Leather Hydrator 3.3

 Leather Hydrator 3.3 by Leather Doctor® is a professional-grade, pH 3.3 aqueous surfactant solution designed to clean, hydrate, relax, and restore leather’s internal structure.

• Based on tannery science, this unique formula replicates the hydration stage of leather pre-conditioning, making it essential before fatliquoring with Fatliquor 5.0.

When leather becomes stiff, dry, or shrunken, the fibers collapse and bond together.

• Hydrator 3.3 penetrates deeply, rehydrates the collapsed fibers, balances the pH, and prepares the structure for deep conditioning.
• It also helps suspend and wick out impurities such as body oils, sweat, alkaline residues, and embedded soiling that compromise softness and flexibility.

Unlike water alone, Hydrator 3.3 reduces surface tension, ensuring deeper fiber penetration and uniform hydration.

• This critical pre-conditioning step restores suppleness, prevents patchiness, and maximizes the effectiveness of Fatliquor 5.0.

 Hydrator 3.3 Key Features & Benefits:

• Rehydrates Stiff or Collapsed Fibers – Restores essential moisture to dried-out or aged leather.

• Prepares for Fatliquoring – Opens the leather’s fiber structure so Fatliquor 5.0 can penetrate and bond effectively.

• Balances pH (3.3) – Realigns ionic charges to prevent alkaline damage and improve fatliquor absorption.

• Suspends & Flushes Impurities – Helps wick out sweat, body oils, soiling, and chemical residues from within the fibers.

• Restores Suppleness & Softness – Reduces stiffness and ensures even conditioning results without patchiness.

• Tannery-Science Formula – Replicates the professional hydration step used in tanning and re-tanning processes.

• Versatile Use – Suitable for vachetta, nubuck, suede, aniline, full-grain, pigmented, vegetable-tanned and hair-on-hide leather.

 Why Use Before Fatliquor 5.0?

1️⃣ Reopens Collapsed Fibers – Hydrator 3.3 relaxes tight, stiff fibrils so conditioning oils can penetrate.
2️⃣ Restores pH Balance – Its mild acidity (pH 3.3) optimizes leather’s ionic structure for fatliquor bonding.
3️⃣ Flushes Contamination – Promotes wicking action to lift out impurities that interfere with even conditioning.

⚖️ Hydrator 3.3 softens by hydration. Fatliquor 5.0 softens by nourishment.

• Together, they restore leather’s strength, flexibility, and resistance to cracking.

 Typical Uses

• Pre-conditioning before applying Fatliquor 5.0 or Fatliquor 5.0 Plus

• Rehydrating stiff, shrunken, or aged leather

• Flushing out suspended body oils, sweat, or chemical residues

• Restoring softness before/after structural leather repairs

• Correcting pH imbalances caused by sweat or alkaline cleaners

 Suitable For

✅ Vachetta 
✅ Nubuck 
✅ Suede
✅ Aniline 
✅ Full-Grain 
✅ Pigmented 
✅ Vegetable-Tanned 
✅ Hair-on-Hide

 Instructions for Use

1. Dilute concentrate at 1:25 ratio with distilled water.

2. Pre-test in an inconspicuous area.

3. Apply generously to cleaned leather or suede.

4. For thorough saturation, work into reverse side, stitching, seams, or perforations.

5. Optional: Cover with saturated towel wrap for 1–72 hours dwell.

6. Allow impurities to wick out, blot away while wet, or erase when dry (for nubuck/suede).

7. Continue with Fatliquor 5.0 while leather is still damp, massaging during drying for suppleness.

Updated: on April 8, 2025 | July 4, 2025 | August 11, 2025 by Roger Koh