Ok, as a test, I put one boot in the freezer for 2 days (in a clean Wal-mart bag) and put the other out daily in the sun and fresh air… the boot from the freezer no longer stinks! IT’S TRUE! And the boot aired outside still smells quite unpleasant inside…
So there you have the experimental fact… freezing works!!!
I’ve used Borox to remove any odors from fabric because it neutralizes odors. Works great! I love it! I also read it helps with getting rid of mold/mildew…
White vinegar works for me. Had some boots that developed mildew/mold inside and out. I mopped the outside down with WV and filled the insides with WV, then drained it out. It killed the funky foot odor, too.
Jay, The vinegar method should work on any type of leather. However, you should skip step one; brushing the mold off works well for shoes, but since a car is enclosed, it would likely allow the mold spores to spread to another area, such as under the seat. Instead, use a car vacuum at a self-cleaning place to remove the mold, then continue with the vinegar treatment. Knowing the exact type of fungus isn’t necessary for treatment; all fungus must be treated with an antifungal.
Raymond, I live in a 100+ year old house by a NC swamp with water usually standing underneath…humid conditions are my only options. LOL. I love that you conducted the freeze/sunlight experiment. Awesome job! Luckily, I LOVE the scent of vinegar. Just cleaned boots, shoes & a purse with white vinegar/water mixture. Looks great so far! I plan to wipe them down with tea tree oil when they dry. Sorry someone’s shoes were ruined with vinegar. Personally, I considered mine ruined with the mold on them and will gladly take the vinegar over mold-covered ones any day. Thanks for the tips!!
Wayne, You can try the process mentioned earlier in the comments list of closing the glove in a box with baking soda to remove the odor. For your glove though, use something to prop the glove open, such as round tip toothpicks. Another idea could be to put some baking soda in a sock and put the sock in the glove.
I wear a pair of leather boots quite regularly and have started to notice a dark collection of something resembling mold or mildew under my toenails. There seems to be none visible on the outside of the boots. Has anyone else encountered this problem and what’s the best way to clean the insides of the boots?
I have a 2000 Heritage soft tail Harley Davidson. There are leather bags which have developed mildew on the outside and the inside. It’s rather a lot of leather. I also like a high shine on the leather on the outside. Any suggestion? It’s winter, and I have lots of time to work on them. Should I also keep the bags inside during winter periods? Thanks.
Doug E., Each piece of leather that has mildew on it will need to be cleaned to remove the mildew. Use a leather conditioner to make the leather shine. For the weather, it would be best not to leave the items outside; while they might be fine, it’s still a risk. If the cold temperature doesn’t cause the leather to crack, snow exposure could.
Hi. After returning from a tour, I found all my shoes moldy in the cabinet. I washed and cleaned them, but when I wear them, a moldy smell emulates from them. How do I get rid of this smell? (Smooth leather shoes.) Mike
Michael, You could try the trick used for smelly books: Cover the bottom of a storage container with baking soda, place a baking rack in the container, set the shoes on the rack and seal the container for a couple days. If you use a sealed container, this should also suffocate any potentially remaining mold. You could also place the shoes in a container with coffee beans or grounds for several days so they will emulate the smell of coffee instead.
Freezing does not kill mold; it’s a sporoform, it just goes into a spore state. The only way to kill mold is to make it too hot or break the spore (ie. acid).
Vic, I was in the army for six years and the white powder that bleeds through is salt from sweat. I had this issue all the time with my black boots. The only way I was able to remedy this was to soak them in warm water and 1 cup vinegar (to kill any mold) in the tub or a big sink to leach the salt out. Then, let them thoroughly dry. Treat them with saddle soap/leather conditioner and re-apply black polish.
