Members Klara Posted March 3 Members Report Posted March 3 Yes, the leather is as white as in the picture - some sort of mould or mildew. I have cleaned the bags several times with saddle soap, they were stored in a dry place and with plenty of air (not under cover). The mildew always returns. A few years ago even while the bags were in use in my living room. Any ideas (apart from binning them)?
Members Beehive Posted March 3 Members Report Posted March 3 I believe the mold is feeding on whatever the leather was oiled with. It'll continue to feed on it. Since it's already a mess. Spray it down with lemon juice and lay it in the sunlight. Rotate it around for a day. Or apply a mold killer like, "Mold Armor". Let the item dry out. Afterwards apply a conditioner and store in a ventilated area. Stuff the bags with brown paper to absorb any extra moisture. If that doesn't work, either burn it or bury it. Just keep it away from other tack.
Members Klara Posted March 4 Author Members Report Posted March 4 Thank you. I am pretty sure that I have already tried vinegar at some point. You really think lemon juice will do more? Never having heard of Mold Armor, I don't think I cannfind it here (in France). Any other ideas? Incidentally, the bags were on my saddle the last three years (I couldn't look at my tack since my horse died) and the saddle is fine. There is something about this very leather that attracts the stuff...
Members Digit Posted March 5 Members Report Posted March 5 I've heard of people using Dettol to combat mold on leather, which apparently worked. I haven't tried it myself.
Members Klara Posted March 5 Author Members Report Posted March 5 You mean alkohol gel? Worth a try, especially since there should be some around from 4 years ago...
Members Digit Posted Thursday at 10:30 AM Members Report Posted Thursday at 10:30 AM I was thinking more of some kind of antibacterial spray like https://www.dettol.co.uk/household-disinfection/multi-purpose-cleaning/dettol-mould-mildew-remover-spray-original-750-ml/ or https://www.dettol.co.uk/household-disinfection/everyday-cleaning/dettol-surface-cleanser-spray-500-ml/ Or you could try pouring some 60-90% isopropanol in a spray bottle and use that. Isopropanol is the active antibacterial ingredient in most alcohol gels; I wouldn't try smearing an actual gel on leather. Note that the first one seems to contain bleach; always test first to see if whatever you apply on leather doesn't cause discoloration.
Members Beehive Posted Thursday at 03:39 PM Members Report Posted Thursday at 03:39 PM Humans having been fighting mold for centuries. Y'all know, once it starts, it's a fight to kill it. In all our wisdom. Mold has become even more resistant to treatments. Stop beating around the bush. Dunk the saddle bags in bleach. Only problem is the damage the leather is going to take. The #1 problem here is those saddle bags were not taken care of to begin with. They were not stored properly or some individual just had to wipe them down with something that went rancid. I'm still of the personal agreement... Those saddle bags are done. It's an infection. An infection that can only be cured with fire or dirt. Because the time and money spent on it. You could buy a new one.
Northmount Posted Thursday at 04:47 PM Report Posted Thursday at 04:47 PM I have washed and scrubbed a moldy piece of leather with liquid saddle soap, followed by lots of rinse, then treated with oxalic acid. It probably wasn't as bad as these saddle bags though. Get these bags out of your work area so you don't contaminate your work area, and all your leather and other stuff.
Members Beehive Posted Thursday at 04:54 PM Members Report Posted Thursday at 04:54 PM I had some lace up Redwing boots that got infected. They were my secondary boots I barely wore because they were black. I don't remember if they got wet or what. I treated them as dress boots. These were very expensive items. It's the smell. The smell that will never go away. No matter what you do. It's quite embarrassing to pull off your boots and they stink up the entire room. The only pair of boots in my entire life that took a moldy smell. Imagine what those saddle bags smell like.
Members Klara Posted Thursday at 08:21 PM Author Members Report Posted Thursday at 08:21 PM They don't smell at all. And they got that way from the very beginning I had them (bought them new) - I strongly suspect they made a mistake at the tanning stage. The white stuff does not look like any other mould or mildew I have ever seen... (and I renovated a house where they had tacked Plastic sheets to a wall in an attempt to keep humidity out...) The good news is that I found a half full bottle of Isopropyl alcohol in the back of a drawer. I'll see tomorrow what it does. Bleach is also around and hardly ever needed. By the way, how does leather react to hydrochloric acid, when we are talking about the big guns...
Contributing Member fredk Posted Thursday at 08:32 PM Contributing Member Report Posted Thursday at 08:32 PM Be very careful handling those bags. Many moulds are toxic and bad for your health. I'd advise you to wear rubber or latex gloves and a mouth & nose mask
Northmount Posted Friday at 10:59 PM Report Posted Friday at 10:59 PM On 3/6/2025 at 1:21 PM, Klara said: By the way, how does leather react to hydrochloric acid I've used HCl to clean SS check valves, 5% solutions, really active stuff. To treat leather, you would really have to dilute it/ Use oxalic acid instead, milder, safer, doesn't bother my skin.
Members Klara Posted Saturday at 08:19 AM Author Members Report Posted Saturday at 08:19 AM Maybe, but I still have a bottle of HCl in my workshop and no idea where to get oxalic acid. Yesterday I brushed off the white stuff (I am not even sure it is mildew or mould, I have never seen them so pure white), wearing mask and gloves, pulverized Isopropyl alcohol on it and hung it in the sun to dry. Let's see what happens...
