• Hi, I am the owner and main administrator of Styleforum. If you find the forum useful and fun, please help support it by buying through the posted links on the forum. Our main, very popular sales thread, where the latest and best sales are listed, are posted HERE

    Purchases made through some of our links earns a commission for the forum and allows us to do the work of maintaining and improving it. Finally, thanks for being a part of this community. We realize that there are many choices today on the internet, and we have all of you to thank for making Styleforum the foremost destination for discussions of menswear.
  • This site contains affiliate links for which Styleforum may be compensated.
  • We would like to welcome House of Huntington as an official Affiliate Vendor. Shop past season Drake's, Nigel Cabourn, Private White V.C. and other menswear luxury brands at exceptional prices below retail. Please visit the Houise of Huntington thread and welcome them to the forum.

  • STYLE. COMMUNITY. GREAT CLOTHING.

    Bored of counting likes on social networks? At Styleforum, you’ll find rousing discussions that go beyond strings of emojis.

    Click Here to join Styleforum's thousands of style enthusiasts today!

    Styleforum is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Mold stench

cbh

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
My first post. I find this forum most fascinating and stimulating, but I'm not in any way ready yet to post in, say, What Are You Wearing Right Now. Instead, I'll start off here, with a question that is only somewhat related to clothes and shoes, as it has to do with cloth and leather:

I recently won an old Carradice bicycle saddle bag on Ebay. Alas, it stinks of mold and old basements. I've tried washing it ever-so-gently (Duck canvas and leather straps), but to no avail. Can any of you give me an advice that will save my otherwise lovely bag?
 

StephenHero

Black Floridian
Joined
Mar 10, 2009
Messages
13,949
Reaction score
1,951
Febreeze Anti-Microbial + squeezed lemon juice + outdoor air dry. After it dries, try putting some cedar chips (or any other desired scent) in a cloth and close them inside the bag for a few days.
 

tiecollector

Distinguished Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Messages
6,790
Reaction score
25
White vinegar in a spray bottle. Spray wherever you need to. Then let it air dry outside.
 

crazyquik

Distinguished Member
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
8,984
Reaction score
44
I would suggest letting it sit outside in the sun on a warm sunny day to start with. But it appears you are in Denmark. They probably don't get many of those, and they will be at least 4 months away
frown.gif
I think you'll find it is definitely salvageable though; with a combination of mild cleaning, scents (lemon or cedar), and sunlight. It may just take a while to reverse years of sitting in a damp basement.
 

cbh

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Thanks a lot, all of you. Your expertise is extraordinary.
Yes, summer is still far away, so I'll try white vinegar, lemon juice, anti-microbial, and perhaps some sort of scent.
 

Blackhood

Distinguished Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Messages
2,895
Reaction score
376
Please try them about 4 days appart. Layering them will result in a smell even worse than the mold!
 

cbh

Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2011
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Originally Posted by Blackhood
Please try them about 4 days appart. Layering them will result in a smell even worse than the mold!

Sounds reasonable!
 

Reggs

Distinguished Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2006
Messages
6,219
Reaction score
698
Just put vodka on a rag and rub it down. Oil it a day or so later. Works with shoes.
 

Featured Sponsor

How important is full vs half canvas to you for heavier sport jackets?

  • Definitely full canvas only

    Votes: 55 35.5%
  • Half canvas is fine

    Votes: 60 38.7%
  • Really don't care

    Votes: 17 11.0%
  • Depends on fabric

    Votes: 27 17.4%
  • Depends on price

    Votes: 28 18.1%

Forum statistics

Threads
505,203
Messages
10,579,251
Members
223,890
Latest member
2sleight
Top