2001 Volvo leather seats water soaked-in and cooked back out– shriveled, shrunken and stiff it, am afraid will crack and break!

Please help!
Someone left the sunroof open on my Volvo.
That night it rained at least 1 1/2 inches and no one knew it was wet in there for 3 days in the hot sun.
Now the seats have a large shriveled, shrunken and stiff area that I am afraid will crack and break.
The car is perfect otherwise.
I am assuming the leather is aniline (I think. It looks like most leather seats).
Which of the kits do I need to fix it?
The water didn’t stain or discolor the finish, it just did huge damage by shrinking and shriveling the leather where the water soaked in and then cooked back out.
I see a number of kits on this page: http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet/Categories
However, I can’t tell which kit to buy.
I’m interested only in this one issue, so I don’t need a huge kit.
Just one that will relax that shriveled area (probably about 3 sq ft total).

The driver’s seat is mostly on the base, part of the seat, not the outer edges.
Rather like the bottom of a bowl where the water collected.
However, the edge of the base is splitting because there is no give to that piece.
The passenger side has very obvious damage to all pieces of the base seat cushion, and some to the upper edge as seen above the seat belt on the back.
What looks like a lighter shadow on the passenger seat is where it shriveled!
Even if the color comes off, I can put seat covers on intact heated seats.
Not sure I can do much if they spit and tear.
This is a 2001 and recovering the seats will be around $3000, almost the value of the car.
I was heartbroken.
I think I need the two products you mentioned, the Hydration 3.3 and the Fat liquor 5.
I plan to order them tomorrow unless you tell me different ones are needed.
Thank you for the help.

#1
Attachment 3659


#2
Attachment 3660


#3
Attachment 3661


#4
Attachment 3662

>>> Which of the kits do I need to fix it?
The water didn’t stain or discolor the finish, it just did huge damage by shrinking and shriveling the leather where the water soaked in and then cooked back out.

We have to remember that this is finished leather with two strata or layers, the leather crust layer and the finishes layer that is on top of the crust; one has shrink and the shriveled. We have to work on the below leather crust layers in order to reverse the shrinkage. When leather shrunk the fibers becomes stick together as well as the fatliquor dries up from heat. While keeping the leather crust hydrated and plumps for working back, the more delicate finishes layers will not be able to take the stress and as it has been delaminated will easily fall apart. Finishes will then be reapplied with custom color matching with Adhesor-73 > Micro-54 > MicroTop-54D > Protector-B+ system.
The leather crust is work with Hydrator-3.3 to relax the stick together leather fibrils and work back to original dimension while introducing Fatliquor-5.0 at the same time to keep the fiber separate when dry.
[B]

>>> However, I can’t tell which kit to buy. I’m interested only in this one issue, so I don’t need a huge kit.

Fixing the leather crust is done with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 > Hydrator-3.3 found in this Kit Ap7.cl, however individual items are purchased separately.


Attachment 3711
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. This kit comes with reduced weight option to save on shipping thus the 250ml concentrate ratio such as Acidifier-2.0, Rinse-3.0, Hydrator-3.3 and Fatliquor-5.0 has to be cut or filled up with distilled water prior to use. Custom color services: http://www.leatherdoctor.com/servlet...ing/Categories



An example of working out shrunk leathers:

#1. Shrunk Leather
Attachment 3712


#2. Hydrating with Hydrator-3.3 > Fatliquor-5.0 leather rejuvenating system.
Attachment 3713


#3. Stretching back to dimension.
Attachment 3714


#4. Refinishing.
Attachment 3715


Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant
www.LeatherDoctor.com