Mold/Mildew on Leather

Powdercrank · 12-07-2004, 01:04 PM

Greetings!
What's the best way to treat for mold or mildew on leather goods?
Thanks!

lugerholsterrepair · 12-07-2004, 08:41 PM

Powder, The best way to treat it is prevention. Store your leather in a plastic box with a tight fitting lid. Keep some acid free paper balled up in the holster loosely. Keep it in a dry and cool place, preferably dark.

If the piece you have already has this insiduous problem you will want to rid yourself of it. I have had good luck with cleaning the holster thoroughly, wiping or brushing off the mold or mildew.You might try a vacuum cleaner. Once you have all of it off that you can see I put the holster in a clear trash bag and stick it in the freezer for a week or so. This will slow it down but may not stop it completely. Only dry conditions will control it. This stuff requires oxygen and moisture. Deprive it of either or both and it will die.

I have toyed with the idea of using a vacuum seal used on food to extract air. If one were to support the holster with paper wadding it would not crush it. This would deprive these organisms of air and they could not survive.

One other thing, I have often times observed holsters that have what looks like white mold but it is oils or fats someone has applied, leaching out of the leather. If it is oily and not dry it might be fats leaching out.

Jerry Burney

Pete Ebbink · 12-07-2004, 09:53 PM

Anyone try the anti-fungal foot sprays out on the market...? Some are now CFC-free and alcohol-free as well...

susan · 12-08-2004, 12:19 AM

Jerry,

How has the freezing worked out for you? I know that some spores can encapsulate, living for extended periods without air or water, but few can survive the extended cold, and the freeze drying that comes from it. Like frozen vegetables, pretty much anything on it before freezing has died.
I like the organic resolution, rather than using any chemicals. Your idea of using a tight seal to prevent picking up moisture in the freezer is good.
For my money, nothing beats a few weeks outside in northern Wisconsin at the end of January and early February. Provided, of course, there is no unseasonable thaw.
Susan

lugerholsterrepair · 12-08-2004, 12:47 AM

Susan,Pete, Thanks for the input! I am not positively sure...It's a guess to be honest.It has seemed to work but I guess subsequent storage conditions might play a part as well.

I agree with you about the nature of these spores, that they may be impervious to these methods to kill them because of hibernation qualities.(encapsulate) I wish I knew more about microbiology.

I will inquire more about it and see if a soloution can be proposed that makes sense.

Pete, That's a good idea as well. Antifungal foot powder would be better to my way of thinking as it is dry. Also baking soda might act as a drying agent and would be harmless to the organic material. A dessicant bag could work if it were changed.

I think storage is the main thing though. If you can keep the holster from growing it to begin with you are way ahead of the game.

Same could be said of rust on guns I guess.

Jerry Burney

Fritzer · 12-08-2004, 09:17 AM

Here is an odd, unproven idea...

Up here in the humid boating areas, they sell a product called Mil-Du-Gas bags. Meijers used to carry them for your basement, but now the boating supply stores carry them too.

http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/STA/STA89900.html

Anyway the idea is you hang them in a humid confined space (a baggie might work) and it kills the spores. I have used them in my basement.

A bit more web checking came up with this:
http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-pr...MIL%2dDU%2dGAS
seems the active ingredients are:
PARAFORMALDEHYDE
1,4-DICHLOROBENZENE

Ahh, better living through chemicals. Maybe I was better off before I knew WHAT was in the things. (I NEVER read the label on a Twinkie!) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Anyway, what about tossing one in a baggie with you mildewed leather for a month or so. These Mil-Du bags are made out a a filter paper kind of material and the powder & stuff doesn't come out of the bag, it's supposed to become airborne. It's not a strong chemical odor, kind of a powder scent to the thing.

What do you all think?
Too risky?

Regards,
Fritz.

John Sabato · 12-08-2004, 04:07 PM

My suggestion Fritz is to buy an old non-descript holster from ebay or an old gunshop... then intentionally let it get "infected" with mildew and then try your experiment on it...

don't risk a Luger holster... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

12-07-2004, 01:04 PM	#1
Powdercrank User Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 13 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Mold/Mildew on Leather Greetings! What's the best way to treat for mold or mildew on leather goods? Thanks!

