To Restore VW and Acura MDX Dried and Stiff Perforated Leather!

[Question]

Interested in trying your products.

I have tried literally every leather care product under the sun.

My gotos for the past few years have been leatherique and leather honey.

But I still have not found a product to restore dried, stiff pigmented leather.

I have two VW vehicles that both have perforated leather.

It isn't even that old, but the previous owner of both vehicles must have kept the vehicle outside and it just baked in the sun for the few years they had them.

I would really like to get this leather back to its original state.

Can you recommend the right kit to help get me started?

I also have a newer Acura MDX, again with perforated pigmented leather that I want to make sure I am properly maintaining.

It is garage kept, but as the years go by, even with proper cleaning and conditioning, the leather is getting a bit stiff.

Let me know the best path forward!

Thanks, Mark.

[Roger Koh]

This Auto Perforated Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Kit Af3 explains the systematic cycle of care.

https://leatherdoctor.com/auto-perfo...ioner-kit-af3/

And this Auto Leather Water Damaged Stiffness Restoration Kit At5.ws also applies to non-water damage dryness and stiffness.

https://leatherdoctor.com/auto-leath...on-kit-at5-ws/

You may read the instruction direct from the link.

>>> It is garage kept, but as the years go by, even with proper cleaning and conditioning, the leather is getting a bit stiff.

You may have conditioned the skin of the leather, but did you condition the structure thickness of the leather? The original fatliquor (fat and oil) evaporates from the leather structure through the perforated holes. and will need regular hydrating and fatliquor conditioning/replenishing to keep your leather perceptually supple without cracking.
Remember, the lifeblood of all leathers depends on the fatliquor.

Read more about fatliquor from this link:
https://leatherdoctor.com/leather-fatliquor-5-0/

And further questions are welcome.

Waiting for your pictures, so we can have some before and after comparisons.


Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator
Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor / Coach
web: www.leatherdoctor.com
forum: www.leathercleaningrestorationforum.com
email: [email protected],
email: [email protected]
phone: 604 773 1878

[Question]

Here is a good photo from the Audi. It is a 2018 SQ5. The leather is just very dry and stiff despite being garage kept since 2021 and conditioned with leatherique once a year.

[Roger Koh]

The original fatliquor (fat and oil) evaporates through the perforated and needle holes, and replenishing the diminished fatliquor will require hydrating with Hydrator-3.3 to open up the shrunk and stick-together fiber structure preconditioning or making way for the Fatliquor-5.0 oil component to spread through the structure to lubricate the millions of interconnecting fiber as liking the lubricating of stiff door hinges for smoothness and flexibility. The fat components plump the leather with fullness for softness. Thus the suppleness of leather is restored when the leather moisture content reaches an average of 14% when dry, which is the standard of moisture content practice in a modern tannery.

Leather is an amphoteric material and is pH sensitive. Leather pH neutral is between 3 to 5. And any products or solution that comes in contact will influence the leather's pH value accordingly. Since you have used unknown pH-value products, it is recommended that the leather is pH balanced against any remaining residue from past treatment. Thus before the rejuvenation with Hydrator-3.3, Fatliquor-5.0, and Hydrator-3.3 system. Thorough cleaning with Pro Cleaner-1.5 and Acidifier-2.0 is highly recommended to charge the leather ionic positive (+ve) to hydrogen bond with the ionic negative (-ve) fatliquor more effectively.

Note that the product suffix number represents the pH value of the product for easy reference. Thus Pro Cleaner-1.5 has a pH value of 1.5.

The final protection with Protector-B imparts a rub-resistant protection to reduce friction rubs when sliding in and out of the seat smoothly and noiselessly. If you prefer a leather scent then opt for Leather Protector-B+.

Any further questions are welcome.