GampasShop Report post Posted August 21, 2008 While on vacation, I had taken my leather tools with me and had made a checkbook cover and was also working on a couple of billfolds. One of the billfolds I had all of the stamping done and just had to lace it up, which I did on the way home while wife was driving. The problem is with the other billfold. I had it dampened and in the frig in a ziplock bag. When we were packing up to come home I had put the bag in the tote box with my tools and supplies. This would have been from the 3rd of this month. Well this weekend I go to get the ziplock out of the frig at home and its not there. I couldnt find it anywhere. Well night before last I found the bag and it was not in the frig, but at the bottom of the tote box. The leather is now covered in mold. Is there anyway to get rid of the mold, or is this piece of leather ruined? I have not bothered opening the bag to let the mold out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whinewine Report post Posted August 21, 2008 While on vacation, I had taken my leather tools with me and had made a checkbook cover and was also working on a couple of billfolds. One of the billfolds I had all of the stamping done and just had to lace it up, which I did on the way home while wife was driving. The problem is with the other billfold. I had it dampened and in the frig in a ziplock bag. When we were packing up to come home I had put the bag in the tote box with my tools and supplies. This would have been from the 3rd of this month. Well this weekend I go to get the ziplock out of the frig at home and its not there. I couldnt find it anywhere. Well night before last I found the bag and it was not in the frig, but at the bottom of the tote box. The leather is now covered in mold. Is there anyway to get rid of the mold, or is this piece of leather ruined? I have not bothered opening the bag to let the mold out. Try a weak bleach solution to kill the mold. If you get wood bleach from the hardware store, it most likely is oxalic acid (read the label). Tandy used to sell it but doesn't anymore. If this works (& it certainly may not, depending on how bad off it is), then dye it an appropriate color (perhaps dark brown to hide any marks), and then treat with a conditioner, like lexol before finishing with something like neatlac. Or perhaps use an all-in-one that will leave variations on the leather & help hide/minimize any marks... I mean, it's extra work, but if it's salvageable, it's worth it. russ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rdb Report post Posted August 21, 2008 Not to start an off topic branch, but I was reading a scientific chemist board last week, and they said that oxalic/bleach etc, only kill the top of the mold. They actually recommended using Vinegar to really kill any mold. So, if nothing else of the usual tried and true recommended fixes work, I would say read all the Black/Brown Vinegaroon Topics here on the board, and possibly consider using that to salvage your project. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolvenstien Report post Posted August 21, 2008 The vinegar works. Works really well. I bought a side of latigo that was rolled and I was not allowed to unroll in in the store because of the very low price.... Got it home, found the mold, and got on the board here. Johanna recommended I take it out into the sun, and scrub it with a cloth or non abrasive brush and white vinegar. I did as told, allowed it to dry for about an hour in the sun, and rolled her back up and brought her back inside. She has been sitting rolled up since then until about a week ago... I unrolled her to cut some off to use, and was pleasantly greeted by a nice clean side. No mold.... I dont know how many other would agree with me on this, but when i have cased something, and I know I am not going to get back to it for some time.... i will allow it to dry out. Now if I have started tooling on it, then I do everything I can to finish it. If I have to stop, I will case it again, and put it under either my cutting board, or something else to prevent it from rapid drying, and I will get back to it ASAP, and if I find that I cannot get back to it, I will pull it out and allow it to dry with the hopes that when i recase it, then tooled area will not swell on me. I have had it swell so that the tooling was distorted and I had to retool the area, and I have had it swell where it actually looked better and the tooling had much more depth.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GampasShop Report post Posted August 21, 2008 (edited) My wife suggested Vinegar also. I will get pics of it still in the bag tonight and then give it a good hosing off outside and then try the vinegar. This leather looks about like some leftover spagetti we had in the frig many many years ago. When one of the kids found it he asked if he could pet it. LMAO. It was funny then and we still bring it up almost 20 years later. Wolv, that was my intention to get it back in the frig when we got home so I could work on it. I thought I had put it in the frig, but when I looked in my spot, it wasnt there so the hunt was on. When I found it, it was a green & white with mold everywhere. I do very similar to you in my work. Edited August 21, 2008 by GampasShop Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolvenstien Report post Posted August 21, 2008 My wife suggested Vinegar also. I will get pics of it still in the bag tonight and then give it a good hosing off outside and then try the vinegar. This leather looks about like some leftover spagetti we had in the frig many many years ago. When one of the kids found it he asked if he could pet it. LMAO. It was funny then and we still bring it up almost 20 years later. Dont wet it first.... go to the store and buy a gallon of vinegar. Just dump the gallon on it, once you have scrubbed it, then hose it off. Water will do nothing but disturb the spores. The vinegar will kill them on contact. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Randy Cornelius Report post Posted August 21, 2008 I think I would treat this just like a moldy saddle that would come in for cleaning. Saddle soap, water and scrub, Set out to dry natural and see what you have. Oil and dye. I have used some of the products to clean soiled leather but not mold. Beenatural makes a anti fungal leather conditioner that I use on saddles would work well here also. I would not get too upset, I think it will clean up just fine. Why don't you post some before and after photos and tell us which way you went here. Randy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GampasShop Report post Posted August 21, 2008 I will take pics as I go along with this. It will be a learning experience. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted August 21, 2008 FWIW. I took apart a pretty moldy saddle in my old shop. I can trace it back to that, and had a mold problem on about everything after that. It was a pain - new bags everytime, refrigerate, some stuff still molded in the fridge, leather and scraps stored out of the shop. When ProCarve got popular, that stopped it. When I moved, I have kind of got away from the antifungals, and haven't had a mold problem. For what it is going to cost to clean this, and the time involved, I'd toss the walletback and bag away without opening and make another. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GampasShop Report post Posted August 23, 2008 Bruce, the more I think on this, and since my allergies are really flared up right now due to all the dang weeds that are in pollen stage, I will get the measurements on it and give it a toss. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Charke Report post Posted April 5, 2011 Sunlight kills mold pretty good. It depends on the mold of course, but I've found leaving moldly material in a dry, warm, sunlit location will kill the mold and it will dry into a powder which can, mostly, be brushed off. I don't know about the mold "inside" but I left a peice wet, it got moldy. I scrubbed it, left it to dry in sunlight and I've never had a problem since. On the negative side, sunlight can probably damage leather. Since I was working with 12oz leather for armor, it probably wasn't as serrious a risk. Mark Charke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmy eng Report post Posted April 13, 2011 On the insides on one of my leather bags got mold and a friend suggested to use a mix of dish washing detergent and water and wipe it on then wipe it off with just water, it did the trick but the vinegar method makes more sense to me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Johnny B Report post Posted April 13, 2011 Mold will only grow with the presents of moisture. No moisture no mold. I would scrub off the spores and and if you can find it use Microban on the wallet. Microban kills the mold completely. As someone already pointed out bleach only kills part of the mold. After that I would use wood bleach to clean the leather then proceed with the finishing of this wallet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billy P Report post Posted April 13, 2011 Like Bruce said, I use Pro-Carve some too. I read on here I think all kinds of stuff about casing, and I use warm water, a bit of Johnson's dish detergent and a little bit of Listerine Mouth wash, and never have a problem with mold on anything now. I don't know that this will help with the existing problem, but might help on other stuff. Billy P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