Just a quick update to my earlier post. I tried using a light spray of undiluted bleach on the leathers first with a quick wipe of a cleaning rag. Let them dry, then did a quick brushing with a hand scrubber. Washed them with a mild soap, and let dry. So far, the leathers looked GREAT for the Gettysburg Remembrance Day parade. I will be storing them in a fairly tight cedar closet along with my wool uniforms, and using a box (or jar) of an air dry agent Home Depot sells.
Good post! After the mildew is removed, use some talcum powder on the insides and keep the shoes wrapped up in cloth to avoid the attack of mildew again.
Don’t use vinegar unless you are mental… it bloody well stinks worse than the mold… and baking soda is wives tales rubbish. What I did today is I put my Frey boots out in the hot Florida sun; the outside of the boots measured with an infared thermometer got up to 140F. This killed the smell on the outside of the boots, but not on the inside, which only reached 127F… So I’m thinking a fan oven on 150F for three hours should bake out the stink!! Also, regarding the smelly leather car interior, park it in the Florida sun all day, that will roast it away; the car interior reaches 170F!!! That’s enough to kill salmonella! In the future, DO NOT STORE LEATHER IN HUMID CONDITIONS; what you want is warm and DRY. There is no alternative but to wear trainers… BUT THEY STINK TOO… but that’s another horrid smelly story too!!
I have a pair of black leather boots that I took from the wardrobe after winter to wear. They had a white powder on them, which I cleaned off with a damp rag, and then I applied black boot polish. Within an hour, the white powder was back! I then cleaned it with antibacterial detergent and dried them for 24 hours – seemed ok. About an hour after wearing them, the powder comes back. Tried vinegar and rubbing alcohol. It cleans them initially, then once I wear them, it comes back. Thoughts?
Vic, Mold and mildew are fungi, which reproduce from spores. In order for the fungus to return, there must be spores present. Therefore, to get rid of it for good, you have to get rid of all of the spores. Since you said that the mold returns about an hour after you return home, that leads me to think that the spores are located in the closet/hallway/area where you keep the shoes. The mold is attracted to the leather because it is moist (more moist than a dry wall anyway), so even if you don’t see it growing somewhere else, that doesn’t mean there aren’t spores present that could be kicked up into the air with the slight breeze of movement when you set the shoes down, etc. However, the spores could also be on the shoelaces or even inside the shoes (and then get tossed into the air and back onto the surface of the shoe when you remove your feet.) Clean the area where you keep the shoes, the inside of the shoes and the shoelaces (as well as the shoes again to remove the fresh spores that are visibly growing). You could just vacuum the areas where it is not growing (the wall, inner shoe, etc.) instead of using a cleaning solution, but it would be best if you use a vacuum that has a filter so that the spores aren’t sent back into the air in another part of the house later. If you would prefer to use a cleaning solution, the vinegar solution can be safely used on most surfaces (walls, fabrics, etc.), but test it on a hidden area first to check for any adverse reaction. You do need to make sure you are using an anti-fungal though. Antibacterial soap will not kill mold spores, and neither will rubbing alcohol. Vinegar is an anti-fungal, and it usually works to kill the mold, but there are some species of mold that can survive the vinegar. If you clean all areas with a vacuum and/or vinegar, and the mold still returns, it could be that you have one of the more rare species of mold that is not killed by vinegar. If that is the case, then you should use sunlight or a commercial mold cleaner that is safe for leather. There are other household products that are anti-fungals, such as peroxide, baking soda or tea tree oil. However, any of those products could damage the leather, so if you decide to try one, test it on a hidden spot first and use a wet cloth to wipe it off thoroughly afterward. Also, if you use the baking soda, consider wiping the leather with a vinegar solution afterwards (wipe off the baking soda solution thoroughly first) to bring the pH of the leather back down since leather is naturally acidic.
I have leather flats and have sprayed them with a tea tree mixture twice and the white spots and white-looking string mold always comes back. I don’t know what else to try. Is there anything else I can do?
