Thanks David. I tried both baby shampoo and some dish detergent. The liner is now clean but the smell is just as bad as ever. I hit it with some smoke from a strong Asian anti-fungal herb (you burn it in the house) but the stench on this thing even beat that.
Thanks! I am tackling the issues.... it's definitely a fun project.
I followed all the instructions and still have this liner left over.....!!
What a find - that is fantastic in every way! Congrats Joe!
Thank you Nathan.
Yes, put it in the sink and let it soak. Worked well for me.
Thanks David.
Car dealers use them for smoke filled trade ins, and insurance companies/ body shops use them for vehicles that someone died in... not to be morbid, but they DO work!
Well, I might need one. Not surprisingly, the stink is not only in the liner, but also the hat and/or sweatband. I just took the Twenty-Five out for a quick shop and by the time I got home the slight smell in the hat had activated.
Ive worked with leather for years, and its always amazed me how mold and odors can lay dormant and reappear in old leather for no apparent reason... sometimes all it takes is a little humidity
How to get rid of mould from leather? I’ve got a sweatband with a mould issue.
Id say if possible, remove the sweat and lay it flat. Wipe it gently with 90% isoprophol alcohol to kill residual mold spores, and just as soon as it dries, work it with a good leather preservative like Pecards. Do both sides and let it sit for a full day before wiping off. I avoid things like neetsfoot oil as it doesnt evaporate very much and can soak into felt later. If the sweat IS totally out you CAN wipe with neetsfoot oil and let it sit for a week to dry out. I personally like Pecards leather preservative as it penetrates fast and can be wiped clean in about a 1/2 hr. use a soft microfiber cloth... leather surface and gold foil embossing will be soft and and rub off with a rougher cloth or paper towel. If youre careful you CAN leave the sweat in, but youll want to lay down a layer of some waterproof wide tape underneath to keep it away from felt. Be careful with petroleum based treatments like sno seal.... they can actually accelerate dry leather deterioration. Be aware that mold can feed on the dyes in leather, so a good cleaning may leave you with a rough looking patch thats discolored. ( it will probably lighten as it dries out... dont rub hard to try and rub it away... it will just get worse lol) After treatment has had time to penetrate and dry, buff with a soft microfiber and coat with a good carnuba wax liquid paste and buff. Ive renovated mold encrusted 100 yr old saddles this way and they came out pretty nice... they just didnt look new. when you put the sweat back in, dont be afraid to put a strip of wax paper under the sweat until its dried for a week or so. If you have a rough looking spot when done, there is a japanese top coat product called Tokonole that you rub on and then gently buff to a smoother finish with a piece if felt or flannel
Thanks so much for the tutorial Rick, that really helps a lot!