12-07-2004, 08:41 PM	#2
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,771 Thanks: 4,922 Thanked 3,123 Times in 1,434 Posts	Powder, The best way to treat it is prevention. Store your leather in a plastic box with a tight fitting lid. Keep some acid free paper balled up in the holster loosely. Keep it in a dry and cool place, preferably dark. If the piece you have already has this insiduous problem you will want to rid yourself of it. I have had good luck with cleaning the holster thoroughly, wiping or brushing off the mold or mildew.You might try a vacuum cleaner. Once you have all of it off that you can see I put the holster in a clear trash bag and stick it in the freezer for a week or so. This will slow it down but may not stop it completely. Only dry conditions will control it. This stuff requires oxygen and moisture. Deprive it of either or both and it will die. I have toyed with the idea of using a vacuum seal used on food to extract air. If one were to support the holster with paper wadding it would not crush it. This would deprive these organisms of air and they could not survive. One other thing, I have often times observed holsters that have what looks like white mold but it is oils or fats someone has applied, leaching out of the leather. If it is oily and not dry it might be fats leaching out. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

12-08-2004, 12:47 AM	#5
lugerholsterrepair Moderator Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Arizona/Colorado Posts: 7,771 Thanks: 4,922 Thanked 3,123 Times in 1,434 Posts	Susan,Pete, Thanks for the input! I am not positively sure...It's a guess to be honest.It has seemed to work but I guess subsequent storage conditions might play a part as well. I agree with you about the nature of these spores, that they may be impervious to these methods to kill them because of hibernation qualities.(encapsulate) I wish I knew more about microbiology. I will inquire more about it and see if a soloution can be proposed that makes sense. Pete, That's a good idea as well. Antifungal foot powder would be better to my way of thinking as it is dry. Also baking soda might act as a drying agent and would be harmless to the organic material. A dessicant bag could work if it were changed. I think storage is the main thing though. If you can keep the holster from growing it to begin with you are way ahead of the game. Same could be said of rust on guns I guess. Jerry Burney __________________ Jerry Burney 11491 S. Guadalupe Drive Yuma AZ 85367-6182 lugerholsterrepair@earthlink.net 928 342-7583 (CO & AZ) Year Round 719 207-3331 (cell) "For those who Fight For It, Life has a flavor the protected will never know."

12-08-2004, 04:07 PM	#7
John Sabato Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Capital of the Free World Posts: 10,153 Thanks: 3,003 Thanked 2,304 Times in 1,096 Posts	My suggestion Fritz is to buy an old non-descript holster from ebay or an old gunshop... then intentionally let it get "infected" with mildew and then try your experiment on it... don't risk a Luger holster... <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> __________________ regards, -John S "...We hold these truths to be self-evident that ALL men are created EQUAL *and are endowed by their Creator* with certain UNALIENABLE* rights, and among these are life, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of happiness..."*

12-07-2004, 09:53 PM	#3
Pete Ebbink User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The USA Posts: 5,919 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts	Anyone try the anti-fungal foot sprays out on the market...? Some are now CFC-free and alcohol-free as well...

12-08-2004, 12:19 AM	#4
susan User Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 45 Thanks: 4 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Jerry, How has the freezing worked out for you? I know that some spores can encapsulate, living for extended periods without air or water, but few can survive the extended cold, and the freeze drying that comes from it. Like frozen vegetables, pretty much anything on it before freezing has died. I like the organic resolution, rather than using any chemicals. Your idea of using a tight seal to prevent picking up moisture in the freezer is good. For my money, nothing beats a few weeks outside in northern Wisconsin at the end of January and early February. Provided, of course, there is no unseasonable thaw. Susan

12-08-2004, 09:17 AM	#6
Fritzer User Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 134 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Here is an odd, unproven idea... Up here in the humid boating areas, they sell a product called Mil-Du-Gas bags. Meijers used to carry them for your basement, but now the boating supply stores carry them too. http://www.shipstore.com/SS/HTML/STA/STA89900.html Anyway the idea is you hang them in a humid confined space (a baggie might work) and it kills the spores. I have used them in my basement. A bit more web checking came up with this: http://www.scorecard.org/chemical-pr...MIL%2dDU%2dGAS seems the active ingredients are: PARAFORMALDEHYDE 1,4-DICHLOROBENZENE Ahh, better living through chemicals. Maybe I was better off before I knew WHAT was in the things. (I NEVER read the label on a Twinkie!) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" /> Anyway, what about tossing one in a baggie with you mildewed leather for a month or so. These Mil-Du bags are made out a a filter paper kind of material and the powder & stuff doesn't come out of the bag, it's supposed to become airborne. It's not a strong chemical odor, kind of a powder scent to the thing. What do you all think? Too risky? Regards, Fritz.