You are here because you are wondering how to remove mildew from leather. Well, removing it is relatively easy.
Just start by cleaning up big chunks of mildew by brushing off any particles you may see, then vacuum the leather goods for a thorough cleaning. With a cloth dump with soap water wipe off any residue of mildew, then lastly rub the diluted alcohol with water to clean the leather.
Mildew will not just affect the quality of your leather but also spread and contaminate your home and have a much more severe impact on your house and health. You better take a closer look at what it is on your leather goods because mold and mildew are almost similar and only differ in their appearance.
What Are Differences Between Mold And Mildew?
If you wonder what mildew looks like, mildew and mold are almost the same, except color and texture. Mildew is often white and powdery, and flat, while mold comes from various colors and is fuzzy.
Both mildew and mold have a similar effect on your house and health. The only difference they have is in how they look.
If you want to know more about their differences, check out how to identify mildew from mold.
What Are Mildews?
Mildews are powdery white organisms growing inside your house with the help of oxygen and moisture. They mostly grow on living plants or organic matter like paper, leather, and wood.
Mildew grows in a particular environment, and if not, it will not thrive in that area. It needed high moisture and sometimes a high-temperature environment.
Here is more information for you to know what mildew is.
Why Does Mold Grow On Leather?
Since mold and mildew grow in the same environment, there might be mold growing where mildew grows.
With moisture, and oxygen mold and mildew may grow and fester your goods. You might not want that to happen because it may affect the quality of your leather.
Here is more information on why does mold grow on leather.
Materials Needed For Cleaning Mildew
Here are some materials you might need when cleaning off the mildew from your leather.
1. Nylon brush
You first need a nylon brush for cleaning off the small spore particles of the mildew from your leather.
If you do not know what a nylon brush is, it is a firm, durable, flexible, and elastic brush with nylon polymer filaments in its bristles.
2. Vacuum
You would need a vacuum. The vacuum will be the one that will clean the big chunks of mildew off the leather.
You might want to use a smaller vacuum for your leather goods instead of the bigger one. It may be tricky to use a big vacuum for small leather goods.
3. Soap
The soap will also help you clean out the remaining mildew spores of your leather that naked eyes may not see. A powdered or liquid soap used for cleaning is the soap that you will need for this.
4. Alcohol
The alcohol will not be used to remove the mildew from the leather, but it will help clean and take care of the leather. For this, your ordinary rubbing alcohol would be suitable.
Steps On Removing Mildew From Leather
Here are the steps on removing mildew from your leather. This cleaning process should be done outside so that it will not affect the inside of your home.
Step #1. With a clean nylon brush, brush off the mildew stain you are seeing from your leather goods.
Step #2. With your vacuum, clean the leather well thoroughly. Make sure that the mildew stain is removed from your leather.
Step #3. Mix your soap with water and put a tiny spot on your leather to test if it will not affect the fabric( preferably where it will not get noticed). If the leather area stains or darkens, do not use soap or water on it.
Suppose it did not; lather up the leather with soapy water with a sponge. Once done, wipe the suds away with a damp cloth.
Step #4. Lastly, dilute 1 cup of alcohol into 4 cups of water. Once diluted, wet cloth to the water-alcohol mixture and rub it on the leather.
Don’t wet the leather too much. After all that, let the leather dry.
Now, you have mildew-free leather!
How To Remove Mold Smell On Leather
Since mildew and mold are somehow related to each other, removing their smell is very much alike. If you have leather goods with coloring that may be hard to spot, well, you can rely on their smell.
Sometimes mold and mildew give off a distinct smell. You may also have allergic reactions when you inhale it.
Here are ways on how to remove mold smell from leather.
Conclusion
As you have reached the end of this article, you will know the easiest way on how to remove mildew from leather. Make sure to use the right materials since leather is delicate.