Mold on thick leather... any suggestions?

kaleidoscopecarousel

kaleidoscopecarousel

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I purchased a thick leather bag from an estate sale. This bag isnt a purse, it is sort of like a "messenger bag"? It is about 12.5" tall and 10.5" wide and 3.5" thick with a 41" strap. I dont have my pics done yet... but there is some mold on the top where the flap goes over and a little bit down inside along with some spider webs (not sure I can even stomach getting those buggers out!). :USEGUN:
This is an old bag, I am unsure of the age. I will post pics tomorrow of the bag. Any advice on how to get rid of the mold without leaving water stains would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks. Hope everyone has a great day =) I will be out hunting for more goodies!!!! Woohoooooo! :wub: :USETHUMBUP:
Billie jo
 
When you get mold on leather it means its vegetable tanned so it may darken the leather slightly but you can get it out. I would use a bit of alcohol to kill any surface mold spores, let dry, and then wax. The only problem is that mold smell may linger, but it doesn't penetrate leather as easily as fibres, so you might get it smelling nice again after a bit. Doesn't seem to matter how hard you try to get mold smell out of silk -- it won't happen, and polyester is even worse.
 
Dampen a sponge with white vinegar, go over the entire bag with it; follow up with glycerin saddle soap, then a good leather conditioner - there are many. I'll check back later with some suggestions :)

You shouldn't have to worry about spots with this procedure. Sounds like a great bag. Happy hunting!

Carolyn
 
I agree with Jonathan. I've dealt with lots of moldy encrusted leather. I always wash the leather with a damp cloth and some diluted alcohol or vinegar and let dry. Then I use Saddle Soap to clean and treat the leather. After that an appropriate shoe polish and soft brush if necessary to re-polish. Mold smell on leather tends to disappear once the leather is cleaned and treated. Time usually does the trick. Once you've cleaned the visible mold, you can also put some deodorized cat litter in a big plastic bag and seal the item in it for a few weeks.
Joanne
 
Wow!
Ok, it doesnt smell like mold just like an old man... it still smells like leather amazingly.
I am posting the pics. I am unsure of the age. The estate sale where I bought it said it had been in the garage for years untouched. It doesnt look like it has ever been used except for the spiders lol.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I will try them... but what is saddle soap? Please dont laugh at me, I am knew to this whole thing :(:puzzled:





Ok, they arent the best pics, but you get the idea... its been a long day and Im sleepy.
Thanks again guys for the help and tips on dating and cleaning... anyone want to move in and go through the rest of my bazillion items? lol.
Have a great weekend.
Billie jo
 
Hi Billie Jo...how big is that bag?
It looks like a bag I had that held binoculars...I think it was in my Uncle's stuff from the war.
 
The bag measures about 12.5" tall and 10.5" wide and 3.5" thick with a 41" strap. That is why I think it is a messenger type bag. I will post a full pic of it...

 
That does look WWII US military. There was a huge fad in the 50s for a smallish clutch version, same rawhide, stitching, clasp, that were war surplus. Don't remember the military use, but we carried them as purses, in 1952 or 3.
 
Well that would hold a BIG pair of binoculars!
It does look more "official business" than "fashionable carryall", perhaps post to the ebay military/collectables chat board to see if they recognize the style.
 
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