Mold in Closet. Leather Coats exposed to it...

[Danielali]

I have a question. I had some really nice, new leather coats hanging in a closet with an adjacent bathroom wall. I noticed the closet wood soggy and realized there was a leak causing mould to form. I inspected the coats and they didn't have any mould on them. However there was some on the closet floor which I later cleaned. I dusted the coats and moved them to a different closet in another room. It's been a few months since this happened. Today I noticed a leather belt full that was kept on the floor of the closet right under these coats, full of mold. The brown leather belt had almost turned greenish, I removed it from the closet and observed some dusty green mold on the floor of the closet. I inspected all the leather coats and none of them have any visible mould inside or out. Not even small specks.

Can someone help me understand and perhaps suggest what I should do to preserve these coats? Is it possible the leather coats have mold which I cant see or theyre resistant to having it grow on it but the belt that was underneath them had mold falling on it from the coats an the belt's leather was prone to this mold? I just dont know what to make of it and what to do to keep the coats safe and clean from mold. I am attaching a pic of the said belt.

 

[JonnyCrow]

I have a question. I had some really nice, new leather coats hanging in a closet with an adjacent bathroom wall. I noticed the closet wood soggy and realized there was a leak causing mould to form. I inspected the coats and they didn't have any mould on them. However there was some on the closet floor which I later cleaned. I dusted the coats and moved them to a different closet in another room. It's been a few months since this happened. Today I noticed a leather belt full that was kept on the floor of the closet right under these coats, full of mold. The brown leather belt had almost turned greenish, I removed it from the closet and observed some dusty green mold on the floor of the closet. I inspected all the leather coats and none of them have any visible mould inside or out. Not even small specks.

Can someone help me understand and perhaps suggest what I should do to preserve these coats? Is it possible the leather coats have mold which I cant see or theyre resistant to having it grow on it but the belt that was underneath them had mold falling on it from the coats an the belt's leather was prone to this mold? I just dont know what to make of it and what to do to keep the coats safe and clean from mold. I am attaching a pic of the said belt.View attachment 120601

Id definitely treat that bathroom wall otherwise its a recurring problem, mold can cause rot, leather is organic and porous, I'd move them elsewhere

 

[Smithy]

Depending on the type of mould you can have a serious problem. Some mould spores are nearly impervious to any kind of treatment. Others though can be gotten rid of. If the leather is not fragile a mild vinegar solution can work. It's important to dry the leather out after the application with some sunlight as the UV also helps.

We had a specific mould solution for leather artefacts at the museum I worked at but I can't remember the name of it right now. That would be for especially old and potentially fragile leather objects. If you really want to know I can ring my old technical curator mate and find out.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Depending on the type of mould you can have a serious problem. Some mould spores are nearly impervious to any kind of treatment. Others though can be gotten rid of. If the leather is not fragile a mild vinegar solution can work. It's important to dry the leather out after the application with some sunlight as the UV also helps.

We had a specific mould solution for leather artefacts at the museum I worked at but I can't remember the name of it right now. That would be for especially old and potentially fragile leather objects. If you really want to know I can ring my old technical curator mate and find out.

Smithy was it a Ethylene oxide?

 

[Silver Surfer]

Jonny is correct. take care of the leak asap or you begin to get mould between the walls, and it will be damn near impossible to get rid of it without tearing into the walls. this will happen even if you do not see it at first, but you will smell it. all of the leather that was in the closet should be cleaned up good with saddle soap and put in the sun on a low humidity day. look for spotting in the seams, inside pockets, and any other nooks and crannies. saddle soap is a low ph soap that will neutralize the mould without harm to the leather. if the mould has left discoloration or spotting you can treat the hides with a rubbed in pass of vaseline. yes vaseline. it works and is cheap. and yes vinegar works too. all mould must be gotten rid of or it will regrow.

 

[JonnyCrow]

Depending on the type of mould you can have a serious problem. Some mould spores are nearly impervious to any kind of treatment. Others though can be gotten rid of. If the leather is not fragile a mild vinegar solution can work. It's important to dry the leather out after the application with some sunlight as the UV also helps.

We had a specific mould solution for leather artefacts at the museum I worked at but I can't remember the name of it right now. That would be for especially old and potentially fragile leather objects. If you really want to know I can ring my old technical curator mate and find out.

Your right though I've used white vinegar before

 

[JonnyCrow]

Jonny is correct. take care of the leak asap or you begin to get mould between the walls, and it will be damn near impossible to get rid of it without tearing into the walls. this will happen even if you do not see it at first, but you will smell it. all of the leather that was in the closet should be cleaned up good with saddle soap and put in the sun on a low humidity day. look for spotting in the seams, inside pockets, and any other nooks and crannies. saddle soap is a low ph soap that will neutralize the mould without harm to the leather. if the mould has left discoloration or spotting you can treat the hides with a rubbed in pass of vaseline. yes vaseline. it works and is cheap.

