Nissan Rogue SL 2012 - Leather Shrinkage

Good Day Roger,

I have a Nissan Rogue SL 2012 that I bought second hand about 15 months ago. As part of the SL package, the seats are supposed to be leather.

I don't use the back bench much, so I don't really look at it often, so I think this happened about a month or two ago. It is only affecting the left rear bench seat spot right now (the middle and left are normal).

I live on a tropical island and only occasionally have the front windows open, never the back windows. There is a lot of sun and the driver's side is generally the one getting it, but the front seat is normal.

I have had a pair of dogs in the back that may have had wet paws after a trip to the park, but I generally had a large beach towel down to reduce scratch damage.

I give people lifts occasionally but no one has had food or drink in the back seats.

I don't know what got on there or how or if the leather is defective. I would rather not replace the whole bench. The issue may be getting a bit worse with time too.

I have attached photos. There are hard firm spots (kinda feels like hard plastic) and then real puckering around the edges.

I have tried to clean with saddle soap to clean it and then mink oil with absolutely no effect so I went on the internet and found that your ws kit was recommended? I am willing to try whatever is recommended if there is something to do to save the seat

I am hoping you can help the situation.

Sincerely,
Annie


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>>> I have had a pair of dogs in the back that may have had wet paws after a trip to the park, but I generally had a large beach towel down to reduce scratch damage.
The seat is perforated, so water may have collect beneath the surface gone unnoticed. It is the heat most common under the sun that has cause the shrinkage.



>>> I have tried to clean with saddle soap to clean it and then mink oil with absolutely no effect so

Saddle soap has a very high pH value and will need to be pH balanced with CleanPro-1.5 > Acidifier-2.0 prior to rejuvenating the leather shrinkage.

Note the product name suffix denotes its pH value. Amphoteric leather pH value averages 3 to 5.

The Kit-At5.ws is a pH stain related remover kit and working on the shrinkage, which is not a stain, has to rely on the Hydrator-3.3 to relax and stretch back the shrinkage. Hydrating, stretching and manipulating the leather structure back to dimension are easier done on the suede reverse side without further causing the damaged finishes to de-laminate or peel off. Hydrator-3.3 works in conjunction with Fatliquor-5.0, while for former wedges spaces between the stick together fibers; the later plumps it up with fat and lubricates them with oil when dry. Without the work of the Hydrator-3.3 the Fatliquor-5.0 gets nowhere, without the Fatliquor-5.0 once the fibers are open and separates emptied will becomes stick together again. When both of the objectives are fulfilled the leather will return back to suppleness, but unlikely in a perfect before damage condition. Unlike soft lambskin it is easier to stretch and any creases and wrinkles when received a heat treatment on a flat surface may return to pre-damaged condition. The next level of restoration is the finish or coloring that may have been ‘cooked’ and not able to stretch back and may also pose a problem if they are not removed for easier leather structure restoration.

Water/heat damages working with Kit-At5.ws.

Attachment 5660

This is a three-part system that works on the water/heat damages. 1) Clean-3.8 > Acidifier-2.0 system, 2) Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system and 3) Protection-B+.

1) Clean-3.8 > Acidifier-2.0 system:
Surface soiling is first removed with Clean-3.8 > Acidiffier-2.0 system. Clean-3.8 is the mildest among the cleaner and appropriate higher power cleaning system may be used to match severity of soiling. Example CleanPro-1.5 > Acidifier-2.0 system would increase the cleaning power and also lower the pH value to protonate or pH balance alkaline over exposure. Both sea water and saddle soap are alkaline pH value above 8 that may have affect the pH chemistry integrity of the leather structure and a lower pH value cleaner helps to balance the pH value to the original pH value of the leather between 3 and 5. It is recommended that surface soiling is first removed or neutralized prior to proceeding to the next step of leather rejuvenating it.

2) Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 system:
Hydrator-3.3 is used to relax the stick together leather structure fibers opening it up so that the Fatliquor-5.0 can easily penetrated into the inter-fibrillary spaces plumps and lubricates it. Easy to access the thickness of the leather through the perforated and stitching holes. Dwelling up to 72hours with control evaporation is recommended to relax the fiber for easier manipulation with force stacking action using a metal spatula or spoon. The mechanical action force to stretch back the shrinkage will surely damage the surface finishes and such procedure need to consider the refinishing option. Otherwise to minimize the finishes damages the force stretching is recommended to be done on the reverse side. The shrinkage finishes is also a burden to the stretching as it holds back with stiffness and Hydrator-3.3 has no effect on it. When refinishes is an option than shaving off the color finishes help the leather structure to force stretch back easier. This process of undoing the shrinkage is done in combination with Fatliquor-5.0. Fatliquor helps wedges and lubricates the fiber while it is being separates. Otherwise, when the hydrator dries out before the fatliquor can takes its place the fiber may become stick together again. Leather fibers interlock one another like hinges for flexibility and like metal hinges when it gets rusted and jams tight, a rust remover with mechanical forces works in similar fashion with hydrator before a lubricant like fatliquor is applied to loosen it.

3) Protection-B+
The protection helps in this instance is to impart a rub-resistant wear to the finishes with a buttery-feel and a classic leather scent. Scentless version is Protector-B.

Roger Koh
Leather Care System Formulator / Practitioner / Consultant / Instructor / Coach