Vachetta Leather pH Balanced Cleaner 1.2 by Leather Doctor® is a Specialty Cleaner for Veg-Tan & Vachetta Leathers to remove the common blotchy browning water stains.
Vachetta 1.2 is a low-pH (1.2) specialty cleaner formulated to balance pH, clean, rectify, and restore vegetable-tanned leathers—especially Vachetta, Bridle, and King Ranch. It is uniquely designed to address common blotchy browning stains caused by sweat, watermarks, and alkaline cleaning products, which are particularly problematic on naked, unfinished leathers.
Vachetta 1.2 works by gently emulsifying general soiling through penetration, lubrication, and suspension, allowing the contaminants to be extracted with a clean towel. It restores leather to a more uniform appearance without harshness.
For deeply penetrated body oil and grease stains, use Degreaser 2.2 first, followed by a towel extraction. Vachetta 1.2 should then be applied to continue cleaning over the degreased area and extend evenly across the panel—ensuring no blotchiness or dry edges.
To prevent leather from drying and cracking after cleaning:
- Clean with Vachetta 1.2
- Rinse with Acidifier 2.0
- Hydrate with Hydrator 3.3
- Fat and Oil Recondition with Fatliquor 5.0
- Maintain a minimum 25% moisture level between each step in the wet-process.
- Allow complete drying only after Fatliquor 5.0 is absorbed.
- Dry fatliquor content should be at 14%—use a leather moisture meter to verify.
- Drying prematurely without enough fat and oil content increases the risk of cracks.
The Wet-Process in the Leather Doctor® system is a scientifically sequenced method rooted in tannery principles to restore leather’s structure, cleanliness, pH balance, and suppleness. Vachetta, being an amphoteric, pH-sensitive unfinished leather, requires strict pH control and continuous moisture to prevent damage and support effective restoration.
Vachetta must remain continuously damp to:
- Maintain fiber softness and prevent shrinkage or distortion.
- Allow chemical migration (wicking of soiling and redistribution of dyestuff).
- Ensure effective bonding of fatliquors during absorption.
- Prevent the leather fibers from locking up in a collapsed state as they dry.
- Avoid surface streaking or blotchiness caused by the uneven application.
Tannery Principle: Leather Doctor system mimics wet-end tannery processes, where rehydration, pH balancing, and fatliquoring occur in a single, uninterrupted wet cycle—drying between steps breaks the chemistry chain and causes irreversible fiber collapse or uneven appearances.
To brighten and correct sun-tanning effects, follow with Vachetta 2.8 Redox. This oxidation-reduction treatment further lightens and evens out color. Remove dry residue with Eraser 4 for the final appearance.
- Dilute 1:19 with distilled water.
- Remove any dry soil before application.
- Test clean a hidden spot using a cotton swab; evaluate when dry.
- Apply generously using a horsehair Brush 1 for even saturation—avoid blotchiness or a dry edge.
- Towel extract until the area appears clean.
- Repeat if necessary, allowing 3–30 minutes dwell time without letting the area dry in between.
- Rinse with Acidifier 2.0
- Hydrate with Hydrator 3.3 and fatliquor with Fatliquor 5.0.
- Continue with the holistic system as needed.
- Dry residue is removed with Eraser 4.
- What is Vachetta Leather?
- How to Use this Vachetta Leather Problem-Solving Matrix?
- Why does Vachetta become Browns?
- Why does Vachetta Develop Water Spotting?
- How to Remove Water Spotting?
- What is the Sequence of Leather Wet Cleaning Processes?
- How to Work in Sequence with Hydrator 3.3?
- How to Work in Sequence with Fatliquor 5.0?
Updated: April 5, 2025 | July 19, 2025 | September 21, 2025 by Roger Koh.