It’s nothing natural. Something was wiped on and reacted. Sorry I don’t have any advice

Could it be build up of minerals/calcium in the steamer? looks pretty intense

Yeah I knew it was nothing natural either. I use a new rag to wipe off the water left from the steamer all the time, so that did not have anything to do with it. Leather company said they have never seen anything like it either. The second hide I received does the same exact thing.

No I always keep my steamer clean and I never use it on anything but leather. Have never ever had this happen before.

Is the leather very firm and almost crunchy where it turned white? I have had that happen to me before where I have heated the leather too hot and turned it white and crunchy.

No Nick it isn't. It is soft and supple. I usually just run the steamed over the leather very quickly and lightly. I don't even push down real hard or leave it on one spot for too long. been there, done that before. I just got off the phone with the company and they said they took two hides of the same color leather from the same dye lot and they could not get it to turn white for anything. They are as lost as I am. I let it hang over the edge of the table and steamed it like that and it turns white, like magic. I just don't get it.

@Princess Dion Has this happened again to you since?

One way to check if it was your steamer or the hides is to try it again on a scrap piece of leather purchased from another supplier. If it happens again, its likely your steamer.

If not, it might have something to do with the dye / treatment of that particular hide.

It wasn't my steamer. I have steamed tons of leather hides with this steamer from two different companies and never ever had this happen. The company sent me a new hide and took the bad one back. I steamed a scrap piece of leather from the same company in the same color, BUT not from the same hide and it did not turn white and I steamed the good side and the bad side, so I honestly believe it has something to do with the dye/treatment of that particular color/hide. The new hide they sent me, I can lightly steam it from the back, but if I get too close with the steamer, it turns white again. They keep telling me their steamer did not turn it white. Told me I was getting too close with my steamer. Not true because this has never happened to me before. My concern is when I send the covers to the customer that I make and they end up having to steam the covers on the seats, the leather is going to turn white and then they are going to come back to me asking why. Very bad situation to be in.

FWIW, we rarely ever steam leather seat covers at our shop. We've heard too many horror stories.

We asked Aaron of Hydes Leather about steaming leather, here's what he told us: Is it Safe to Steam Leather Seat Covers?

I believe you might have damaged the top coat/dye. Give a shot to your local Fibrenew or leather expert and they can correct it.