Mould

[ChubbMuff]

I have just had to replace all our wardrobes as our house has been attacked by damp. My old Schott and dodgy leather from Cardiff have been assaulted and I was wondering if you had any tips for removing the mould? I have read heavily diluted clove oil (in baby oil?!?) is an excellent way of killing the spores but I don't want to kill the leather. Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated. Our shoes have taken a beating as well.

Thanks!

 

[Bunyip]

Its ruined as far I know. I had a great leather jacket a few years ago, left my window open in UAE to air out after a party, went to work,came home, walls were drenched in humidity, clothes all damp. All the lining and stitching rotted, cleaned the jacket, wiped down, conditioned etc. took it to a cleaner, and they said it had the mould bacteria inside the leather....I kept it, its my golf club cupboard now, clean it every few months, but it stinks of musty mildew.....

 

[Seb Lucas]

A damp soapy cloth should fix most but the very feral cases. Or stick it in the washing machine on warm with detergent

 

[pipvh]

Leave it out in full sunlight and make sure that every inch of the jacket gets a dose of at least a few hours.

 

[GoodTimesGone]

I've had great results with Lexol Leather Cleaner. As pipvh said sunlight always helps, especially to remove odors. Even better a sunny, breezy day.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Tom

 

[armscye]

Washing Leather Jackets

I've corrected fairly lush coatings of mold by machine washing leather jackets. But it involves some technique. Here's my regimen:

1. Zip jacket, buckle all buckles and snaps.
2. Place in FRONT LOAD washer. Top load washers with the center agitator column may twist and tear leather.
3. Add a normal washload measure of Woolite
4. Wash cold
5. Remove by lifting from beneath-- without holding the now 25 pound jacket by any extremity.
6. Place on sturdy, heavily padded hanger. I pad wooden hangers with kid's foam pool noodles
7. Let dry a day, gently turn inside out, let dry a second day
8. Condition to taste. I paint on 3 coats of Lexol at 4 hour intervals, each heated to steaming in the microwave.

Your bonus for this is not only salvaging the jacket, but also the incredible grain and patina that washing bring out.

For those hesitating, I will repeat the statement I've made in previous posts: I have followed this procedure above for at least 30 jackets, including suede, goatskin, and horsehide. I have not destroyed one. Shrinkage is not an issue-- it's forced air drying and hot water that shrink leather. If anything, cold water washing relaxes the leather a bit.

 

[schitzo]

thanks for that armscye, very interesting.

If there was a way to bookmark threads on here I'd use it now

 

[Feraud]

I've made the thread a sticky for easy reference.

 

[ChubbMuff]

Thanks for all the replies. Armscye I will give my dodgy Cardiff a wash following your instructions before I do the Schott. Really appreciate the advice.

 

[Capesofwrath]

I had a problem with mould when I used to keep my jackets in a spare room in my old stone house. A couple of years ago in a very wet spring I went to check them and there was mould on the backs of two of them. After I sunned them and cleaned them I finished off by conditioning and putting a final light coat of furniture anti woodworm polish on them. Its anti woodworm properties work just as well on mould. I bought it to stop mould taking hold on the back of my kitchen system wooden speakers originally but it worked fine on leather too.

I moved them after a bit but the mould never came back while they were still in there. The speakers are mould free too.

 

[robrinay]

I've corrected fairly lush coatings of mold by machine washing leather jackets. But it involves some technique. Here's my regimen:

1. Zip jacket, buckle all buckles and snaps.
2. Place in FRONT LOAD washer. Top load washers with the center agitator column may twist and tear leather.
3. Add a normal washload measure of Woolite
4. Wash cold
5. Remove by lifting from beneath-- without holding the now 25 pound jacket by any extremity.
6. Place on sturdy, heavily padded hanger. I pad wooden hangers with kid's foam pool noodles
7. Let dry a day, gently turn inside out, let dry a second day
8. Condition to taste. I paint on 3 coats of Lexol at 4 hour intervals, each heated to steaming in the microwave.

Your bonus for this is not only salvaging the jacket, but also the incredible grain and patina that washing bring out.

