with Rinse 3.0 – Restores leather’s pH balance for long-term care
Rinse 3.0 Key Features & Benefits:
- Removes Suspended Soil – Lifts and extracts emulsified soiling for a clean, residue-free finish.
- Neutralizes Alkaline Residue – Restores pH balance to prevent damage from alkaline overexposure.
- Prevents Tackiness & Dye Bleeding – Stabilizes the leather structure, reducing unwanted texture changes.
- Enhances Leather’s Ionic Charge – Recharges the leather with a positive (+ve) charge, improving its ability to bond with negatively (-ve) charged tanning agents, dyestuff, and fatliquor.
- Preserves Suppleness & Durability – Helps maintain the leather’s softness, preventing stiffness and cracking.
Acidifier 2.0 prevents leather from denaturing, which can lead to bleeding, streaking, tackiness, and structural weakness due to alkaline overexposure.
Acidifier 2.0 Key Benefits:
- Neutralizes alkaline contamination from cleaners, sweat, and body oils
- Prevents dye bleeding and color streaking
- Reduces leather tackiness and improves texture
- Strengthens leather fibers and enhances structural integrity
It mimics the hydration stage of tannery pre-conditioning to prepare leather for deeper structural rejuvenation.
Hydrator 3.3 Key Benefits:
- Rehydrates dried, stiff, or collapsed fiber structure
- Restores moisture to the leather’s protein fibers, relaxing them so they can regain flexibility.
- Essential before fatliquoring (with Leather Fatliquor 5.0) so fats and oils can penetrate deeply and bond properly.
- Displaces and flushes out impuritie
- Helps suspend and wick out residual body oils, sweat, soiling, or alkaline contamination that may have penetrated the leather.
- Balances pH and readies leather for further treatments
- The mild acidic pH of 3.3 re-aligns the ionic charges of the leather structure, making it receptive to fatliquor and protecting against pH damage.
- Helps reduce stiffness and restore suppleness
- When used alone or in conjunction with fatliquor, Hydrator 3.3 is critical for achieving uniform softness, without patchiness.
Tannery science basis
- In professional tanning and retanning, hides are hydrated before fatliquoring or coloring to ensure that treatments penetrate evenly and bond effectively.
- Leather Hydrator 3.3 replicates this essential tannery hydration step at the restoration stage, particularly for dried-out, stiff, or aged leather.
Aniline 21 Key Features:
- Transparent:
- Water-based, transparent, penetrating dye that behaves like traditional tannery stains
- Brilliant Staining Effect:
- Enhances the natural beauty, depth, and character of the leather grain or nap rather than concealing it
- Lively, rich color:
- Produces more vibrant and vivid results compared to most conventional liquid dyes
- Superior lightfastness & fade resistance:
- Offers better UV stability and longer-lasting color than standard liquid dyes.
- Water-based & leather-safe:
- Compatible with Leather Doctor’s tannery science-based care system, ensuring no harm to the leather’s structure or pH balance when used as directed.
- Flexible color shading:
- Can be diluted with distilled water or Leather Hydrator 3.3 for lighter, custom color shades
Application Methods
- Applied using lint-free towels, foam brushes, varnishing brushes, or airbrush (recommended) for best control and evenness without over-wetting.
It restores leather’s internal lubrication, flexibility, strength, and resilience—mimicking the essential fatliquoring stage in professional tanning and retanning processes.
Fatliquor 5.0 Key Benefits:
- Lubricates and nourishes the leather structure
- Fatliquor 5.0 deposits fat and oil molecules that bond to the amphoteric protein fibers.
- These lubricate the fibrils, allowing them to slide over each other without stiffness, brittleness, or cracking.
- Reinforces tensile strength and elasticity
- Proper fatliquoring prevents fiber embrittlement and maintains leather’s natural strength and softness.
- Restores suppleness and prevents future damage
- Leather loses fatliquor over time due to aging, heat, sunlight, alkaline exposure, or cleaning.
