- Seat Tracks:
- Skydrol Stains and Carbon Sootin:
- Xziloning Bright Work:
- Xzilon in High Humid Climates:
- Applicators for Xzilon:
- Removing XW-9M Drywash:
- Use Perrone Ink Remover ASAP:
- Cleaning of Micro Fiber & Cotton Towels:
- When cleaning leather:
- Gum is stuck to my leather – now what?
- How do I treat ink stains in my leather?
- How often should leather be cleaned?
- Avoid certain chemical when caring for leather:
- General practices when caring for leather:
- Keep your leather free of dust and debris!
- Unfinished Leather – USE CAUTION:
- Clay Bar for large surface areas (ugh!):
- Keep Brightwork bright between Xzilon Coatings:
Use 100% XG-5 to clean out seat tracks. It was found (and later added to the maintenance manual) at SR Technics in Ireland that XG-5, used at 100% strength, was effective at removing accumulated crude and residue during maintenance checks where the interiors were removed. The technique involved applying XG-5 to the seat track rails and using a small bristle brush (probably bent to fit into the seat tracks) to gently remove the accumulated material. The aluminum surface was clean and dry after the application.
Based on Detailer Field Reports, No Streek has been found to be effective at removing Skydrol stains and carbon sooting from paint exteriors. Simply spray the product on the stain, let it foam up, and then remove with a clean micro fiber towel or clean cotton rag. With all recommendations, some common sense must apply: Skydrol stains should be fairly recent and not have the opportunity to be baked into the paint; and heavy carbon sooting may not be completely removed after the first application of No Streek – more aggressive chemicals and methods may be required. But for a quick way of cleaning some very difficult stains, No Streek may be the way to go!
This cannot be said enough! When preparing brightwork sufaces for Xzilon application, YOU MUST make sure that all residual polish and metal oxidation has been removed. Some polishes contain a carnuba wax component that will react with the Xzilon and leave streaks. Those streaks will be have to be machined polished in order to be removed. We recommend using 100% Isopropyl Alcohol for cleaning the polished metal before applying Xzilon. You may have to take two or three passes with the IPA in order to insure that any residual polish has been removed. Note: the Xzilon Metal Polish does not contain any carnuba wax – you are still required to clean the metals after polishing before applying Xzilon.
Applying Xzilon to paint in high humid climates, Xzilon p/n X-20-WO may streak during the application. We recommend substituting Xzilon p/n X-20-15 for the –WO in high humid conditions. Not sure, try out a test area on the painted surface with the –WO to determine if the substitution is necessary. Remember, p/n X-20-15 does require that you wipe off the excess material as you are applying Xzilon. If you have any questions, please refer to the Xzilon Application instructions which are available online at Information Downloads.
Use only Dupont Sontera Wipes, p/n AC1213WWA, for applying Xzilon. These particular Sontera Wipes have a fiber construction that allows the Xzilon liquid formula to bolus on the cloth, permitting the maximum amount of solids in the formula to be applied to the hard surface and not be absorbed into the wipe. More of the Xzilon on the hard surface means a better, longer term application of the Xzilon.
XW-9M Drywash can be removed either by hand using a clean micro-fiber or cotton towel, or by machine using an orbital buffing pad. For large surface areas, use an machine orbital for effective and efficient removal XW-9M and to leave a consistent, shiny finish. Change out the orbital pads as they become saturated.
The Perrone Ink Remover is designed to not be very aggressive at removing ink so that a bigger problem is not created by trying to remove the ink (think of a white spot in the middle of a dark leather seat). Ink in leather can be a very tricky thing to deal with because there are so many variables having to do with the kinds of inks that are used (water or oil based), the color and age of leather, and so on. So, when you spot an ink stain, try removing the ink using the Ink Remover. Generally speaking, the Ink Remover works best on fresh stains. If it does not remove the stain completely, it should ‘lighten’ the stain up. Older stains may require a more extensive leather repair or a re-dying of the leather. When in doubt, call us (we’ll direct you to the correct people) or call Perrone Leather directly. There are certified leather repair experts throughout the country that can help.
Micro Fiber and cotton towels can be laundered in a solution of XE-3 Zero V.O.C. degreaser. Use ¼ cup of XE-3 per large load in a conventional washing machine, warm or hot wash. Dry normally. Towels come out clean and XE-3 is safe for the environment since it is a Zero V.O.C. formulation. Even in California!
Be sure to use a genuine horsehair brush. The soft bristles of these brushes will work into the grain pattern of the leather, thoroughly cleaning it. If you clean leather with a rag or cloth, you are not cleaning effectively. Be careful not to use nylon or plastic brushes to clean leather, as they can be potentially damaging to the finish system of fine leathers.