I’m a Civil War re-enactor and have lots of various leather items…holsters, cap pouches, bayonet scabbard, belts, etc… This is the first year I have noticed mold starting to grow on some of the items, especially on the rough edges of the leather, so I think I’m going to try cleaning as if it was suede. Sounds like the brushing first, clean with mild soap, wipe, and then treating with a conditioner will work. Being as how it’s the end of the season for events this year, I don’t want to put the stuff away with this problem still going on.
Vinegar will permanently RUIN leather! Never use it. One part rubbing alcohol and one part water, mixed and sprayed on will kill the mildew. Always follow up with a leather conditioner after your item has dried. My *best* results were in using tea tree oil; kills mildew and conditions the leather all in one step. Mike–this should fix your shoe problem permanently.
I have patent leather heels that were ruined by my apartment; it flooded, leaving mildew/mold on my shoes. I love my shoes and don’t want to throw them away; also don’t want fungus to get on my feet. I have about four pairs of shoes – 3 boots and 1 shoe. What’s the best way to clean them safely and to keep my feet safe, away from fungus?
Hi, What about the inside of the shoe? If don’t get out all the mold, can this be bad for contracting fungus growths on your toenails and on your feet?
Gina says
What is the method for using the tea tree oil?
Raymond's P.S. says
Ok, as a test, I put one boot in the freezer for 2 days (in a clean Wal-mart bag) and put the other out daily in the sun and fresh air… the boot from the freezer no longer stinks! IT’S TRUE! And the boot aired outside still smells quite unpleasant inside…
So there you have the experimental fact… freezing works!!!
Esmeralda says
I’ve used Borox to remove any odors from fabric because it neutralizes odors. Works great! I love it! I also read it helps with getting rid of mold/mildew…
Bill says
White vinegar works for me. Had some boots that developed mildew/mold inside and out. I mopped the outside down with WV and filled the insides with WV, then drained it out. It killed the funky foot odor, too.
Jay says
Do the above methods also work on car seat leather? Does anyone know what the fungus is that grows on leather?
Melanie says
Jay,
The vinegar method should work on any type of leather. However, you should skip step one; brushing the mold off works well for shoes, but since a car is enclosed, it would likely allow the mold spores to spread to another area, such as under the seat. Instead, use a car vacuum at a self-cleaning place to remove the mold, then continue with the vinegar treatment.
Knowing the exact type of fungus isn’t necessary for treatment; all fungus must be treated with an antifungal.
Jamie says
Raymond,
I live in a 100+ year old house by a NC swamp with water usually standing underneath…humid conditions are my only options. LOL. I love that you conducted the freeze/sunlight experiment. Awesome job! Luckily, I LOVE the scent of vinegar. Just cleaned boots, shoes & a purse with white vinegar/water mixture. Looks great so far! I plan to wipe them down with tea tree oil when they dry. Sorry someone’s shoes were ruined with vinegar. Personally, I considered mine ruined with the mold on them and will gladly take the vinegar over mold-covered ones any day. Thanks for the tips!!
Wayne says
I have an old baseball glove, in good condition except for a mildew smell from being stored in a damp basement. Any ideas for getting the smell out?
Melanie says
Wayne,
You can try the process mentioned earlier in the comments list of closing the glove in a box with baking soda to remove the odor. For your glove though, use something to prop the glove open, such as round tip toothpicks.
Another idea could be to put some baking soda in a sock and put the sock in the glove.
David says
I wear a pair of leather boots quite regularly and have started to notice a dark collection of something resembling mold or mildew under my toenails. There seems to be none visible on the outside of the boots. Has anyone else encountered this problem and what’s the best way to clean the insides of the boots?
Lorentz says
Thank you for the tips; my shoes are shiny now!
Doug E. says
I have a 2000 Heritage soft tail Harley Davidson. There are leather bags which have developed mildew on the outside and the inside. It’s rather a lot of leather. I also like a high shine on the leather on the outside. Any suggestion? It’s winter, and I have lots of time to work on them. Should I also keep the bags inside during winter periods? Thanks.
