Saddle mould

[My_breadbagel]

Hi there! My gelding’s first saddle is something I’m extremely sentimental about. I can’t sell it (twisted tree, hence why I retired it!) and even though it was sat next to a dehumidifier, it moulded. It’s now in a bit of state and need a good clean, but how do I stop the mould?
next year I should hopefully have space to wall-mount it as it’s a beautiful, worn saddle so will look nice hung up on a brass stand with his first bridle. I might eventually have it turned into a bag, or hang it from the roof of my barn/ workspace as a swing. It never moulded before when in a cold tack room (I rarely even cleaned it!) so why/ how does this keep happening?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Vinegar.
Regular saddle cleaners dont kill mould so it just keeps coming back.
Ill see if I can find and forward the info I got when I had a mouldy bridle

 

[poiuytrewq]

I’ve forwarded it to you via messages

 

[HappyHollyDays]

As P says, vinegar. I used white vinegar last time and used a toothbrush to get into the hard to reach creases.

 

[My_breadbagel]

I’ve forwarded it to you via messages

Thank you! I just scrubbed it within an inch of its life with saddle soap and oven leaving it outside this afternoon so the sunlight kills what it can. Then tomorrow I’ll probably use the vinegar if I get around to it!

 

[Fieldlife]

Does vinegar not dry out leather?

 

[My_breadbagel]

Does vinegar not dry out leather?

I would hope not considering I just used it! Slathered it in saddle soap and dubbin after I had finished cleaning it tho

 

[sbloom]

Thank you! I just scrubbed it within an inch of its life with saddle soap and oven leaving it outside this afternoon so the sunlight kills what it can. Then tomorrow I’ll probably use the vinegar if I get around to it!

I would hope not considering I just used it! Slathered it in saddle soap and dubbin after I had finished cleaning it tho

Okay, stop using those products right now. Not good for leather and I would argue that the glycerin in saddle soap potentially offers food for mould. I've read that before, not seen actual evidence, but it possibly makes sense. Hand hot water, a drop of fairy liquid and a cotton dishcloth. And bear in mind that mould spores get on everything so actually you should go straight in with the vinegar, using kitchen towel and putting it straight in a bin bag. All this will dry the leather out but after you've removed the mould you should of course use a good conditioner. Putting any product on it before you remove the mould is going to seal it back in, you'll need to remove it with detergent I expect before you'll be able to get the vinegar to the mould.

@cremedemonthe has a great info sheet on mould on saddles/strap work.

 

[humblepie]

I have found that wrapping newspaper around the straps etc and then putting the saddle in a cotton pillow case for storage has helped once it is fully clean.

 

[My_breadbagel]

Okay, stop using those products right now. Not good for leather and I would argue that the glycerin in saddle soap potentially offers food for mould. I've read that before, not seen actual evidence, but it possibly makes sense. Hand hot water, a drop of fairy liquid and a cotton dishcloth. And bear in mind that mould spores get on everything so actually you should go straight in with the vinegar, using kitchen towel and putting it straight in a bin bag. All this will dry the leather out but after you've removed the mould you should of course use a good conditioner. Putting any product on it before you remove the mould is going to seal it back in, you'll need to remove it with detergent I expect before you'll be able to get the vinegar to the mould.

@cremedemonthe has a great info sheet on mould on saddles/strap work.

I went straight it with neat vinegar, then when I had finished with that I left it in the sun for a few hours BEFORE later coming back to condition the leather. The mould was gone before I decided to seal it.
it’s all well and good killing the mould but I do actually need to condition the leather afterwards.

 

[sbloom]

I went straight it with neat vinegar, then when I had finished with that I left it in the sun for a few hours BEFORE later coming back to condition the leather. The mould was gone before I decided to seal it.
it’s all well and good killing the mould but I do actually need to condition the leather afterwards.

Saddle soap and Dubbin are not conditioners sadly, honestly, they're not the things to be using on saddles. I only recommend, for thicker English leathers, conditioner from Sedgwick and from @cremedemonthe who makes his own "Saddler's Blend".

 

[poiuytrewq]

Okay, stop using those products right now. Not good for leather and I would argue that the glycerin in saddle soap potentially offers food for mould. I've read that before, not seen actual evidence, but it possibly makes sense. Hand hot water, a drop of fairy liquid and a cotton dishcloth. And bear in mind that mould spores get on everything so actually you should go straight in with the vinegar, using kitchen towel and putting it straight in a bin bag. All this will dry the leather out but after you've removed the mould you should of course use a good conditioner. Putting any product on it before you remove the mould is going to seal it back in, you'll need to remove it with detergent I expect before you'll be able to get the vinegar to the mould.

@cremedemonthe has a great info sheet on mould on saddles/strap work.

thats the sheet I forwarded he very helpfully sent it me after I left a bridle in my lorry for months ?‍