Water damage to leather seats

I have a 2008 Honda Accord EX-L v6 coupe. I've never left my window open overnight but of course the one time I leave the window down two inches, it rains. Anyway, it rained overnight and when I got in my car for work I noticed that the passenger seat was all wet. It was not puddles of water, although most of the water could have been soaked into the leather as it had not been raining for an hour or two. The seat was fairly wet and I dried it with a towel and drove to work.

It was a very hot day and I had my windows rolled up. I put my seat back as I figured it would dry faster (yes I know I'm a moron). So the seat sat in the sun drying for hours like this while I was at work. When I came out from work I noticed that several areas on the seat had actually hardened. It appears as though the leather grain on these spots has shrunken and hardened. The leather is very hard and flat. I massaged some leather conditioner by hand, working it into the leather but I've had very little success. Was also advised on a different forum to try baseball glove oil but that showed only slight improvements.

I will include pictures below. Can you tell me what I should use to restore these areas to their former glory? I'm very thankful for any input.

Thanks guys.

Nick

Please do show pictures of an overall view.

At the molecular level, rainwater having an average pH value close to 7 weakens the hydrogen bond between the leather protein fibers shifting it from ionic positive (+ve) to negative (-ve) thus breaks bonds with the ionic negative (-ve) fatliquor.

With accelerated direct heat drying from the sun, the leather protein fibers dry too fast that cause them to be stick together – a “London Force or Van Der Vaal” phenomenal sets in.

Solution to the problem is to rehydrate to relax the now stick together fiber, probably will take the same amount of time to reverse the situation with equal amount of moisture level far from soaking wet. So as to facilitate or precondition the leather protein fiber for effective replenishing of fatliquor (fat, oil and water) back to the former equation. Hydrator-3.3 at pH 3.3 will recharge the protein fiber ionic positive (+ve) so that the ionic negative (-ve) fatliquor will flow between the inter fibrillary spaces and coats to plump and lubricate the fibers for softness and strength.

This is a structure problem and has nothing to do with the finishes. Any conditioner that is put on the surface will not solve the problem. The entire leather fibrillary structure has to be lubricated to allow the fiber to slide smoothly between them for softness.

There is 2 choices to go beneath the finishes of the leather and the reverse side is simpler in approach if you can have someone remove and reverse it for you. Working from the reverse (stretching back) will cause less damage to the finishes as the contraction may have cause some degree of delaminating between the finishes and the leather crust.

Worse scenario is to have a refinish thereafter with matching coloring and topcoat.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant


Products information:

Softening up shrunken and harden leather will require products from Kit At5.ws

Attachment 1638
Leather Doctor Kit At5.ws – Auto Leather Water Stain Removal Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit At5.ws, auto leather water-stain remover kit is design to remove water stains as the results of destabilizing the leather pH equilibrium. The side effect of alkaline overexposure manifests as marks and rings behaving like litmus paper. The darkening rings are leather constituents that breaks bond with the protein fiber and migrate forming the outer ring. Stains are clean with Cleaner-3.8 to remove surface residue prior to Acidifier-2.0. Acidifier-2.0 is a pH 2.0 leather pH stabilizer to neutralize the alkaline overexposure recharging the protein fiber ionic positive to re-attracts the ionic negative leather constituents. The leather is saturated and dwell up to 72 hours for extreme cases to facilitate redistribution and wicking up foreign contamination. A paper tissue covering without airspace helps trapped stains instead of remaining on the leather surface when dry. Hydrator-3.3 helps to redistributes the inter-fibrillary colloidal water movement; bringing the remaining stain to surface prior to fat and oil replenishing. Fatliquor-5.0 rejuvenates and imparts leather with softness and suppleness when dry. Protector-B+ enhances a non-stick rub-resistant protection with a buttery-feel that shield against sticky soiling. Note that the mentioned product suffix number denotes its pH value in this holistic leather-safe aniline leathers pH stabilizing system to eliminate water stains. Leather protein fiber is an amphoteric material while the other leather constituents like the tanning agents, dyestuffs and fatliquor are not. The iso-electric point (pI) of leather averages pH 4, water averages pH 7. Between pH 7 and pH 4 there is an ionic difference of 1000 (one thousand) times. Foreign pH influences below the pI charges the protein fiber ionic positive while above the pI causes the protein fiber to shift ionic negative. The ionic leather constituents and the protein fibers behave like magnets, unlike poles attracts.

Any finishes damages will require products from this Kit Ap7.cl

Attachment 1639
Leather Doctor Kit Ap7.cl – Auto Pigmented (perforated) Leather Color Refinishing Kit
Leather Doctor® Kit Ap7.cl, auto pigmented (perforated) leather color refinishing kit is design for abrasion damages especially from friction rubs while getting in and out of seat. Most of these repairs may range from missing finishes to abrading damages into the leather structure. Some expose areas may be contaminated with foreign soiling that includes conditioners, protectors, body oil, grease and sweat or alkaline overexposure with all-purpose cleaners. A comprehensive repair for a long-term lasting solution will require a holistic approach to deal with both the exposed structure and surface finishes. The practical and functional softness and strength of the leather depends on the health of the structure with average thickness between 0.9 to 1.2mm from stiffness and cracking. The aesthetic aspect of the leather finishes averages 0.02mm (or 20 micron) in thickness for practical compressing and flexing from cracking. A preview of a leather-safe restoration system begins by stripping with Stripper-2.3 and rinsing with Rinse-3.0. Degreasing with Degreaser-2.2 follows with Acidifier-2.0. The suffix numbers of these four products denotes it pH value for recharging the protein fiber ionic positive besides the act of decontamination. The leather integrity is revitalized once the ionic attraction between the positive protein fiber and its negative leather constituents like the tanning agent and fatliquor (fat, oil and water) is activated. Leather rejuvenating system for softness and strength is accomplished with Hydrator-3.3 follows with Fatliquor-5.0. Structural weakness from overstretching is re-strengthened with Impregnator-26, while surface uneven absorption is sealed with Adhesor-73. These repair and auxiliary products where necessary reduces the need for color over-coating thus increase its flexibility and stretchability from premature cracking. Protector-B+ imparts a non-stick rub-resistant surface with a buttery feel, reduces noises that translate into less friction wear. As the leather surface is well lubricated it reduces compression when comes to heavy body contact thus reduces compressed creases and wrinkles.

Anyway, I was just wondering why you recommended a different kit for this other guy even though we have the same problem. I'm not questioning your expertise, but I'm curious. Anyway thank you for all the help!

Here is the link with the other gentleman's post (copy and paste as URL)

http://www.leathercleaningrestoratio...at-Rain-Damage

The different is the timing.

That thread you refer to is September 2012, last year.

If the same thread is post today, I will recommend the most current proven practice, that is the kit I recommend you.

This missing step was the Acidifier-2.0 (pH 2.0) to pH balances the rainwater pH over-exposure more effectively rather than depending on the Hydrator-3.3 with a higher pH value of 3.3.

Note:
Shrinkage and stiffness is a structural problem and understanding the leather at its molecular level help solve unwanted problem.

Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant.