Actichem Leather Cleaner 5 ltr

Product Overview

Actichem Leather Cleaner is a cream formulated for quick, effective cleaning of leather surfaces. It uses mild but effective cleaning agents that lift dirt and grime without damaging the leather itself.

The cream texture is the point, not a gimmick. A liquid cleaner runs off a vertical leather panel and dries in the creases; a cream stays where you put it and stays wet long enough to work. On a lounge suite that is the difference between cleaning the leather and cleaning the tops of the cushions.

Which pack size do you need?

This is the 5 litre pack, for operators doing leather work regularly. The 500 ml squeeze bottle is the practical size for the truck — leather cleaning uses small quantities applied to a towel, so 500 ml goes a long way.

Benefits

• Gentle but effective — lifts stubborn soil and grime from leather without stripping it.
• Mild pH — leather is a protein and it is damaged by both strong alkalis and strong acids. A near-neutral cleaner cleans without shifting the leather’s own chemistry.
• Easy to control — the creamy texture keeps the product in contact with the surface without running or drying out.
• Part of a two-part system — cleaner then conditioner. Using both means you are not relying on an aggressive cleaner to do the whole job.

Why leather needs its own system

Leather is skin. Cleaning it is not the same problem as cleaning a synthetic fabric, and the two ways people damage leather on a job are both avoidable:

• Over-cleaning. Aggressive cleaners strip the finish and the natural oils together. The leather looks clean on the day and dry, dull and cracked six months later — long after the technician has gone.
• Cleaning without conditioning. Any cleaning removes some of the surface oils. If you do not put something back, you have started a slow drying process. Conditioning is not an upsell — it is the second half of the job.

Application areas and surface suitability

Suitable for domestic and commercial leather upholstery, table coverings and garments.

Important — leather type matters

• Recommended for pigment-coated leather — the finished, sealed leather used in most furniture and vehicle interiors.
• Not recommended for nubuck or suede. These are unfinished, open-nap leathers with no protective coating. A cleaner that is entirely appropriate on pigmented leather will mat the nap and mark them permanently.
• Aniline and semi-aniline leathers absorb readily and are far less forgiving than pigmented leather. If you are not certain which you have, find out before you start.

Pre-inspect the leather for cracking, stains, cuts, burns or other damage, and point it out to the customer before you clean. Existing damage becomes far more visible on clean leather, and a customer who has not been shown it beforehand will believe you caused it.

How to Use

Always pre-test in an inconspicuous location for substrate sensitivity and dye stability.

Dilution

Ready to use. Do not dilute.

Application

1. Brush the leather to remove loose soil first.
2. Apply a small quantity of Leather Cleaner to a clean, damp, white terry towel.
3. Gently clean a small area at a time. Pay particular attention to soil in stitching, creases and corners — that is where it accumulates and where it shows.
4. Wipe and rinse the surface with a second damp towel to remove soil and cleaner.
5. Towel dry.
6. Follow with Actichem Leather Conditioner once the surface is dry.

Tip: do not overuse. Repeated light applications beat one heavy application every time. Heavy application is how product gets into stitching and seams where it cannot be rinsed out, and that is what causes the pale bloom you see along seams on badly cleaned lounges.

Use a white towel. A coloured towel can transfer dye onto damp leather, and it also hides how much soil you are actually removing — which is your only guide to when the area is done.

Safety

This listing previously recorded “Safety profile: Non-hazardous”. That was wrong and has been corrected.

Actichem’s safety data sheet for AP488, version 2.2 issued 15 June 2022, classifies Leather Cleaner as a hazardous chemical with the signal word WARNING.

To be proportionate about it: this is a mild classification. One hazard statement, near-neutral pH, no poisons schedule, not a dangerous good. It is one of the gentler products in our range and it is designed to be. But “gentle” is not “non-hazardous”, and the sheet says hazardous, so the page says hazardous.

• H319 — causes serious eye irritation (Serious Eye Damage/Irritation Category 2)
• Signal word WARNING | no poisons schedule | not a dangerous good

⚠ d-limonene and repeat exposure

Leather Cleaner contains d-limonene below 10% — the citrus solvent that gives it its odour. d-limonene is a recognised skin sensitiser at higher concentrations, and while this product is not classified for sensitisation, technicians who clean leather day in day out are the exposure group worth mentioning it to. Sensitisation is cumulative and permanent. Keep it off your skin as a matter of routine rather than reacting once a rash appears.

First aid

Eyes. Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do. Continue rinsing, and seek medical attention if irritation persists.

Skin. Flush with running water.

Specifications

A note on the odour and colour

Actichem’s SDS describes a light tan gel with an orange citrus odour; our long-standing product records describe an off-white cream with a Spanish Leather fragrance. The d-limonene content is consistent with a citrus note. This may be a reformulation, or the sheet may not have been updated. We have asked Actichem rather than quietly picking one, and we have published both so you know what you are getting.

Related Products

• Actichem Leather Cleaner 500 ml squeeze bottle — the same product in the truck-sized pack.
• Actichem Leather Conditioner — the second half of the system. Verified non-hazardous. Use it after every clean.

Further Reading

The Cleaning of Leather, by Actichem — worth reading before your first leather job.

Safety Data Sheet

Actichem Leather Cleaner safety data sheet (AP488, version 2.2, 15 June 2022)

SKU: AP488.05

Not sure whether the leather in front of you is pigmented, aniline or nubuck? Send us a photo before you start. Leather is one of the few substrates where getting it wrong is not recoverable.