MOLD!!!!?

[Jody Kruskal]

It has been quite humid here this summer. One of my Jefferies Anglos has developed a really nasty mold odor. I opened it up and saw some white stuff. What should I do for treatment? The bellows is about 40 years old.

 

Swab it down with isopropyl alcohol?

 

 

Edited August 6 by Jody Kruskal

[SIMON GABRIELOW]

Be careful not to spread the mould spores by brushing it off. I once had some in my carpet fibres and used disinfectant, ( on a cloth) but I would be careful using this method on your bellows. Let the air get to it for a start, let the air get to the affected leather.

Maybe try hand wipes ( like for cleaning your hands faces) ? And dry with clean microfibre cloth. Only a guess🤔

[wunks]

White stuff.  Is it a loose powder a crust, fibrous, adhered to the bellows or wood?

[Alex West]

Jody,

 

I've successfully treated this in the past by rubbing (gently and sparingly!) with a cloth sprayed with a normal kitchen cleaner - the kind that has a mild bleach solution in it.  In the quantities you're going to use, you shouldn't see any damage to the bellows as you're not soaking them, just wiping the surface clean.

 

Then "soak" the insides of the bellows under a UV lamp for 24 hours.  I also installed a small piece of carbon/charcoal filter in the bellows to take down the smell/absorb any remaining spores.  This can be removed later.

 

The owner (very sensitive to mold and pollutants) was very happy with the results

 

Alex West

[Jody Kruskal]

Thanks Alex for your advice. 

 

After doing a bit of research, I discovered that dilute solutions of bleach, isopropyl alcohol or hydrogen peroxide are all used to treat moldy books. I hate the smell of bleach so I used liberal amounts of hydrogen peroxide (3%) and a soft toothbrush to clean the bellows inside and out. Then dried it outdoors on a breezy sunny day. 

 

Some improvement... and the soaking did not seem to cause any bellows damage.

 

Now I am continuing with a UVC light that also emits ozone in a nifty cardboard box that I constructed. Treatment is happening in my garage because UVC and ozone are poisonous to humans as well as mold. Google said 1 to 3 hours is recommended. So I'll try that and do more if required.

[Jody Kruskal]

Oh Wunks, it was a loose white powder on the leather.