- Replenishing it prevents shrinkage, stiffness, and cracks.
- Provides long-term structural protection
- Maintains leather’s dimensional stability and ability to flex without damage.
Tannery science basis:
- In the tannery, fatliquoring is one of the final and most critical stages after tanning and dyeing.
- It ensures that leather stays soft, strong, and flexible as it dries.
- The fats and oils form a molecular film around the protein fibers, acting as internal lubricants.
Fatliquor 5.0 brings this same process to leather restoration.
It ensures the leather is not just “looking good on the surface” but structurally rejuvenated from within.
Adhesor 73 is formulated and designed to:
- Smooth and seal leather surfaces.
- Enhance adhesion for color coating.
- Build uniform surfaces over rough or abraded areas.
- Assist in removing deteriorated finishes.
- Reactivate aniline dyestuff to some extent.
This vivid and bright dye coats the leather surface rather than penetrating it, offering enhanced color intensity and uniformity. It can be applied over existing bronzing-stained dye effects, such as Aniline 21, or over existing finishes to enrich and revitalize the leather’s appearance.
Matte 21 provides a matte luster and a distinct waxy feel, perfectly suited to preserve and enhance waxed aniline leathers while maintaining their natural aesthetic and soft texture.
This wax-enriched topcoat is ideal for upholstery, handbags, garments, and saddlery, offering superior durability, flexibility, and resistance against friction, oxidation, and dye migration.
Matte 21 Key Features:
- Matte finish with a waxy feel of hand.
- Tough and flexible urethane resin formulation.
- Seals and protects aniline dyes.
- Retains the natural look and softness of the leather.
- Recommended for professional-grade refinishing and rejuvenation.
Features & Benefits:
- Matte, Waxy-Feel Conditioning - Provides a soft, luxurious touch without an artificial gloss
- Non-Stick Formula - Shields against sticky soiling and prevents dirt buildup
- Rub-Resistant Protection - Reduces friction wear, scuffing, and stretching for extended leather durability
- Refined Appearance - Enhances the leather’s natural beauty with a finer, non-glossy finish
Offers the same benefits as Protector W, but with an added luxurious leather scent
1️⃣ Degreaser 2.2 (dissolve oils & grease)
- Brush onto greasy/stained areas.
- Agitate gently and allow 10–30 minutes dwell.
- Wipe off emulsified contamination, and continue cleaning.
2️⃣ Soft 3.8 (remove residual soiling)
- Apply by sponge or brush.
- Work with brush for thorough overall cleaning.
- Towel off soiling, and continue rinsing
3️⃣ Rinse 3.0 (rinsing)
- Sponge-apply evenly.
- Wipe clean; ensure no residue remains.
- Towel off soiling, and continue acidifying.
4️⃣ Acidifier 2.0 (pH balance, stabilize)
- Apply onto areas treated above.
- Brush or pad evenly.
- Wipe off dissolved residues.
- Check for a healthy squeaky clean, and continue hydrating.
5️⃣ Hydrator 3.3 (rehydrate & relax structure)
- Saturate leather until evenly moist.
- Allow several hours (or overnight) consistency moist for deep penetration to activate dormant dyestuff, and continue stain dyeing.
6️⃣ Aniline 21 (aniline dye staining)
- Lightly sponge or spray.
- Blend in circular motion for uniformity.
- Even out with Hydrator 3.3, and continue with fatliquoring.
7️⃣ Fatliquor 5.0 (replenishing fat and oil)
- Apply while leather is still damp.
- Multiple light applications, allowing absorption between coats, until desired suppleness is achieved.
