Mold is a nasty little problem in tack rooms and seems to run rampant, especially here in the South. Heat and humidity create the perfect breeding ground and getting one piece of affected leather in your barn's tack room can expose everyone else to the problem because mold spores can become air-born.
As the manager of the local tack store, I am constantly being asked what the best (and most economical) treatment of mold is. I have found Leather Therapy Restorer and Conditioner to be the best stuff on the market because it is designed to kill mold spores and protects against future infections, but it's not cheap. However, it works like a charm so you'll need to decide if this is the correct treatment for you. If you go this route, use it SPARINGLY. A little goes a very long way with this stuff, it leaves an oily residue that will need to soak in after the leather is treated, and it stains, so don't use it while wearing your Sunday best!
If you prefer the non-chemical way...
1. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar. (If you're dealing with a small area of mold, you will obviously need to trim the paper towel to size.)
2. Lay the vinegar soaked towel on the affected area and leave for 10-20 minutes for light mold, 30-40 minutes for moderate mold, and up to 60 minutes for severe mold.
3. Remove the towel. The mold should have completely vanished. If it hasn't, you will need to repeat step (2). My treatment time is generally 30 minutes, but I bought a used saddle one time that had one trouble spot that refused to go away. It took three treatments for the spot to finally vanish, so don't fret if it takes more than once.
4. Clean the leather with a strong cleaner like Dial soap. Wet a sponge and ring it out thoroughly. Take a couple wipes of the bar of Dial soap and massage into the leather until the suds disappear. If you have a vinegar scent that lingers on the leather after cleaning, allow the leather to dry and clean again.
5. Follow up with a conditioner like Belvoir Tack Conditioner or Lexol Conditioner.
Easy as that!!!!
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