Cleaning Leather
What's the best way to get mildew off leather?
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Try Ballistol Great product for leather as well as wood and metal. 0 -
Ballistol is a good, all-purpose cleaner, lubricant, preserver. Been around since about the 1870's. It's basically a comination of mineral oil and isobutyl alcohol. It was an all-purpose "wonder product" in use by the German army since the 1880's or so up through WWII and beyond and is used everywhere because it just works. The Germans even recommended it for use by their soldiers as a topical antiseptic.
It would not be my first choice for cleaning higher grade leather items, but for routine use, I think it is fine.
For higher end stuff, I would use Fiebing's Saddle Soap (only a tiny bit with a tiny bit of water....too much is not good) on a soft brush, wipe afterwards with a soft rag and then buff. Depending upon the leather item, you could follow that by rubbing on a tiny bit of olive oil and buffing. This saddle soap/olive oil treatment is something I use for saddles and other heavy, but expensive gear made from good grain leather, but there are other, better methods for finer leather items.0 -
Isopropyl alcohol followed by Bick's #4. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Wolf.
Ballistol is a good, all-purpose cleaner, lubricant, preserver. Been around since about the 1870's. It's basically a comination of mineral oil and isobutyl alcohol. It was an all-purpose "wonder product" in use by the German army since the 1880's or so up through WWII and beyond and is used everywhere because it just works. The Germans even recommended it for use by their soldiers as a topical antiseptic.
It would not be my first choice for cleaning higher grade leather items, but for routine use, I think it is fine.
For higher end stuff, I would use Fiebing's Saddle Soap (only a tiny bit with a tiny bit of water....too much is not good) on a soft brush, wipe afterwards with a soft rag and then buff. Depending upon the leather item, you could follow that by rubbing on a tiny bit of olive oil and buffing. This saddle soap/olive oil treatment is something I use for saddles and other heavy, but expensive gear made from good grain leather, but there are other, better methods for finer leather items.
I've used both products for similar items with good results.
The alcohol is not a great friend of leather ... but it does eliminate mildew and mold. I used it with very good results on leather jump boots (that were completely covered with mildew and mold) while in VN when everything else came up short. It was a major job, and the alcohol cleaned and killed ... I followed immediately afterwars with judicous use of saddle soap.
Salvaged and restored to near new condition ... very satisfied with the results.
Just completed a similar cleaning and reconditioning of an old saddle this week, using the same methods.
Let us know how your project progresses, OK?0 -
Clean with water with lemon juice added. I think, not sure, that the ratio is 3 parts water to one part lemon juice.
After cleaning, If latigo leather, treat with neatsfoot oil. If vegetable tanned leather, treat with Lexol.
Thanks---Peabo0 -
What I have are a couple of Hunter brand holsters that were stored in my garage. I don't know how they were tanned. Been reading up on the Ballistol, sounds like good stuff. Thanks everybody. 0
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