For those hesitating, I will repeat the statement I've made in previous posts: I have followed this procedure above for at least 30 jackets, including suede, goatskin, and horsehide. I have not destroyed one. Shrinkage is not an issue-- it's forced air drying and hot water that shrink leather. If anything, cold water washing relaxes the leather a bit.

Brilliant advice thank you! *I've combined your instructions with advice from another thread and finally *got rid of a terrible armpit odour that has made wearing my 2nd hand 1980's Aero A2 less than the pleasure it should have been. (in case you were wondering I inherited the odour - it was attached to the jacket). Prior to this I've tried everything - handwashing jacket in soap flake solution placing in a bag of Bicarbonate of Soda, spraying with diluted white vinegar then rinsing all with practically no effect. But today -*a sunny windy day I wiped the pit area inside and out with neat white vinegar and left the jacket to dry flat on a rotary washing line - turned inside out - for about half an hour. I then sprinkled it with Bicarbonate of Soda and sprayed with water to form a paste rubbed in the paste and then *let this dry. I believe the bicarb neutralises the acid in the vinegar preventing it from continuing to work and perhaps rotting the leather. Both vinegar and Bicarb are old fasioned remedies for odour removal. *I then brushed off the Bicarb and followed your method and I'm now wearing a non-smelly A2. -Result! *
However this is a successful experiment on 1 jacket so not a very representative statistic -i.e. it may not work for you so make sure you try it on a worthless smelly jacket first as I'd hate to feel responsible for any damage to anyones expensive jacket.

 

[galopede]

Thanks for all the replies. Armscye I will give my dodgy Cardiff a wash following your instructions before I do the Schott. Really appreciate the advice.

Pardon my ignorance, but coming from Cardiff in South Wales as I do, what exactly is a "Dodgy Cardiff"?!!!

Gareth

 

[majormajor]

Pardon my ignorance, but coming from Cardiff in South Wales as I do, what exactly is a "Dodgy Cardiff"?!!!

Gareth

The OP referred to it earlier as a "dodgy jacket from Cardiff". Maybe he's referring to the Cardiff area south of Los Angleles? A good surfing area, I believe. Who know's?

Re South Wales, I would think Newport would be more dodgy that Cardiff! (only joking!)

 

[Dumpster Diver]

Sad news, I have recently had another outbreak of mold in the Garage, a lot of good things ruined. My fathers Old Jacket from University was getting pretty saturated in grey looking patches and spots, It has a nice flannel liner, and a Very nice vintage cut. My dad said he would throw it out, I have been dealing with mold problems for the last 6 years because of living in a house teaming with the awful stuff, Since then its been a *growing* concern.

I have aired it out in the sun, along with boots and other clothes starting to sprout a science experiment, the trouble with mold is the allergies that one can be forced to endure, such as constricted blood vessels that eventually can cause hair loss.

All in all, I will try the cold-wash method and get back to you.

its not good, as soon as it got humid, all it took was a few days for it to happen. Same problem for the last few summers in this particular garage, I do own a lot of vintage things, so I have done the best I can do to keep the mold from spreading, it was getting into some of the un-painted Drywall, so Like I said this was a major overhaul project that is ongoing.

dont leave Liquids like pop, or beer in your recycling bins next to your shoes in a dark garage during a humid spell

I despise mold.

 

[P5640blouson]

So weird, just got through hand washing and drying two of my jackets and realize this is the talk of the Fedora Lounge lately. Boy its hot this summer but to risky to ride without leathers on. I've got one thing to say about getting rid of that stench, mold, mildew, musky odor, dirt, and nastiness from a worn jacket that have not been cleaned in month, year, or years. Leather Therapy! Follow the instructions on their wash product and rinse/dressing product and finally, after drying, the Restorer/conditioner product. Of course I do this all by hand in a bathtub to minimize wear on the jackets. Some color release is expected depending on the dies used in the leather but that is weighed against living with all that organic gunk in the pores and fibers and liners, so its a no brainer for me. For followup in between all out washing I do use the Uniters S.A. line of products as recommended for finest garment leather manufacture like Shinki and Horween. If you send for professional cleaning, what I have found when I sent in a lower priced suede garment is that they wind up refinishing the leather via spraying new dies and topcoat on your leather hiding any removed color finish that occurred during the cleaning process. That, coupled with sending away your garment and fearing damage or loss. I prefer the clean and carefully worn look as time passes so the products I mentioned for washing is beyond any compare for cleaning out the gunk, including controlling/ removing/preventing mold, mildew and the like from overtaking your beloved garment. Good luck.

