white mold on leather

[museumtom]

What have you used to avoid the white mold that appears on leather items, sam browns, holsters etc? I have found on the internet many cures like tea tree oil, bleach etc but i would like to hear from someone who had this problem and solved it before I go ahead and try these online methods. Funny enough I never had this problem when I lived in the city.

Kind regards.

Tom.

[Andy A]

What have you used to avoid the white mold that appears on leather items, sam browns, holsters etc? I have found on the internet many cures like tea tree oil, bleach etc but i would like to hear from someone who had this problem and solved it before I go ahead and try these online methods. Funny enough I never had this problem when I lived in the city.

Kind regards.

Tom.

Hi Tom,

sounds like to me you may possibly be keeping your leather items in a rather damp condition or in an area where there is a poor circulation of air. I just keep mine polished with a leather hide food and this seems to do the trick. Also, i dont hide them away in a dark draw, only to be looked at now and then. I think regular inspection and handling helps too. Maybe you can store them in a container or draw with some of the packets of moisture absorbing chemicals, sorry i dont know the name, ime sure another more well informed forum member will.

I have aquired a Sam Browne that was a bit stiff and hungry for hide food, a couple of doses and it came up very well and hasnt needed anything else.

Andy

[charlielavin]

Hello Tom,

I work for the National Trust and when we get an outbreak of mould we usually brush it off into a vacuum. A softish bristle brush should do the trick. Leather is usually quite robust but you'll be able to see - be aware of bits flaking off don't brush it if its going to come off! If you think it can stand up to it and its not coming off with the brush then you could use a small pad cut from a dry Chamois cloth. Remember also to do this in a well ventilated area and possibly even wear a mask if you have breathing problems. Mould spores if inhaled can be very dangerous, and can amongst other things make you allergic to red wine (my worst nightmare!).

It sounds like mildrew which is common enough and not the most dangerous of moulds. To stop it again keep it in a well ventilated place and not too damp. Leather's an organic material so it does need some moisture but its about getting the right balance (between 50-65% relative humidity if you're geeky!). Fluctuating RH (keep it away from radiators for example) can cause the most damage so where ever you store just keep this in mind!

I hope this is of help.

Kindest regards,

Charlotte

[gem22]

Tom

I have an RBL standard bearers leather sling which is much the same as a Sam Browne. If you clean and dry the belt and then keep it polished with ordinary shoe polish then it should be ok.

As the other pals have said do make sure that it gets a good airing. There is nothing worse than a warm humid atmosphere for allowing mould to grow.

Garth

[Bingo794]

I found a Sam Browne and holster hanging under the stairs in a cupboard of an old house I bought for renovating.

It had hung there for years as it was stiff and permanently shaped, and it had very old mould formed on the now dull leather.

I cleaned off the mould with the aid of a brash bristled/suede brush getting all the dry saddle soap and mildew away. Once removed, I steamed the inside of the holster and the once glossy surfaces. I let the items dry at room temperature for a day or two as they got quite damp, NOT ON THE RADIATOR, IT ROTS THE STITCHING. Nicely dried, I put some bleach/water solution on a cloth and wiped over lightly, though concentrated on the once mould coated areas. Again allowing to dry out, I used saddle soap in the old way to bring the leather back to life.

I find that WD40 can do a good job on leather once it has a coat of saddle soap. It works well on dried out wood, too.

If you are going to use WD40, DO NOT PUT IT ON A SADDLE WHERE YOU SIT.

Gets sweat/salt marks off motorcycle boots and leathers, too. DON'T WD40 YOUR LEATHERS BACKSIDE/AR53

DW

[museumtom]

Many thanks for all the sound advice. I can now see where I was going wrong.

Kind regards.

Tom

[scottmarchand]

Actually, odds are it is not mold, but the residues and solids from leather treatments applied over the years leeching out. The same sort of effect as artillery rounds in farmers fields moving to the surface. Leather is not porous, and treatments go between the cell layers, not into the celss, as they are all dead. SO, if a lot of saddle soap, leather dressings etc. have been applied over the years, they reach a point for whatever environmental factors have changed where the leather shell starts to contract ever so slightly and squeezes the stuff out and it forms a white residue on the surface, keep cleaning with an appropriate conservation leather soap like vulpex: http://www.gaylordmart.com/adblock.asp?abi...EBBB9ADB9DFDD00

There are excellent articles on the Canadian Conservation INstitute

[museumtom]

Excellent stuff, thanks Scott.

Regards.

Tom

[charlielavin]

Of course if its salt deposits even just a cotton wool swab slightly moistened with distilled water would get it off too