Mold on a hide

[CHT]

Hi:

We live in the east Tennessee mountains and build some leather products that we sell on our site.  It is wet here and we store our hides  in a flat area that has an outside wall (concrete filled) that faces the mountain.  We have noticed that some of the hides have a form of mold, especially ones that we have had for a while.  

Someone we know whom we sent some products to evaluate noticed that the two products they used daily were fine, but the others when left in the box formed a soft milky like substance which we are thinking is mildew or mold.

Is there a way to clean these hides without damaging the leather?

Thank you

Chuck

 

[buzzardbait]

I am in western N.C. and have the same situation. white vinegar will kill mold and mildew on the hides but it takes a month or more for the smell of it to go away.  Oxalic acid also works for surface mold. Several years ago I put a small fan in my leather storage closet and when the humidity is up I leave it on to circulate air over the hides, I haven't had any problem since.

[CHT]

2 hours ago, buzzardbait said:

I am in western N.C. and have the same situation. white vinegar will kill mold and mildew on the hides but it takes a month or more for the smell of it to go away.  Oxalic acid also works for surface mold. Several years ago I put a small fan in my leather storage closet and when the humidity is up I leave it on to circulate air over the hides, I haven't had any problem since.

Thank you.  Also saw a video on using diluted lemon juice with water, then when drying (air dry) and apply neetsfoot and buff.  Like the idea of the fan.

Thank you for that input.

Chuck

[fredk]

On 2/12/2022 at 8:04 AM, CHT said:

We live in the east Tennessee mountains and build some leather products that we sell on our site.  It is wet here and we store our hides  in a flat area that has an outside wall (concrete filled) that faces the mountain.  We have noticed that some of the hides have a form of mold, especially ones that we have had for a while.  

. . . 

Is there a way to clean these hides without damaging the leather?

Whatever you decide to use to clean the hides; 

1. do all of them, even areas or hides which do not as yet show mold

2. clean the whole storage area as well anything else in there

Mold can spread via spores. Given the slightest encouragement of any damp and food (your leather) you'll have that mold back again so you need to do your best to wipe it out now

PS. Be very careful of any black mold; that mold is not only dangerous but deadly - breath in any of its spores and you can end up hospitalised. Bestest is to just destroy by burning anything with black mould on it

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by fredk

[CHT]

Thank you, is not black, looks more like mildew.  Can wipe it off, but if you leave it alone for a while and it reappears.

Going to follow your advice along with the guy who said add a fan to the storage area.

Thank you

Chuck

[Constabulary]

That can be fat / oil too. Experts call it spew afaik. When leather is a bit over treated and is exposed to different temperatures the "white stuff" appears and sometimes even disappears when it gets warmer. Try a hair dryer and see if it disappears. I had that on 2 old M-1916 holsters from WWII. First I expected mold but the holsters next to them had nothing. Did some research and figured temperature differences can cause that the "white stuff" appears... It´s a guess cause situations can be different.

EDIT:

https://www.lttleathercare.com/spew-on-leather-not-what-you-think/

 

Edited February 14, 2022 by Constabulary