Drying out leather seats after getting soaked in rain
 

My friend left her sunroof open the four days ago and it rained heavily in her brand-new Acura TL. No damage was done, but the leather seats are still damp.

Any ideas of how to dry out the leather and if there will be any long term damage?

Thanks!

I suggest parking the car in a garage with the windows open and letting the seats dry out completely. Once they are dry apply a top quality leather conditioner per the instructions.

To add to Freds suggestion, use a small fan to help circulate the air through the car when the windows are open.

Thanks, guys, we'll try that.

BTW, the seats have perferated leather, so the water has gotten through to the foam padding underneath. Any risk of mold happening in there?

I would try sometime with a hair dryer aimed under the seat on a lower setting. Also for smell baking soda perhaps dabbed with a rag to the underside of the seat could also help. As for the top part try putting a towel on it while driving. :)

Stefano, hopefully the humidity is not too high where you are; otherwise it will take longer for the seats to dry out. Using a hair dryer on a low heat setting should speed the drying process. Mold shouldn't be a problem if they don't remain wet for days and days. Once the seats are dry enough to sit on you may want to take a long ride with the heater on, high fan speed and the sunroof tilted open to expedite the drying process.

One thing she has that will help is heated seats! We tried driving around the other day with the heaters on, but it got too hot. But I'll suggest that she park the car with the engine running and turn the heaters on.

Thanks again!

PS Unfortunately, the DC area is VERY humid all the time. So hopefully there won't be any mold!

Solar Powered Oven
 

My car turns into an oven when it is parked out in the sun, even with my sunscreen in place. :cool: I can’t imagine anything would stay wet for very long if you just parked the car in the sun with the windows up. ;)

http://forums.mbnz.org/gallery/pics/W124_57782.jpg

Yup, probably all she needs to do is park it in the hot DC area sun! She has a double-door garage, but still allows her two renters to use it and parks her car on the street.

BTW, we've got the same model Benz. I'd like to upgrade the shocks in mine too, but that'll be on the back burner for a while. It's in the body shop now getting a new hood, grill and paint on the front end, after a small accident earlier this year. It'll also get some touch up paint and a professional detail to remove any acid rain deposits. Till it's done, I'm driving her 11 year old Honda Civic. Great car, but I miss my Benz!!