Vaseline worked wonders on my original Aero, the leather is like butter now

 

[Smithy]

Smithy was it a Ethylene oxide?

I can't remember but it was used on seriously mould damaged items which were also compromised with other damage and often rot.

Heavily diluted vinegar solution is perfect on articles that can handle it.

Like I said though, some mould variants are virtually impossible to get rid of, lying dormant until the humidity level is perfect for them to multiply again. Those cases can only be solved by keeping the item in a humidity controlled environment.

 

[JonnyCrow]

I can't remember but it was used on seriously mould damaged items which were also compromised with other damage and often rot.

Heavily diluted vinegar solution is perfect on articles that can handle it.

Like I said though, some mould variants are virtually impossible to get rid of, lying dormant until the humidity level is perfect for them to multiply again. Those cases can only be solved by keeping the item in a humidity controlled environment.

Like antique museum books

 

[Smithy]

Like antique museum books

Yup!

 

[Danielali]

@Smithy If you get a chance do let me know of it. These are really expensive leather coats

@Silver Surfer Thank you for that tip I will look inside seems and pockets thoroughly

I live in a particularly hot and humid country but the apartment is air conditioned around the clock at 22C or 72F roughly.

I did move them to a different location a few months ago, there still isnt any visible mould but I will double check.

If I wipe them with Vinegar/Water solution and dry them right away, leave them by a sunny window for a couple of days is that a good method?

In terms of long term storage after all this what do you guys recommend?

 

[Smithy]

Often you need to use enough of the diluted vinegar solution to "soak" into the leather. Not so much as it's saturated but enough that it's penetrated the outer surfaces. Mould blooms aren't always on the surfaces but sometimes have worked their way into the more porous layer under the outer layer.

If you're worried wipe the outer surface down thoroughly and leave for a few days and see what happens. If the mould comes back it is in that layer under the outer shell and you'll need to be more aggressive with the treatment.

 

[JonnyCrow]

@Smithy If you get a chance do let me know of it. These are really expensive leather coats

@Silver Surfer Thank you for that tip I will look inside seems and pockets thoroughly

I live in a particularly hot and humid country but the apartment is air conditioned around the clock at 22C or 72F roughly.

I did move them to a different location a few months ago, there still isnt any visible mould but I will double check.

If I wipe them with Vinegar/Water solution and dry them right away, leave them by a sunny window for a couple of days is that a good method?

In terms of long term storage after all this what do you guys recommend?

Failing that spray it in with a bottle and spray nozzle

 

[Danielali]

@Smithy Ok I see what you mean. The thing is I just examined all the coats and there is no visible mould on them. I think I'll wipe each coat out and leave them out for a few days as you suggested.

 

[Danielali]

@JonnyCrow If I use a bottle and sprayer (50/50 Vinegar/Water) Do I just wipe it off with a clean cloth right away or if I should soak how long? How do you tackle the inside fabric area, same method? And then air dry?

 

[A2B3G1]

This may sound like a silly question, but will a jacket smell like vinegar after the water/vinegar solutions n is applied and everything is dry?

 

[Danielali]

@A2B3G1 Yes, from what I've read it does smell like vinegar. Some people use baking soda to absorb that odor or other means.

 

[Dany McDonald]

Personally, with leather or fabric dealing with mold, I go for Borax. Combine a tablespoon of borax with a cup of water, then apply this solution to the mold with a soft-bristled brush. Scrub away the mold, and then carefully wash the solution away.

But your biggest problem is part of the solution, leather doesn't like being soaked with any liquids. So use your head and evaluate every steps and its impact on how the leather will react.

See this advise concerning historic artifact and how its dealt with when done in a museum, (just for fun and education!)

Removing Mould from Leather – Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) Notes 8/1 - Canada.ca

www.canada.ca

Please share your technique and results!

Dany

 

[Dany McDonald]

This may sound like a silly question, but will a jacket smell like vinegar after the water/vinegar solutions n is applied and everything is dry?

Yes, if totally soaked, hence why I avoid vinegar on leather, just me, not judging...

D

 

[Smithy]

This may sound like a silly question, but will a jacket smell like vinegar after the water/vinegar solutions n is applied and everything is dry?

If you're using a diluted solution (which you should be) then the odour shouldn't be overly strong.

It'll go fairly quickly. You should though be using a conditioning agent anyway afterwards which obviously combats that.

That's how it was done on robust leather at the museum I worked at.