Ok leather gurus.....
I opened one of my holster bins yesterday to check on them and find some that I know that I have but haven't seen in a while.

And, once again, I find that some of them have a white substance on them. Some are covered quite a bit. Some have a bit of it. It cleans off, usually, well enough, but sometimes not..... and it seems to get into the pores a little.

I know about verdigris and it's a real pain to clean off but this white substance is just a little weird. I have tried to keep air circulating but that doesn't seem to help much.

One other thing and I can't figure it out either..... it seems that my Bianchi leather seems to be affected most by this substance.

Any ideas?

White on leather is usually mold. It should also have an unpleasant odor.

May I ask what kind of treatment your using on the holsters? I started using Blackrock leather conditioner a few months ago and had the same problem I assume its a mold of some sort. Cleaned them up and applied some Renaissance wax and haven't had a problem since. I also added a packet of silica gel in the storage box.

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SWHF #595

Is it an old duty holster?

Bianchi holsters are made in Mexico.......enough said???????

Mold or mildew are the most likely candidates for white residue, although it could be nothing more than a bit of surface oxidation.

A soft cloth lightly dampened with soapy water will usually clean away such irritants, then allow the piece to air-dry thoroughly, finally apply a light amount of neutral shoe polish to seal the surface and buff with an old towel or t-shirt.

I have two older U.S. made Bianchi holsters that used to get moldy like that. I wiped them off, sat them in the sunshine, then sprayed Lysol on a micro fiber cloth and vigorously wiped them down inside and out. That seemed to have eliminated the mold.

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I’ve used saddle soap on leather cases that I’d thought were totally ruined and brought them back to near new. Use a soft Cotton cloth and do multiple treatments if needed. If there’s a moldy smell put them in the sun for a few days.

I have a degree in microbiology and took A semester of yeasts and molds (exciting ;<{ ) Mold can only survive in a dark environment with Adequate nutrients and moisture. Change any one of those requirements and it won’t grow. Circulate the air and reduce the moisture is the secret here.

Aircrewman the first thing I noticed was "you opened one of your holster
bins". Holsters stacked one on another in a closed bin get absolutely no
air circulation. I have a wall, in my walk in vault, covered with peg board.
I hang my holsters on the wall so they can get a little circulation, and they
are not touching one-another. Can't remember the last time I saw any
white substance on a holster. When I did it was probably dust.

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In Omnia Paratus

I had some leather coats that happened to in a closet that had an access panel for the back of a bath tub. My solution was to get out a can of food safe disinfectant, leather conditioner, antiseptic, gun cleaner, and lubricant. Otherwise known as Ballistol. BTW, if you read up the history on Ballistol you'll find those were the specifications the German Army put forth in 1908 for a field firearms cleaner. While I haven't used it to dress a wound or sterilize a bayonet to lance a boil it does do a fine job as a gun cleaner and those leather jackets are still free of any hint of mold. I'll also note it excellent for cleaning a pocket knife and leaving the pivot nice and slick. BTW, did hang the jackets in a different closet.

I have found the laundry dryer strips the wife puts in the dryer work great for removing the white mold. Was recommended to me years ago. Just wipe the mold off.

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Kevin in Oregon

I used some laundry drier sheets on a couple of my holsters but lavender scent from the sheets got me some strange looks at the range.

I found that mink oil did that so I quit using it a while ago. Now it’s just shoe polish and have had no problems since.
Besides, I think the mink oil might soften the leather in time

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“Look life in its iron face”

Along with Ballistol, I have used WD-40 to clean heavily-mildewed leather. It removes it immediately, and nothing treated with it has yet grown a second crop.

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Pisgah

Thank you very much one and all!!!
Ok.... some responses from me:
I haven’t really treated any of my holsters.... never noticed it when they were more in use..... yep, probably no air circulation and they are rather stacked in close proximity to each other....
Never had an odor.
Probably should be more careful with the storage and upkeep of them.
None of the Bianchi that seem to get the mold are from Mexico.
Everyone’s reply to this has been very helpful... I never thought that it could be mold but I only noticed it on the Bianchi holsters and not so much on the others.
Looks like I will have to spend some considerable time this summer holster cleaning...!
Thank again to everyone for your timely responses.

Good information! Thanks.

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Gun Safety is no accident.

Kill the mold and find another place / way to store your holster's .
I live in the heat and humidity capitol of the USA , South Louisiana and fight it all the time .
I find not keeping holsters inside a container but keeping them out , hanging from a hook or sitting on a bookshelves inside the house (a/c and heat) works best .
But if you don't kill the mold ... it will stay with you down in the leather pores .
Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

I use white vinegar diluted 1/3 white vingear, 2/3 water solution sprayed on the mold, and a quick wipe up does the job. I have not seen any problems this has caused.

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Charlie

In my experience Lysol wipes clean it off well and leave some stuff (probably a phenol) on the leather that retards the mold growth.

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Foster Positivity.

Verdigris is green (verde).

I've got an old GI .45 chest holster that will get a white
bloom. Not mold, it's just wax coming back out of leather,
from preservative treatments.

I believe what this is, is spew. which is natural fats that rise to the surface of leather and may appear as a milky film, haze, or small white spots. Most often seen on aniline leather, spew may be wiped away but will soon reappear if not treated.