The Ultimate Guide to Clean Mold From Leather

Leather is known as one of the most loved materials in the world that is being used in almost everything. Be it furniture, stationery, garments, shoes, and more, leather is used in the manufacturing of almost everything. Where leather is known to give a classic look to everything, there it is also known to be one of the most durable materials in the world. We all are aware of how expensive these high-quality leather products are. But since they are known to last for a very long time, it is considered to be a good investment. The catch here is to maintain it well. Maintaining leather products is crucial.

There are many things that can destroy the appearance of your lovely looking leather products. For example, mold and mildew. Mold is one of the most common problems that tend to appear in most leather products and covers up their beautiful appearance leaving you helpless. Usually, if mold or mildew grows on leather with stains or damage, it becomes really difficult for one to remove it. Luckily, we have discovered some ways which can help you get rid of the mold from your leather products.

Note: If you have a mold sensitivity, there is a huge chance that you experience congestion, throat irritation or several different kinds of allergic symptoms. This is another very important reason that you always keep your leather products clean from any kind of mold or mildew.

Here, in this piece of article, we are going to take you through some effective ways in which you can clean mold from your leather surfaces. But before we start sharing with you our secret methods, let’s discuss a few reasons that cause mold on leather.

 Usually, mold grows in a moist, warm and obscure environment. It usually appears as a layer of filament that appears to the eye like little dust particles. Mold in general is a group of fungi that grow together. Leather is a perfect place for mold to grow. This is the reason why with time, leather tends to catch it. Usually, when you store your leather products in a closet, they are not exposed enough to the sunlight or high temperatures, which makes a perfect environment for mold to develop over its surface. There is a high chance for you to mistake mold for dust because of its fuzzy white flaky appearance. But if ignored, the fungus tends to spread, leaving a stubborn stain that you can’t just simply dust off. In some cases, you might see even a brown stain on black leather, that is mold too.

Now that we have discussed what causes mold on leather, let’s get to the list of ways in which you can remove mold and mildew from your leather surface.

Mold & Mildew is not very easy to clean. This, in most cases becomes a headache. Here, we are going to list some of the effective ways in which you can easily remove mold from your beautiful, expensive, and close-to-heart leather products.

Let’s begin…

What will you need? 

1. Nylon Brush 2. Vacuum Cleaner 3. Soap 4. Alcohol 5. Soft-bristled cleaning brush 6. Soft Cleaning Cloth 7 Mild cleaning detergent

Now that we have shared the list of things you would need to clean your leather of mold. Let’s discuss the steps in which you will be using these materials.

Step 1 - Clean the leather surface using a nylon brush with mild soap and alcohol. Remember, you need to have a soft-bristled brush for this. Using a hard brush can leave scratches on the surface, damaging your product even more. Also, make sure that you dust off all the dirt before cleaning the product.

Step 2 - The next step involves the use of vacuum cleaners. In this step, you will be removing the contents as fast as possible. No matter how thick the layer of mold has developed on the leather surface, vacuuming can work wonders. So, once you have cleaned the surface with soap and alcohol, vacuum the residue away.

Step 3 - After vacuuming, use a wet soft towel or cleaning cloth to remove suds. Remember not to use a wet finish on unfinished leather products. Even if the products are finished adding a wet layer can cause harm to them. So, no matter what people say, never ever use a wet finish on your leather products if you want to keep them safe. Spot testing works well in this case. If you still want to clean it with water, test a small part of the leather first.

These are the three general steps that you can use to clean your leather products from mold. 

Now, after discussing the general steps, let’s get to a few specific methods that you can use to get rid of the mold from leather products.

Mold from leather products can be cleaned using rubbing alcohol. As there are many wrinkles in leather products, it is very difficult to clean the mold from them. Luckily, there are several different household materials that you can mix up to make a proper leather cleaning solution. For example, mixing water and rubbing alcohol can work wonders when it comes to cleaning mold from leather.

To clean the mold off your leather, you can soak a soft cleaning cloth in the solution and clean the leather surface. While doing this, make sure that you pay extra caution to all the tiny areas and parts to get rid of mold and mildew entirely. Usually, people tend to leave the areas between the wrinkles unknowingly while cleaning the leather products.

 When it comes to using chemicals to clean leather, you need to be very careful and cautious. To get rid of the mold from leather, you must try out saddle soap instead of using any kind of chemicals. Saddle soap can be found in almost all general stores.

To clean leather with saddle soap, you need to use a moist sponge or towel with a small quantity of saddle soap. Remember not to apply too much pressure when rubbing the soap into the leather. Once you see that the area seems to be clean, use a moist cloth to get rid of any kind of soap residue. Make sure that you don’t use excessive heat to dry the leather. In fact, it is best that you let it dry naturally. Also, do not place the leather directly into sunlight. This might cause it to fade. In the end, never forget to apply a leather conditioner.

Baking soda is an effective mold and mildew killer. So, when it comes to cleaning mold off your leather products, it is best to use baking soda. This, in fact, is a great option for white leather products as there is no chance that it leaves a stain.

When it comes to using baking soda to clean leather products, you must follow these steps -

Step 1 - Sprinkle baking soda on the leather surface you want to clean.

Step 2 - Leave it on for 20 minutes.

Step 3 - Vacuum the sprinkled baking soda until it is completely dissolved.

Step 4 - If you still see a bit of baking soda, use a warm water-dipped cloth with a few drops of white vinegar and liquid dish soap to clean it off.

There is a possibility that baking soda leaves a misty smell. To get rid of this smell put the product in the large box with baking soda sprinkled over the area.

Another very effective method to clean off mold from the leather surface is using baby shampoo. To clean and maintain your expensive leather products, it is vital that you keep dust off your bags and take extra care of your products if you see mold developing on the surface.

 To clean mold from leather products using baby shampoo, there are several steps that you need to follow -

Step 1 - Mix baby shampoo in water and make a dilute solution.

Step 2 - Take a soft towel or cleaning cloth and dip it in the solution.

Step 3 - Clean the leather surface with the cloth damped in the shampoo solution.

Step 4 - Let the leather surface dry naturally.

These are a few steps that you need to follow when it comes to cleaning mold from leather using baby shampoo.

Note: When you are rubbing the leather product with baby shampoo, make sure you don’t apply too much pressure on the surface. This will not affect the fabric overall. So, be very careful while cleaning mold off your leather product.

These are some of the mold cleaning tips for leather products. Everyone who is fascinated to collect different leather products like us, you must check this list of tips to get rid of dirty and disgusting mold from your expensive, designer leather products. So, don’t sweat if you see mold growing on your favorite leather jacket, leather bag, or leather journal. These tips will save it.

At Leather Neo, we have a huge variety of leather products including leather journals, leather notebook covers, laptop covers, pen holders, and more. All the products are made using full-grain thick leather that is considered to be high in quality. Our passion for leather has made us experts in it. Above, we have shared with you some effective ways to get rid of mold from your leather. We also have tips on how to remove stains from leather.

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