Picked up my leather shirt today from where I (admittedly carelessly) left it on the chair when i got home from Backstreet a week ago. And it's got spots of mould both inside and out.

This is rather alarming; oddly, before the last time I cleaned it, I'd noticed a faint smell of mildew, but couldn't see anything. Presumably it's sprung from somewhere, and suddenly found the conditions of the last week conducive to rapid growth.

Is there anything I can do to cure this? Any hints or recommended treatments? Or best just to throw it away?

Nigel.

Hi Nigel,
Not sure what the solution is. I've had the feeling that I might have picked up a fungal infection just behind My knee, probably from My leather jeans, I sprayed both Me and the inside of the jeans with some fungicidal spray used for athletes foot and things seem to have been ok. Not sure if this was the right thing to do or not, but maybe things that live on leather might also like the taste of skin
Andy
861

I had a similar problem with a leather jacket hanging beside other leather gear that was unaffected. I understand that is is caused by spores in the leather which start to grow in high humidity. The reason the other gear was unaffected is because the tanners have eliminated spores during the tanning process.

I brushed off the mould and treated the leather with dubbin. As long as the leather is kept dry there should be further growth of fungus.

I understand the problems experienced with leather becoming mouldy.
My first motorcycle jacket I bought back in the 80s (after seeing the Al Pacino Cruising movie!) has been kept in a wardrobe which houses all my other 'older' clothes which I have never got round to sorting out. Every year I dig out my m/cycle jacket and have to wipe off the mould and I then polish up the jacket with vaseline, to feed the leather, and boot polish, to shine it up. It feels great on, if a little tight, but the sleeves are a little short and so it goes back into the wardrobe. The leather jeans I bought in the late 80s, which I cannot zip up and button the waist despite laying down and struggling with all my might (!), also suffer from mould and get cleaned on a regular basis, just in case I lose a few inches round the waist!
The current leather gear I have, blue uniform and motorcycle jacket and jeans, are kept in my bedroom and have never suffered from mould. The assumption I have come to is that leather which is not worn is more prone to mould, and passing mould to other leather garments in close proximity, just as any leather which has had liquid spilt on it and not cleaned off is likely to cause mould.
The answer? Keep the leather dry. Feed it regularly. Buff it up. Enjoy wearing!

I have a different question relating to leather care.
I live in a humid climate and find that leather studs, nickel snaps, etc. on my leathers tarnish very quickly. Does anyone have a trick for cleaning/ polishing metal accents without damaging the leather they’re on?
I tried a dremel with polish but that was very time intensive and didn’t last long.
‘Any other suggestions?
Thank you.

That's a very good question about how to polish studs. I have a studded leather belt where the studs started to get tarnished and so I religiously polished each stud in turn only to find that the polish I used was taking the chrome away! The belt is now ruined. The studs on my motorcycle jacket have also tarnished but I keep metal polish well away from them and just buff them up after I've applied vaseline to feed the leather.
Hopefully, someone else in BLUF can recommend a suitable polish...?

try adding a little athlelets foot cream to the oiled or waxed cloth you use when you polish up your affected gear. it seems to work

If you have a mold smell that persists, even after cleaning - use this product:
http://www.urinegone.com

It contains enzymes that effectively neutrilize odors (This also works to get rid of piss/urine/sweat smells in leather breeches that build up over the years). It works surprisingly well.

It can also be found in "Bed, Bath and Beyond" stores in North America.. I'm not sure what the equivalent European version of BB&B is.

Mildew (or rather the fungi that cause it) will grow just about anywhere where the humidity is high enough (over 60%): the only way to prevent it is to ensure items are dry and allowed to air thoroughly before you put them away.

Moulds especially like sweat as they can feed on it, so cleaning the leather from time to time also helps. Avoid leather treatments containing glycerin: this attracts damp.

When cleaning mildew off leather, use disposable rags, otherwise you'll just spread the spores onto your other leathers. One answer is to get affected items professionally cleaned, remembering to recondition them afterwards.

use Em clean spray from LTT it works www.lttsolutions.net 01423 881027

leather can also be washed in the washing machine on a wool or silk cool cycle, using fairy dishwashing liquid... (just a small squirt into the tray).. I wouldnt use it on a Langlitz but if you have a waistcoat or old leather jeans try it and see what u think..

I have done this too when jeans have become too tight... and then put them on JUST BEFORE they are totally dry.. this has stretched the waistband a bit... the alternative to that is to go to a leather arment maker (or decent cobler) and ask for a V insert at the back of the jeans, that will majorly be covered by a belt anyway....) they will take the leather from a trouser hem, or match it as well as they can.

DO NOT USE WHITE OR OTHER CLOTHES WASHING POWDER OR GELS - just fairy dishwashing mild liquid....

Once cleaned I suggest go to a decent electrical shop and ask for some Silicagel sachets... put these in a bowl at the bottom of your wardrobe, and they will keep moisture away from the clothes.. (these are the little sachets you find in just about every box of electronics placed there for exactly that reason). The electrical shops throw these away in their hundreds every week.