This is a hands-on article, if you would like to know more about theory, check this one. In this case, the severely moldy shoes are a pair of penny loafer, Pembrey from English shoemaker Church’s. Let us tour around to see what methods I had tried and what can really be effective.
These black spots are the molds which are old and deep inside. That is severe mold comparing to other white ones lying on the surface of leather.
These black spots mean leather fibres have been eaten up and oxidized by mold bacteria, and this is the final stage of mold before the leather breaks up.
For aforementioned light molds which are white and on the surface, the solution is simple and straightforward.
Brush it through, this can take away dust and some more superficial molds.
Then use damp cloth wipe the leather with a little press.
Done, not bad, right?
But if the shoes were left, the molds can progress into the condition of that pair of Pembrey.
Mold can only grow above 65% humidity. For the shoes already molded, don’t condition them before removing the molds as oil in conditioner is the food for mold bacteria.
Let us go back to this case, for unexperienced guys, they immediately thought these are stains, and went to cleaning products for solution. Sadly, it won’t work.
Let me prove this with RenoMat.
What makes me more professional than others? I use big volume!
After using RenoMat, left to dry, the feeling is loosing all the shine, that is because the oil in the leather was taken away. How about the mold spots? Not sure, I cannot tell any difference by my eyes.
RenoMat did not work well, what else can we try?
Vinegar is mentioned everywhere, and it is safe because its gentleness. The acid PH matches tanning liquid, so even it cannot remove mold, it does no harm to the leather.
I used food vinegar as I have no other choice in hand.
Pour vinegar into a can cover and apply it on the leather.
I applied vinegar everywhere, however moldy areas turned dark much apparently. This indicates that leather fibres were destroyed badly.
Too little may not work, I applied several times.
After two to three hours, there was no liquid on the surface. Maybe the mold spots turned a little light, but the result is clearly not satisfying.
After one week under sun, the spots are still there.
Then are we clueless? No, we have one hundred percent successful solution!
The answer is to change the colour to a deeper one. For gentle change, we can use shoe cream.
Apply several layers, till dry out, brush it to shine.
If you think the result is not perfect, simple use leather dye to change the shoes into black, it never disappoints you.