Last weekend, I pulled out one of my bags, and let out a little scream of horror. What was a beautiful red leather bag was covered in patches of mould!
I don’t know if it was the recent yo-yo-ing humidity, or if it might be due to improper storage (doubt it!) but it was awful and I was sad. But I was determined that it would be salvaged! I have a soft spot for this bag. It was one of my first proper leather bags in a colour I really love.
To help solve the problem, here’s what I did.
First, you’ll need:-
- An old soft toothbrush
- A cotton or microfibre cloth
- Leather cleaner and moisturizer
- Gloves
- Lots of sun!
Its quite important to have the last item – lots of bright hot sun – so if you have a similar problem, my suggestion would be to wait for a nice sunny day before you start.
Here’s how I salvaged the situation.
- First, inspect the bag – is the mould (or mold if you’re American) only on the outer surface of the bag? Mine was just on the outside. The leather trim inside was not affected.
- Take the bag out to the yard or an open space, pull on rubber gloves, and using the old toothbrush, brush away the mould, making sure you brush at the whole surface of the bag.
- Once you’ve removed the worst of it, wet the cloth, squeeze out the water until it is only slightly damp, and then wipe down the whole bag, making sure you cover the whole surface again. Be quick. You don’t want the leather soaking up the water.
- Then, set the bag in a patch of sun to dry out properly. I took it back in after about half an hour, but left it in the shade, outside in an airy spot for it to be properly dry.
- A few hours later, when the bag is nicely dry, use a soft cotton or microfibre cloth and apply leather cleaner all over the bag, rubbing it in to make sure its clean all over; then apply leather moisturizer and buff.
- Set aside to dry and it’s as good as new!
After I’d cleaned it, the leather is practically as good as new with a nice sheen (sign of quality leather) and with no real damage.
I am quite lucky that I caught it in time, before it could get worse, because mould can eat away at leather and damage it. I used the sun to help me dry it out and for the heat to further kill the mould, but don’t leave it out too long or your leather can dry out too much and crack/fade.
I also tossed the dust bag this bag was in, because I did not want lingering spores to cause any future problems. And finally, to avoid further problems (and to ensure my other bags did not suffer the same fate) I went out and got a new dehumidifier for my cupboard where I store my leather bags. Its basically calcium chloride which absorb moisture and you can also get some silica gel sachets to place inside your bag (which I plan to if I can find a place to buy them)
I hope this helps someone. So other than my previous tips for caring for your leather bags or leather goods, a new tip would be to check on your bags now and again if you don’t use them very often. In our hot and humid weather, mould is a common problem but its not a problem without a solution! 🙂
If you have a tip to share on how to clean mould off a leather bag or leather item, do share! We could always learn something new 🙂
Paris B
Hi, can i know where can i get the leather bag cleaner and moisturiser you mentioned?
Thanks
I use an Amway leather cleaner and a Coach leather moisturizer. Coach also does leather cleaners.
I had a situation with my leather bags getting moldy and I’m glad to find this post. May I know where I can get tea tree oil? I need to keep lizards away. Unfortunately by the time I get home the sun is down so sunning my bags is out. Hopefully the dehumidifier works. I usually have stuffings in my bags to keep the shape too.
It’ll be awesome if anyone can share ideas on storing our bags in confined spaces.
You can get tea tree oil at any pharmacy 🙂
Hi there I have a patient leather bag how or wat is thd best way to treat it??
Thanks
Isilda
Wonderful tip, I just purchased a nice leather portfolio to replace my leather attaché which is in storage 3 states away. It, along with a lightweight jean jacket with corduroy color & cuffs, were on the side section of a Salvation Army thrift and I smelled the mustiness so I knew there would be mold/mold dust — it was on both.
You touched on but did not mention how to remove/clean mold from the inside. Any ideas?
TIA
Afraid I’ve no idea about cleaning mold from the inside. I imagine it would be done the same way, except you’d have to be more careful to brush and clean out the corners and crevices. Sorry I’m not much help.
Paris, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing this. My mom\’s collection of handbags were stored for too long without being aired once in a while, so they got mouldy. I\’m so glad I found your article! Using a leather conditioner at the end really made a difference too. The old bags now look new again. I did the cleaning for her bags (more than 10 of them) today and thankfully we got a bright sun, it really helped a lot.I just bought the leather conditioner at a local Ace Hardware, and it costed about RM20.
This is exactly my problem is! I’m glad that I found your blog. Thank You so much. Hope that will savour my leather bag
Phew! Glad my handbag / briefcase isn’t ruined! I start a new job on Monday and got my bag out of the wardrobe only to find mould on the straps :S not sure how it happened! This has worked a treat though. Thanks for helping!
Does anyone have advice on how to remove the mold from a patent leather bag? I have one with black spots on the flap.. but I can’t clean it because it’s covered in patent.. HELP!
A cheaper tips from me. Use tomatoes on mouldy leather. Scrub it with old toothbrush with circular motion. Then rinse with water , wipe and let it dry under sun or airy space. Done! It works for me.
thank you for sharing. Yes, my bags are victim too of moulds .
im from the Phils and the weather here is humid.
just wondering if you encounter problems in the handle of your bags. i noticed its not moulds , an attack from an insects? no idea what was it
it looks bitten but i keep them in a open closet. it started small then goes longer and longer until it looks ugly to use anymore.
I have a quilted leather Chanel bag that was stored in the original dust bag and in the box . I just noticed some mold on the outer surface. What’s the best way to clean the mold off this fine calf leather ?
For Chanel, I’d not attempt to clean it myself. Try taking it to a Chanel store, or a bag spa/cleaner that specializes in luxury bags (if you don’t have a Chanel store near you) to ensure you don’t damage your bag doing it yourself. Good luck!