Use Perrone’s Deep Cleaner in conjunction with mechanical removal of gum. Carefully apply Deep Cleaner to gum and agitate with soft nylon brush or lint-free rag. A pallet knife can also be used (carefully) to mechanically remove gum from leather after softened by Deep Cleaner. Be sure not to cut into leather finish during this process. If additional gum residue remains, follow-up with another application of Perrone’s Deep Cleaner for leather and agitate with clean soft cloth or brush. Wipe off excess.
For fresh ink stains, apply an approved leather ink remover for finished leathers. We recommend Perrone’s Ink and Stain Remover (#IR-102) to a soft lint-free rag or cotton swab and gently agitate stain in a random circular motion. Be sure to move to a clean area of cloth or swab as to not re-apply any ink that may have been removed. If stain is untouched, try a soft nylon brush and re-agitate. If stain is still untouched, re-apply Perrone’s Ink Remover (#IR-102) and allow it to stand for up to 24 hours. Repeat removal process.
For dried ink stains on finished leathers, the only way to fully remove this type of stain is to cut into the clear top or color coat of the leather. We recommend that you have this done by a trained leather repair technician. Although not common, we may be able to refer you to one in your area. Contact us.
Your leather should be cleaned on a regular basis. Ideally, they should be cleaned as often as possible. Dust and dirt can settle in the pores of your leather and cause premature erosion of your finish system. Realistically, a routine cleaning of (1) time per week or as close to that schedule as possible is a good idea. When you have a spill or stain that occurs on your leather, it is best to go after it right away (similar to a stain on your clothing). Although your leather has a protective clear-top (assuming that it is FINISHED leather), it is not impermeable, and can absorb material such as ink, oils and liquids over time.
Some chemical groups can melt into the finish system and/or cause damage leading to tacky feeling leather and/or color transfer. Those chemicals to avoid include the following:
1. Heavy solvents or petroleum based solvents such as acetone, methyl ethyl keytone (MEK), mineral spirits, lacquer thinner and isopropyl alcohol.
2. High alkaline cleaners (pH of 10.5 or more) or acid based products (pH of 5 or less) such as most heavy-duty degreasers, products containing bleach, ammoniated cleaners, d’limonene based products, bathroom cleaners containing acids, terpines or most parts washer fluids.
3. High alkaline cleaners (pH of 10.5 or more) or acid based products (pH of 5 or less) such as most heavy-duty degreasers, products containing bleach, ammoniated cleaners, d’limonene based products, bathroom cleaners containing acids, terpines or most parts washer fluids.
4. “Oil” type soaps that can leave behind tacky residue causing increased staining, chemical build-up and soil adherence. These types can also harm the finish system of if left on leather.
First, always use cleaning products in a manner consistent with labeling; second, always pretest surface before wide spread use of any cleaning products; third, do not spray products directly on leather; and lastly, start with a recommended leather cleaning product or a mild surfactant / soap and water solution to clean your finished leathers.
This can be achieved by a routine wipe down of your leather with a clean & dry micro-fiber towel or rag. Dust and dirt can settle in the pores of your leather and cause premature erosion of your finish system.
Some leathers are UNFINISHED leathers. We do not recommend using any cleaning chemicals on these types of leathers, such as suede, nubuck or naked leather. These instructions & tech tips are for FINISHED leathers only. A good test that you can easily perform to determine whether or not your leather is finished is to wet your finger and dab it onto your leather. If the water is absorbed into the leather it is unfinished. If the water sits on top of the leather, it is most likely finished leather.
The Clay Bar process can be a very time consuming step in the Xzilon Application Process. It can be made quicker by using a Clay Bar Holder that goes on most rotary type machines. The Holder provides a pocket where the Clay Bar can be molded to fit. When using a high speed, however, make sure to rotate and reform the clay bar more frequently than when you are using the clay bar by hand – every two to three minutes would probably be a good idea.
XC-11 Spray and Shine (the ‘Pink’ Stuff) is sometimes referred to as a ‘Quick-Detail’ type product. Xzilon is first and foremost a corrosion inhibitor for brightwork. In order to keep brightwork looking like it was ‘just polished’, we recommend that the leading edges be wiped down with XC-11. Spray and Shine is a mild cleaner that will not detoriate the Xzilon coating and will brighten up the surface making it look fresh. XC-11 is also a very effective post-flight cleaner for leading edges easily removing bugs and residue from a Xzilon treated surface.