Melanie says
Doug E.,
Each piece of leather that has mildew on it will need to be cleaned to remove the mildew. Use a leather conditioner to make the leather shine. For the weather, it would be best not to leave the items outside; while they might be fine, it’s still a risk. If the cold temperature doesn’t cause the leather to crack, snow exposure could.
Michael says
Hi. After returning from a tour, I found all my shoes moldy in the cabinet. I washed and cleaned them, but when I wear them, a moldy smell emulates from them.
How do I get rid of this smell? (Smooth leather shoes.)
Mike
Melanie says
Michael,
You could try the trick used for smelly books:
Cover the bottom of a storage container with baking soda, place a baking rack in the container, set the shoes on the rack and seal the container for a couple days. If you use a sealed container, this should also suffocate any potentially remaining mold. You could also place the shoes in a container with coffee beans or grounds for several days so they will emulate the smell of coffee instead.
Source: Book Think – How to Remove Odors from Books
Phil says
Stick ’em in a carrier bag, tie it up, shove ’em in the freezer for at least 24 hours… job done. (Freezing kills mould, and the smell.)
Red Turtle says
Freezing does not kill mold; it’s a sporoform, it just goes into a spore state. The only way to kill mold is to make it too hot or break the spore (ie. acid).
Roger says
Vic, I was in the army for six years and the white powder that bleeds through is salt from sweat. I had this issue all the time with my black boots. The only way I was able to remedy this was to soak them in warm water and 1 cup vinegar (to kill any mold) in the tub or a big sink to leach the salt out. Then, let them thoroughly dry. Treat them with saddle soap/leather conditioner and re-apply black polish.
Norm says
Just a quick update to my earlier post. I tried using a light spray of undiluted bleach on the leathers first with a quick wipe of a cleaning rag. Let them dry, then did a quick brushing with a hand scrubber. Washed them with a mild soap, and let dry. So far, the leathers looked GREAT for the Gettysburg Remembrance Day parade. I will be storing them in a fairly tight cedar closet along with my wool uniforms, and using a box (or jar) of an air dry agent Home Depot sells.
Leather shoes says
Good post! After the mildew is removed, use some talcum powder on the insides and keep the shoes wrapped up in cloth to avoid the attack of mildew again.
Raymond says
Don’t use vinegar unless you are mental… it bloody well stinks worse than the mold… and baking soda is wives tales rubbish. What I did today is I put my Frey boots out in the hot Florida sun; the outside of the boots measured with an infared thermometer got up to 140F. This killed the smell on the outside of the boots, but not on the inside, which only reached 127F… So I’m thinking a fan oven on 150F for three hours should bake out the stink!! Also, regarding the smelly leather car interior, park it in the Florida sun all day, that will roast it away; the car interior reaches 170F!!! That’s enough to kill salmonella! In the future, DO NOT STORE LEATHER IN HUMID CONDITIONS; what you want is warm and DRY. There is no alternative but to wear trainers… BUT THEY STINK TOO… but that’s another horrid smelly story too!!
Kari says
Not everyone lives in Florida or can travel there just to clean leather. Plus, vinegar only stinks for a little while and works great.
Vic says
I have a pair of black leather boots that I took from the wardrobe after winter to wear. They had a white powder on them, which I cleaned off with a damp rag, and then I applied black boot polish. Within an hour, the white powder was back! I then cleaned it with antibacterial detergent and dried them for 24 hours – seemed ok. About an hour after wearing them, the powder comes back. Tried vinegar and rubbing alcohol. It cleans them initially, then once I wear them, it comes back. Thoughts?
