Less of a question and more of a request, we’ve compiled the steps to clean mold off leather shoes. Mold is non-toxic so this shouldn’t be a problem for those with sensitive skin but it may ruin the leather if not removed.
How to Clean Mold Off Leather Shoes?
Mold is a concern anywhere in and around your home. But it’s especially troublesome when it strikes your shoes because not only can it be unsightly, but also uncomfortable to wear and prevent you from being able to wear them in the future. Mold must be removed from leather shoes as quickly as possible or it could ruin the shoes beyond use.
Water
First, soak the moldy areas in warm water. Scrub them with a soft brush to remove any dirt and grime or mold that may be stuck on the leather. Take care to scrub all the way to the bottom of the shoe, as it may be possible that there will be more moisture still trapped in some cracks.
If the water removes all of the dirt, then rinse with cold water. Add fresh water to remove any soap that was used when cleaning the shoes. Let them dry completely before wearing them again.
Vinegar and Baking Soda
First, mix one-part vinegar and two parts baking soda in a cup. Soak the moldy area with this mixture for 15 minutes, scrubbing it again with a soft brush. Rinse with cold water and dry with a soft cloth.
Dryer Sheet
Leather is porous and easily absorbs odor. Using dryer sheets will help eliminate any lingering odor.
Place one dryer sheet into a bag and place the moldy area inside the bag. The dryer sheets should be placed on top of the leather, not directly on the leather. Put the bag in a microwave to soften for 10 minutes.
Afterward, carefully remove the moldy area from the dryer sheet bag and set it aside. Add more dryer sheets if necessary. Repeat this process until all mold is removed from the shoes or until you are no longer able to spot moldy areas on your shoes with your naked eye.
Epsom Salts Solution
To soften the mold that is stuck to the leather, mix one cup of Epsom salts with two cups of water. Soak the leather in this solution for at least an hour and then scrub it with a brush to remove any dirt and mold. Rinse again with cool water and allow the shoes to dry completely before wearing them again.
Petroleum Jelly
Place petroleum jelly into a bag and soak both sides of the shoes in it for approximately 30 minutes.
Remove the shoes from the bag, scrub both sides of them with a soft brush, and rinse with cool water. Dry completely before wearing them again.
If it is a complicated or intricate moldy area, it may be necessary to use a professional cleaner that specializes in removing mold from leather. However, this is by no means necessary if you have done everything else and still see signs of mold on your shoes.
Remember that mold on your shoes is not something to ignore. It must be removed quickly and thoroughly so you can continue to enjoy your leather shoes for many years to come.
How To Clean Mold Off Leather So It Doesn’t Reappear Again?
You have to use a cleaner that has mold-killing properties. An example of a cleaner would be Lexol Leather Cleaner. You can also use diluted bleach which is more effective at removing mold and, most importantly, preventing it from reappearing when the leather is dry.
In addition, make sure to wear rubber gloves when you wash the shoes, so you don’t get stung by the bleach or other cleaning solutions. Also, remember that leather is a very porous material, most soiled areas will still be visible after cleaning and because of this, it is better to use a conditioner or leather conditioner to remedy the situation.
Next, you can either dry the shoes with a hairdryer or a blower which is very effective at drying the leather and preventing mold from reappearing. However, in some cases, it is necessary to apply a leather conditioner to prevent mold from reappearing.
Finally, the best way to prevent mold from reappearing is to clean the shoes regularly.
How To Clean Mold Off Leather Shoes At Home?
Drying Off Moldy Shoes
Drying out moldy shoes is a tedious task. You have to dry all the mold and mud off the leather. Once you have done that, you need to put some leather conditioner on it so that the leather won’t get hard again. And lastly you must treat your shoe with a shoe polish to keep it from getting more harmful mold and fungus.
Get Rid Of The Mold With The Right Ingredients
There are two different products that you can use to get rid of the mold on your leather shoes. One is vinegar, which is a natural cleaning product, and the other is bleach, an aggressive but effective? cleaning product. These two products have different smells, but both will get the job done right.
If vinegar is your choice of cleaning product, then mix it with water in a 50/50 ratio and apply it to the moldy shoe. Make sure to apply it to all of the moldy areas and let it stay for a few minutes. You can then wipe off the vinegar using a clean white washcloth or any sort of clean rag. Make sure that you take off all the mold on the leather so that your shoe will have one less problem to deal with after you are finished cleaning it.
I prefer using bleach to clean my moldy shoes because it kills mold in a matter of seconds. Mix one part bleach with two parts water and put the mixture in a spray bottle. Apply the mixture of bleach and water on your leather shoes and make sure you use enough to completely cover the mold. Leave the bleach and water mixture on your shoe for 5-10 minutes, depending on how severe your mold problem is. After you are done let the shoe air dry. Once your shoe is completely dry, apply some leather conditioner to keep it from getting more harmful mold and fungus.
Cleaning Leather With Vinegar
The word of vinegar may sound like an acid attack on leather and people would think about the foam that bubbles up while bathing the shoes with vinegar. However, this is not true at all; it works perfectly well with leather as it does with many other materials.
If you remember the black-red dirt on your shoe from the beginning of this article, then you will find that it has been cleaned off by using vinegar. You can just get rid of all the dirt on your shoes by using vinegar. The effects are simple and quick, and they will not do any damage to your shoes.
So, you must pick up a bottle of white vinegar and pour some amount into a bowl so that it is evenly distributed throughout the liquid in the bowl. In addition, you need to soak the dirty part of your shoes in the bowl with vinegar.
It is recommended that you should allow the shoes to soak in the bowl for some time before wiping them off with a rag. Moreover, it takes time to soak all of the dirt out of your shoes.
All you need to do is wipe off the dirt using a rag or cloth. Make sure that you use a soft cloth in order not to damage your shoes’ surface.
If you are using paper towels to wipe off the dirt from your shoes, then it will turn out to be scratchy and uncomfortable for you.
It is suggested that you should not get oils or lotions in the area in which the white vinegar is applied. Getting them on the cloth can make a mess of them and may ruin your clean shirts if you are not careful enough.
So, you must be careful and remember that it is a natural cleaning product for leather.
Get Rid Of The Mold With Bleach
The use of bleach in removing mold from leather is not really a good idea because it can damage the leather. However, if you want to remove the nasty mold on your shoes, then you have to use bleach. In this case, you need an old towel that can serve as a covering for the leather so that bleach will not damage it.
You must make sure that the leather is completely dry completely before going ahead with the cleaning process. The most important thing to remember is that you have to clean your shoes from inside as well as from outside in order to get rid of mold.
Before using bleach, you need to mix equal amounts of bleach and water in a spray bottle. This will ensure that you can apply it directly to the shoe without making a mess of it. It does not matter whether the bleach is liquid or powder.
Before spraying the bleach on the shoes, it is recommended that you must wear rubber gloves so that you will not make a mess of your hands with bleach. Make sure that you do not spray it directly onto the leather so that it can be avoided as much as possible.
The mixture must be sprayed at least twice on both sides of the shoe, and then wipe off all of the bleach using a rag or cloth after spraying it twice.