- Let dry completely before proceeding
SEQUENCE 5 – DRY-PROCESS (begins with inspection, stretching, surface soiling is removed by eraser, sanding, or dry stripping)- Inspect for soiling condition
- Remove by Eraser 4 (inspect for satisfaction)
- Remove by Sanding 1000 to 2000 grit (inspect for satisfaction)
- Stripping by Leather Razor 60
8️⃣ Adhesor 73 (primer for adhesion)
- Apply evenly and scrub with 3M white scotch pad to remove deteriorating finishes and even out appearance.
- Let dry naturally or with light air flow.
9️⃣ Dye 21 (dye coating)
- Apply thin, even layers by airbrush or sponge.
- Allow each coat to dry before layering additional coats for desired depth of color.
? Matte 21 (protective topcoat)
- Apply evenly by airbrush or sponge.
- Build up layers as needed for desired gloss intensity.
- Let cure thoroughly.
1️⃣1️⃣ Protector W (non-stick, buttery feel)
- Apply and spread with soft towel or applicator.
- Buff gently for even protection.
Stain identification is crucial for effective treatment and is based on six key factors:
Appearance, Odor, Color, Feel-of-Hand, Location, and Buildup or Absorption.
Appearance
- Observing how the stain looks can indicate whether it is a spill, rub-on, penetration, or surface deposit.
- Some stains may cause dye or finish damage, revealing changes in the leather’s color or texture.
Odor
- Smelling the stain can help identify its source.
- Common odors include:
- Moldy (fungal growth)
- Smoke (fire or cigarette exposure)
- Putrid (decaying organic matter)
- Ammonia (urine contamination)
Color
- Color provides a clue to the staining substance but can change over time due to oxidation.
- The leather’s natural color may also influence how the stain appears.
- Red stains: Could be from wine, blood, lipstick, nail polish, or beverages.
- Blood stains: Can oxidize and shift from red to tan, then to black.
Feel-of-Hand
- Touching the stain helps determine its type:
- Sticky: Likely from candy, beverages, or sugary substances.
- Brittle and stiff: Could be nail polish, paint, or shellac.
- Greasy smear: Often caused by lipstick, oils, or butter.
Location
- The stain’s location on the leather provides hints about its origin.
- Headrests & armrests: Usually stained by body oil, sweat, and grease.
- Seat cushions: Often show food or beverage spills.
Buildup or Absorbed
- Stains can be surface-level (built-up) or deeply absorbed into the leather.
- Built-up stains (common on pigmented leather) include paint, food residue, and ink.
- Absorbed stains (common on nubuck, aniline, and unfinished leather) include wine, tea, and coffee.
- Combination stains: Some stains contain both absorbed and surface elements, such as lipstick, ink, and mustard.
- Protein-based stains: Examples include blood, dairy, and egg-based spills.
- Oil-based stains: Often come from grease, butter, and lotions.
- Colloidal stains: May require specialized treatments.
Additional Considerations
- Sweat stains can chemically alter leather, causing tackiness (when dry) or sliminess (when wet).
- Dye stains may show up when wiping with a white towel—this indicates color crocking.
- Fatliquor leaching (spew) appears as a milky film and causes leather to become stiff and prone to cracking.
By carefully identifying stains, you can apply the appropriate Leather Doctor® solutions to restore leather to its original beauty.
- This matrix categorizes common issues with Vachetta into five groups:
- Soil, Stain, Odor, Structure, and Finish (listed in the left column).
- Corresponding recommended products are displayed across the top row.
- Each number within the matrix indicates the steps required to address the problem holistically.
For example:
If a leather issue involves an unknown compound that combines soil, stain, and odor, follow the sequence across the matrix, combining necessary steps from each category.
The process should always conclude with:
- Hydrator 3.3 to rehydrate and relax the leather.
- Fatliquor 5.0 to replenish lost fats and oils, restoring suppleness.
- Protector W conditioning the leather for ongoing durability.
- Technical help and support are available free from the link below:
- https://www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?5-Leather-Upholstery-Forum
Edited: March 16, 2025 |July 31, 2025 by Roger Koh.