Melanie says
Vic,
Mold and mildew are fungi, which reproduce from spores. In order for the fungus to return, there must be spores present. Therefore, to get rid of it for good, you have to get rid of all of the spores. Since you said that the mold returns about an hour after you return home, that leads me to think that the spores are located in the closet/hallway/area where you keep the shoes. The mold is attracted to the leather because it is moist (more moist than a dry wall anyway), so even if you don’t see it growing somewhere else, that doesn’t mean there aren’t spores present that could be kicked up into the air with the slight breeze of movement when you set the shoes down, etc.
However, the spores could also be on the shoelaces or even inside the shoes (and then get tossed into the air and back onto the surface of the shoe when you remove your feet.) Clean the area where you keep the shoes, the inside of the shoes and the shoelaces (as well as the shoes again to remove the fresh spores that are visibly growing). You could just vacuum the areas where it is not growing (the wall, inner shoe, etc.) instead of using a cleaning solution, but it would be best if you use a vacuum that has a filter so that the spores aren’t sent back into the air in another part of the house later. If you would prefer to use a cleaning solution, the vinegar solution can be safely used on most surfaces (walls, fabrics, etc.), but test it on a hidden area first to check for any adverse reaction.
You do need to make sure you are using an anti-fungal though. Antibacterial soap will not kill mold spores, and neither will rubbing alcohol. Vinegar is an anti-fungal, and it usually works to kill the mold, but there are some species of mold that can survive the vinegar. If you clean all areas with a vacuum and/or vinegar, and the mold still returns, it could be that you have one of the more rare species of mold that is not killed by vinegar. If that is the case, then you should use sunlight or a commercial mold cleaner that is safe for leather. There are other household products that are anti-fungals, such as peroxide, baking soda or tea tree oil. However, any of those products could damage the leather, so if you decide to try one, test it on a hidden spot first and use a wet cloth to wipe it off thoroughly afterward. Also, if you use the baking soda, consider wiping the leather with a vinegar solution afterwards (wipe off the baking soda solution thoroughly first) to bring the pH of the leather back down since leather is naturally acidic.
Source: Mother Nature Network – Kill mold naturally: 5 eco-friendly ideas
Source: Wise Geek – Why is Alcohol a Good Antiseptic
Source: Leather Care, Repair and Restoration – The pH of Leather – Or, How to Ruin Leather by Following Bad Advice
Chantelle says
I have leather flats and have sprayed them with a tea tree mixture twice and the white spots and white-looking string mold always comes back. I don’t know what else to try. Is there anything else I can do?
Norm says
I’m a Civil War re-enactor and have lots of various leather items…holsters, cap pouches, bayonet scabbard, belts, etc… This is the first year I have noticed mold starting to grow on some of the items, especially on the rough edges of the leather, so I think I’m going to try cleaning as if it was suede. Sounds like the brushing first, clean with mild soap, wipe, and then treating with a conditioner will work. Being as how it’s the end of the season for events this year, I don’t want to put the stuff away with this problem still going on.
Karen K. says
Vinegar will permanently RUIN leather! Never use it. One part rubbing alcohol and one part water, mixed and sprayed on will kill the mildew. Always follow up with a leather conditioner after your item has dried. My *best* results were in using tea tree oil; kills mildew and conditions the leather all in one step. Mike–this should fix your shoe problem permanently.
Kai says
Ridiculous! Alcohol is drying and does not kill fungus.
Fungicides: vinegar, borax, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide.
Amanda says
I have a few pairs of suede shoes and the mould keeps returning even when I clean them. Can someone give me some advice please?
Nikki says
I have patent leather heels that were ruined by my apartment; it flooded, leaving mildew/mold on my shoes. I love my shoes and don’t want to throw them away; also don’t want fungus to get on my feet. I have about four pairs of shoes – 3 boots and 1 shoe. What’s the best way to clean them safely and to keep my feet safe, away from fungus?
Mike says
Hi, What about the inside of the shoe? If don’t get out all the mold, can this be bad for contracting fungus growths on your toenails and on your feet?
Jim says
Can I cut the tea tree oil with rubbing alcohol to stretch it and also combine the two methodologies?