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I have water damage on the seating surface of my 2008 Audi.
The leather has become stiff and the texture has been lost.
What steps and products do you recommend to soften and restore my seat?
Here is a photo showing where the damage has occurred.
The center top portion still has a leather texture and is soft.
The rest is very stiff and rough like sandpaper.
#1
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>>> water damage
The extent of water damage is more the cause of heat than just water.
>>> The leather has become stiff
Leather stiffness is the result of shrinkage where the leather fibrils become stick together as the result of accelerated water evaporation.
>>> and the texture has been lost.
Textures were created by embossing using heat and pressure and it is not possible to recreate the texture back.
An alternative is to remove the remaining embossing using heat while the leather is again saturated with water.
And then soften it back to match the surrounding panels.
>>> What steps and products do you recommend to soften and restore my seat?
The first step to reverse the damages is to relax it with Hydrator-3.3 dwelling process.
Cling wrapper is used to control evaporation and hydrating may take up to 72hrs or sooner until the leather is relaxed and stretched or massaged back to dimension. Fatliquor-5.0 follows to replenish what have evaporates to replenish the fat and oil moisture level. It is this percentage of fatliquor up to 14% when completely dry to bring back the leather suppleness with softness and strength. Fatliquor-5.0 is an ionic negative (-ve) charged emulsion of fat, oil and water; and 5 parts of water evaporates in each application cycle leaving 1 part of fat and oil to plumps the leather ionic positive (+ve) charged protein fibrils with fullness and simultaneously lubricates the millions of connecting leather fibrils like inter-connecting hinges so that the leather will flex with smoothness under pressure.
>>> and rough like sandpaper.
Roughness of the finishes suggests micro wrinkles and/or mud cracking damages.
Recommended that they are shaved off using Razor-60 during the Hydrator-3.3 process while the finishes softens up for easier shaving and the leather grain structure strengths up from accidental damages.
Restoration of the finishes is by Adhesor-73 > Micro-54 (matching color) > MicroTop-54M (matte).
Rub-resistant protection is by leather scented Protector-B+ or the scentless version of Protector-B.
Roger Koh
Leather Care Consultant / Practitioner / Instructor
[email protected]
Product information from this link:
http://www.leatherdoctor.com/kit-ap7...finishing-kit/
Attachment 5158
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.