i just found my leather strap molded, i leave it on my table just abt 2 weeks,.. zz
mind to share some experience how to prevent it happen again?
mind to share some experience how to prevent it happen again?
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how to prevent mold on leather straps?
- Thread starter veux
- Start date
this is not good.
mold is a fungus, and it's eating the leather.
it's inside of the strap probably.
only way to kill it, in my opinion, is to soak it in white vinegar.
after that, use lexol to clean and condition the leather.
I would do this:
put it in the freezer for a full two or three weeks.
take it out and clean it super well with vinegar.
clean it again with lexol, then condition it with lexol, the freeze again.
another two weeks.
then I'd wear it.
mold is a fungus, and it's eating the leather.
it's inside of the strap probably.
only way to kill it, in my opinion, is to soak it in white vinegar.
after that, use lexol to clean and condition the leather.
I would do this:
put it in the freezer for a full two or three weeks.
take it out and clean it super well with vinegar.
clean it again with lexol, then condition it with lexol, the freeze again.
another two weeks.
then I'd wear it.
well I am a mycologist by trade, so I won't sugar coat it for you.
you have a live, living organism living inside of your strap, and it's eating it.
it's digesting it. it's making holes in it, or rather pits.
you have to kill the organism.
that's why first, I would freeze it, and for a long period of time.
I would then soak it in acetic acid. I would leave it in the acid for a while.
this is probably going to ruin the finish if there is one.
I would then dry it out in my wind tunnel, lol. which in your case you can set it
on top of an old tv or modem or something. sit it in front of a box fan for a day.
whatever, dry it out.
then back in the freezer for another two weeks just to be sure.
when it comes out, I would clean it with the orange lexol, then clean any residue.
then I would condition it with the brown lexol, and again dry it.
then maybe some neatsfoot oil, but probably not, mold likes to eat that too.
anywhere that has slightly damp, still air will promote mold growth.
I suggest ceiling fans, moving air, dehumidifiers, that stuff.
you have a live, living organism living inside of your strap, and it's eating it.
it's digesting it. it's making holes in it, or rather pits.
you have to kill the organism.
that's why first, I would freeze it, and for a long period of time.
I would then soak it in acetic acid. I would leave it in the acid for a while.
this is probably going to ruin the finish if there is one.
I would then dry it out in my wind tunnel, lol. which in your case you can set it
on top of an old tv or modem or something. sit it in front of a box fan for a day.
whatever, dry it out.
then back in the freezer for another two weeks just to be sure.
when it comes out, I would clean it with the orange lexol, then clean any residue.
then I would condition it with the brown lexol, and again dry it.
then maybe some neatsfoot oil, but probably not, mold likes to eat that too.
anywhere that has slightly damp, still air will promote mold growth.
I suggest ceiling fans, moving air, dehumidifiers, that stuff.
I wouldn't doubt mold. I know some people with stables and being in TN a lot of
people with horses in general. mold in the leather; saddles/reins/etc is a big issue.
if it has a "moldy" smell, I'd treat it as mold.
I don't doubt that leather can have mold, or that it can be a big issue. I am doubting that by just leaving it on his table for a couple weeks, he got mold.
yeah good call there, I was kind of thinking the same in the back of my mind...
like wait a minute.. why do none of my straps have any issues, or any of my
leather. I came up with that I keep it inside. well he said he did too.
so then I came up with that I have ceiling fans, moving air and I keep my humidity
properly regulated, which he must not?
that's where my comment for fans and dehumidifier comes in.
I did some googling though on the subject. I don't wear one watch much. I
change them daily depending on color or style or whatever, they're an accessory.
but many people wear them often, and the strap is constantly being sweat into.
that's all mold needs. moisture (sweat), still air, food. leather is food, sweat is
moisture, leave it somewhere stale and it'll mold in a couple weeks.
like wait a minute.. why do none of my straps have any issues, or any of my
leather. I came up with that I keep it inside. well he said he did too.
so then I came up with that I have ceiling fans, moving air and I keep my humidity
properly regulated, which he must not?
that's where my comment for fans and dehumidifier comes in.
I did some googling though on the subject. I don't wear one watch much. I
change them daily depending on color or style or whatever, they're an accessory.
but many people wear them often, and the strap is constantly being sweat into.
that's all mold needs. moisture (sweat), still air, food. leather is food, sweat is
moisture, leave it somewhere stale and it'll mold in a couple weeks.
smokiedabong
Respected Member
- 22/8/12
- 3,546
- 12
- 38
I'm no expert here but doesn't heating the strap make more sense?
I thought freezing puts most microorganisms in a hibernation state, they found microorganisms still alive after thousands of years in glaciers.
A 65ºC/150ºF temperature for 30 minutes should be lethal for most molds and shouldn't affect the leather. A list with lethal temperature and time required for some common species :
Alternaria alternata-63ºC/145ºF-25 minutes
Aspergillus fumigatus 65ºC/149ºF 30 minutes
Aspergillus niger 63ºC/145ºF 25 minutes
Chaetomium globosum 57ºC/135ºF 10 minutes
Cladosporium herbarum 50ºC/122ºF 10 minutes
Stachybotrys chartarum-60ºC/140ºF 30 minutes
Also baking soda should help without the damaging effects of vinegar or if you have an ozone generator, ozone treatment is very effective. Again just trowing in my 2 cents, I have no experience with this.
I thought freezing puts most microorganisms in a hibernation state, they found microorganisms still alive after thousands of years in glaciers.
A 65ºC/150ºF temperature for 30 minutes should be lethal for most molds and shouldn't affect the leather. A list with lethal temperature and time required for some common species :
Alternaria alternata-63ºC/145ºF-25 minutes
Aspergillus fumigatus 65ºC/149ºF 30 minutes
Aspergillus niger 63ºC/145ºF 25 minutes
Chaetomium globosum 57ºC/135ºF 10 minutes
Cladosporium herbarum 50ºC/122ºF 10 minutes
Stachybotrys chartarum-60ºC/140ºF 30 minutes
Also baking soda should help without the damaging effects of vinegar or if you have an ozone generator, ozone treatment is very effective. Again just trowing in my 2 cents, I have no experience with this.