Mold stained my Leather seat. Solutions?

[JimS]

I have a 2002 Chevy truck on which I`ve done a lot of custom work. One thing I did was have the center portion of the seat and the seat back upholstered in black leather.

The truck sat unattended for several weeks last winter and when I finally got around to checking it out the passenger seat had mold growning in maybe 20 dime sized spots. The truck had been sitting with the windows closed and the garage was damp... obviously very damp! (I feel like such a dumb sh!t for letting this happen )

I scrubbed on it with leather cleaner but the stains still show when the light is right. I suspect the stains are there to stay.

Are they there to stay? Is there a way to re-dye the leather so the stains are dyed black?

Thanks for your help. I haven`t been here for a long while and this site holds good memories for me. I just haven`t been very involved in detailing the last couple years but it seems llike I`m headed back in that direction. I find it satisfying.

[togwt]

Mould (Mold) Remover

You don`t have to live near the coast to experience mould or mildew fungus spores on your leather. It can also occur during hot, humid weather in non-coastal areas. Fungus growth is also a concern for garaged vehicles; you may notice dark or white blotches where two areas of the leather touch or areas not used. If the contamination is not removed, the fungus will dissolve the leather, forming small pits.

Just like mould and mildew contamination in other areas, you cannot wash or shampoo it away. This only exasperates the problem. The fungus is caused by living organisms that must be killed before the leather is cleaned. This product is effective on most forms of bacterial or fungus growth.

a. Application Instructions:

• Pre-test on an inconspicuous area to insure colour fastness
• Wear latex gloves.
• Clean the surface of the leather with Soft or Strong Cleaner to remove any visible mould excrement.
• Gently rub a very small amount of product on the contamination.
• Allow the product to dry and wipe off with a soft cloth.
• Repeat these steps as necessary.
• After removal of the mould, re-clean the area with Leather Soft Cleaner.
• Allow to dry and then apply Leather Protection Cream.

[JimS]

I knew I could count on this site to give me the information I need, when need it.

Thanks for the help! I`ll work following your directions. Edit: I wonder what product you`re recommending? I don`t see a link or reference to any specific product. Do you have a favorite or will most any mould remover do the trick? When I google it I find that Walgreens carries one... http://www.walgreens.com/store/catal..._sku=sku372376

Regards, JimS

[Poorboy]

Hi Jim welcome back

You probably still have some Natural Look in your arsenal ... spray it on ..use either a soft nylon brush or a coarse cotton towel and scrub lightly... again as said above, check a spot for color fastness your problem is not drastic at all

as for the stains, well they are stains and most likely will not be coming out. Yes, you can have your seats redyed but I`d go to a professional or just live with it. Aftermarket kits can be tricky and messy. My guess is also that the seats are coated and you will not be working directly with the hide.

[Mr. Clean]

I`ll echo PB`s comment, glad to see your post.

Another option for your problem, a d-limonene (orange oil) based cleaner. Reportedly a Texas custom bootmaker sings the praises of one product specifically as a leather cleaner/restorer for removing mold and mildew from boots and saddles.

[Poorboy]

Another option for your problem, a d-limonene (orange oil) based cleaner. Reportedly a Texas custom bootmaker sings the praises of one product specifically as a leather cleaner/restorer for removing mold and mildew from boots and saddles.

he is not dealing with the leather per se it`s coated leather and a strong cleaner may strip the coating and cause another set of problems

[Mr. Clean]

he is not dealing with the leather per se it`s coated leather and a strong cleaner may strip the coating and cause another set of problems

The d-limonene products are dilutable, doubt that it`s use at a recommended dilution would be strong enough compromise the coating.

[JimS]

The leather is aftermarket leather.. just installed about 3 years ago. Would it likely have a coating?

I already used the Natural Look to clean off what would come off.

I do have some left over leather somewhere that I could try the orange based cleaner on and I have Xenit, orange based cleaner from Stoner (Invisible Glass people).

The stains are not immediately noticeable... a quick look won`t reveal anything wrong... ya have to look for them, and of course I look for them.. I look CLOSELY for them.

[Poorboy]

The leather is aftermarket leather.. just installed about 3 years ago. Would it likely have a coating?

I already used the Natural Look to clean off what would come off.

I do have some left over leather somewhere that I could try the orange based cleaner on and I have Xenit, orange based cleaner from Stoner (Invisible Glass people).

The stains are not immediately noticeable... a quick look won`t reveal anything wrong... ya have to look for them, and of course I look for them.. I look CLOSELY for them.

I would check with the people who sold you the seat in that case ...
if it is barely noticeable at this point I`d probably let the dog go wild and forget about it

[Beemerboy]

Jim

have you considered Leatherique?

Your leather is most likely clear coated and the product I suggested will not harm it

[Mr. Clean]

The leather is aftermarket leather.. just installed about 3 years ago. Would it likely have a coating?

I already used the Natural Look to clean off what would come off.

I do have some left over leather somewhere that I could try the orange based cleaner on and I have Xenit, orange based cleaner from Stoner (Invisible Glass people).
The stains are not immediately noticeable... a quick look won`t reveal anything wrong... ya have to look for them, and of course I look for them.. I look CLOSELY for them.

I`ve read about Xenit before, but never came across it on the shelf locally. They (Stoner marketing) descrube it as

XENIT contains NO soap or water. Instead, it contains more powerful ingredients like Citrus 66, a natural cleaning solvent. Unlike most water-based cleaners that just lift and carry dirt, XENIT`s MicroActive cleaning action loosens and breaks down the complex molecules found in sticky materials and difficult stains. XENIT leaves no residue, has a pleasant orange scent, and contains a disinfectant to help kill germs and odors.

The product I`m familiar with is a liquid concentrate, dilutable to match the cleaning need. Your thought to pretest sounds like the prudent approach.

[JimS]

I thought I had tried Poorboys Natural Look but that`s not what I had tried.. it was Fiebings 4 Way that I tried. I use it frequently on pool cue cases and other leather products.

I tried the Natural Look today and it appears to have made a big difference. I`ll report back tomorrow after it dries completely and I get back to the project(s) on the truck.

Many thanks to all for your contributions.

[JimS]

I applied Poorboys Natural Look yesterday and this morning the mold was almost completely gone. I worked some more NL into the spots and now there is no sign of the mold. I thought the seats were toast and now they`re as good as new. COOL!!!

My truck has been sitting for over 2 years and it felt so good to just mess around with it this morning. It is now officially immaculatized!!

[Poorboy]

Good for you Jim Reapply regularly once a month for a few months to make sure the mold never returns.

Now go take that beast out for a cruise

[judyb]

Mold removal is not a simple celaning problem whatever cleaner you use. The mold has to be killed before the problem is solved. Cleaning products generally only clean the residues off the surface and do not kill the mold itself. This needs to be done with an enzyme cleaner which is designed for leather and will take care of the problem.
If the mold has been on the leather for some time `pitting` can occur which damages the finsih on the leather and would need to be restored to completely rectify.

Hope this helps
Judyb