Remove mold on a leather handbag

Imagine walking into your closet and smelling a faint musty odor, then noticing black or white patches forming on your handbag. Seeing mold on your leather handbag may cause distress, but it is not an uncommon occurrence. All mold needs to grow is the right amount of moisture and the ideal room temperature. A mold problem is not something to take lightly. If left long enough, mold can destroy your bag beyond repair. However, if the structure of the bag is not damaged, you can salvage the handbag. Here is one method that can help you return your bag to its normal condition.

Before you begin, you will need the following items:

Toothbrush
Gloves
Vacuum cleaner
Soft, white cloths
Water
Bowel/Tub
Leather cleaner
Leather moisturizer

1. Before you remove the mold from your handbag, you need to put on a pair of gloves. Wearing gloves will reduce the chances of exposing your skin to mold during the removal process.

2. Take the purse outside. Attempting to remove mold inside the house can cause the mold spores to spread. The mold may attach to another time and begin to grow on it. Also, exposure to sunlight kills mold spores. Avoid cleaning your leather purse on a day that is rainy or humid.

3. Using a toothbrush, brush the mold from the bag. Make sure that you remove all of the mold.

4. Next, vacuum your bag. Vacuuming will remove any mold spores that remain deep inside the bag. When you finish vacuuming, remove the dirt collection bag, or the contents of the collection cup, and throw it in the garbage.

5. Dip the white cloth in a tub of water. Ring out any excess water until the cloth is slightly damp.

6. Take the cloth and wipe the leather surface of your bag thoroughly. Do not submerge the bag in water. If the cloth becomes too dirty, do not re-use it. You also want to change the cloth if it dries out too quickly. Re-using the cloth may cause mold spores to spread.

7. Leave the bag outside to dry in the sunlight.

8. When your handbag is dry, apply leather cleaner to a soft, white cloth and clean the bag. If you do not have any leather cleaner, you can use a mild soap, like shampoo. It is important that you test the soap on an inconspicuous area of the bag. Do not continue to use the soap if the test area becomes discolored.

9. After you clean the bag, moisturize it with the leather moisturizer.

10. Your leather handbag should look as good as new.