storing leather products - mold, mildew?

[monicaj]

15 minutes ago, OLDNSLOW said:

Most major sporting goods stores will sell dehumidifier for gun safes, they are not very expensive to buy and you could have a few different ones in the area that you designate as your vault, some are plug in and some are battery operated and some nothing more than silicone beads in containers that once turn from blue to pink to indicate saturation.  The beads once saturated with moisture you dry them in the oven and reuse them, that will allow you to help keep humidity to a minimum.  You can also look on line for the same items and or search for silicone beads used for dehumidification place them in the used plastic coffee containers, I think you'll get the idea.

That's pretty awesome... I want to be living off grid sometime in the next couple years (NOT in FLORIDA) so I was wondering how to fight humidity using battery power or no power. I figure in the winter it would be easier because I'd be using wood heat and that dries the air, but I was trying to mastermind what to do in the summer... It would seem like I could get an old chest freezer and convert it... use either a battery operated dehumidifier or try the silicone beads?

[OLDNSLOW]

Yes let me give a word of caution and it only applies when drying the beads, us a cheap face mask as there will be some silica dust that comes off the beads.  The dust can be harmful to your lungs, but don't let this caveat detour you from using it.  You will find that it is used in a multitude of ways where there is an extreme method of controlling humidity.  I was trying to recall the name of the company that I bought my last batch from and used them in the method I described in the other post, I took a empty plastic coffee container punched holes in them and I had an extra dehumidifier, you can also find some at Academy sporting goods.  It looks like a large tin can with the beads in it, and when it turns color you pop it in the oven for a few hours and it is good to go again.

Good luck

[monicaj]

Thanks!

[TinkerTailor]

1 hour ago, OLDNSLOW said:

Yes let me give a word of caution and it only applies when drying the beads, us a cheap face mask as there will be some silica dust that comes off the beads.  The dust can be harmful to your lungs, but don't let this caveat detour you from using it.  You will find that it is used in a multitude of ways where there is an extreme method of controlling humidity.  I was trying to recall the name of the company that I bought my last batch from and used them in the method I described in the other post, I took a empty plastic coffee container punched holes in them and I had an extra dehumidifier, you can also find some at Academy sporting goods.  It looks like a large tin can with the beads in it, and when it turns color you pop it in the oven for a few hours and it is good to go again.

Good luck

You can buy the stuff in bulk from some shipping companies.

[TheModifier]

As electricians, we install a lot of THESE in bathrooms. But they are to control the humidity caused by hot bath and shower water. Just another option for you.