 

[stiff upper lip]

Tea tree oil, either apply directly or add it to the detergent drawer of your washing machine. not only is it anti-bacterial so will help those funky armpit areas but it's also anti-fungal so will kill any mould and keep it gone, doesn't smell bad either and lastly, it's natural.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

Came across an interesting Pair of Brown leather RCMP Gloves dated 1967, The word of the day is MUSTY! These stink up the whole place no time flat with horrid musty pungent Aroma. Tried Saddle soap, brought out a LOT of Red dye in the leather, I mean a LOT! Then rinsed them, Not sure but I think WARM water is best for washing wool and leather.

They Were STILL bad after a wash, so I am Spraying them with Euchalan (Like Woolite) detergent and water solution.

Seems to cut the must down a tad but when they dry back out the Must will still linger on, I guess They are a little better, gonna keep them oiled and out of the Dark, best to wear them and air them out for a time, they have that Old Duffel bag smell to them but the leather is so nice.

for 2 bucks I guess its ok...but the musty smell is not happening.

I guess they will always need to be regularily worn and checked.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

If all else, I will get some Tea tree oil and give it a whirl. sounds good to me.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

So my Answer if any, is Vinegar!

Machine washed twice with woolite and still musty smelling after dry, Tried spraying with diluted white vinegar! Then dry, repeat...they now smell vinegarry..but then under that there is no mould smell, just Smells like leather and vinegar. will oil and air out and report back, so far the musty smell isnt there or bothersome in the car...the vinegar doesnt linger badly on your hands either.

Next time I will add vinegar to the wash.

they DO look nice out of the machine too! though enough die bled out for sure, but I cannot tell.

 

[Dumpster Diver]

UPDATE:

I have very good news to report about getting the musty smell completely out of leather.

Those RCMP gloves had still residual mustyness to them after all the oiling and washing, and wearing last winter. I left them under a table by the wood stove for the late spring, I checked them a month ago and they still were musty smelling. In vein I put them up on the window sill on top of the mini-fridge, where the sun shines in half the day and the fridge stays warm and dry.

Weeks pass, a month passes, now its July. I smelled them today.

TA-DAAA!!!! a pleasant smell of Leather ONLY!

*no musty smell remaining!*

So, the key factor was maybe Some air, and sun, and some washing and oiling and wearing and most importantly TIME! .



I have another Resto project happening with some archival analog Audio Tape Reels. I have 200 Seven inch reels from a musty cellar that have that familiar old musty paper smell absorbed and infused with a distinct flavour of Sewage mold.

THOSE things are mold magnets practically. The Tape is notoriously bad for growing mold, and same with the cardboard boxes and Labels too.

Broadcasters houses have been condemned because of moldy tape.

The Archival method of removing and keeping mold from tapes and boxes was Seperate the reels and boxes.

Treat the boxes with *HYDROGEN PEROXIDE* and then bake the boxes slow (my tapes boxes are in the garage attic doing a nice 100 degrees average over a few weeks oughta do em nice)



I sprayed the boxes down and Put them up in the attic. The tape has to be Treated, and wiped with hydrogen peroxide, which is the only thing that will not be abraisive to the tape, like alcohol for example.

That is the time consuming tricky part.

Do that 200 times.

The real key is to bake.

I will also store them out with sunlight in the room and air for a time.

You can see the moldy spots appear on the cardboard when you spray on the hydrogen peroxide, I watched in astonishment as the moldy spots Like on a banana, appear at the speed of watching a polaroid picture develop on the cardboard stock

though not sure if Hydrogen peroxide is safe for leather garments, as it may remove the colours of some fabric too maybe if not diluted or rinsed out.