Moderator bruce johnson Posted Saturday at 01:34 PM Moderator Report Posted Saturday at 01:34 PM Not to totally change gears but did you say it doesn’t smell? It may not be mildew or mold at all and could be spew. Those usually smell, spew doesn’t. Spew is waxes and oils in the leather that migrates to the surface and makes a whitish film. A quick and easy test is to hit it a heat gun or hair dryer. Spew liquifies and may resorb somewhat into the leather. Mildew doesn’t melt. Some leathers are prone to spew to begin with. Some of the latigo leathers especially. I loved Fox Valley Tannery latigo but it came with a variable coat of spew right out of the roll. Lay the sides in the sun and it absorbed enough to soak in. Cut it and edge when it wasn’t as messy, then the spew would eventually come back when it got cool . Made great long lasting latigos and straps. Sometimes the treatment after making something will contribute to excessive spew. Conditioners and saddle soap add even more waxes and oils and makes more spew. I’d check this out with some heat first.
Northmount Posted Saturday at 01:48 PM Report Posted Saturday at 01:48 PM 5 hours ago, Klara said: no idea where to get oxalic acid. Paint stores, pharmacies can order it in for you, Bar Keepers Friend is mostly oxalic acid.
Members Klara Posted Sunday at 07:55 AM Author Members Report Posted Sunday at 07:55 AM 18 hours ago, bruce johnson said: It may not be mildew or mold at all and could be spew. Those usually smell, spew doesn’t. Spew is waxes and oils in the leather that migrates to the surface and makes a whitish film. This is a very real possibility, since the white film has appeared in my heated living room where things normally don't get mouldy. And I have always found the leather to be unusually soft. Sadly your suggestion comes too late for now, but I will keep it in mind for when the stuff reappears. Do you have any suggestions how to ameliorate the situation?
CFM chuck123wapati Posted Sunday at 02:37 PM CFM Report Posted Sunday at 02:37 PM toss em, kick yourself in the butt and make a new pair.
Members Beehive Posted Sunday at 02:41 PM Members Report Posted Sunday at 02:41 PM Dip wax them. Plant some flowers in the bags. Like ladies do with old boots. Hang them up on the porch.
Members Klara Posted Sunday at 02:57 PM Author Members Report Posted Sunday at 02:57 PM @chuck123wapati, @Beehive Why should I toss or repurpose perfectly good bags that quite possibly/probably are not even mouldy?
Members Beehive Posted Sunday at 03:05 PM Members Report Posted Sunday at 03:05 PM 5 minutes ago, Klara said: @chuck123wapati, @Beehive Why should I toss or repurpose perfectly good bags that quite possibly/probably are not even mouldy? We are going off your picture. I wouldn't even have those bags inside my house. We've given you many options for cleaning them. Have you cleaned them?
CFM chuck123wapati Posted Sunday at 04:30 PM CFM Report Posted Sunday at 04:30 PM 1 hour ago, Klara said: @chuck123wapati, @Beehive Why should I toss or repurpose perfectly good bags that quite possibly/probably are not even mouldy? you are the one who said it was mold, not me? I was answering on your assumption I guess i was wrong for thinking you knew sorry. " some sort of mould or mildew. " and i said it because you could well infect the rest of your leather as you have no idea how to kill it. You have a great day now.
CFM chuck123wapati Posted Sunday at 04:41 PM CFM Report Posted Sunday at 04:41 PM 5 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said: you are the one who said it was mold, not me? I was answering on your assumption I guess i was wrong for thinking you knew sorry. " some sort of mould or mildew. " and i said it because you could well infect the rest of your leather as you have no idea how to kill it. You have a great day now. Do you plan to sew it back together when the stitching falls out?
Members SUP Posted Sunday at 04:56 PM Members Report Posted Sunday at 04:56 PM @Klara Alcohol is often used to get rid of mold and mildew, isn't it? So if it is one of these, it might work, at least temporarily. As it is often used, I presume that the alcohol should not irreversibly damage the leather. If the white still remains, and there is no smell, it very well could be what @bruce johnson suggested, spew. There must be a way to manage that. So your bags will be usable.
Members Klara Posted Monday at 08:10 AM Author Members Report Posted Monday at 08:10 AM @Beehive. Answered Saturday. @chuck123wapati I think it has been obvious from the beginning that I don't know what I am dealing with. I had never heard of spew. I have written several times that the "stuff" is different from all other forms of mold and mildew I have encountered, that it forms under conditions that are not mildew-friendly and that it does not infect my other tack. Therfore I say a big Thank You to @bruce johnson for his suggestion it could be spew. And I am somewhat disappointed that other members completely ignore that idea. Now if anybody had an idea how to cope with spew...
Members SUP Posted Monday at 01:02 PM Members Report Posted Monday at 01:02 PM 4 hours ago, Klara said: Now if anybody had an idea how to cope with spew As @bruce johnson says, if you warm the spew and it melts, you could just wipe it off, isn't it? If you kept absorbent material - paper or cloth - on the leather and then warmed it through the material, it might get absorbed out more than just wiping it after warming. I have heard of spew removers as well though I have no idea how they work or what the final effect on the leather will be. https://www.leatherrepairco.com/products/leather-spew-remover There seem to be plenty of other brands available as well. Evidently happens often. Who knew?
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