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Sunday, September 13, 2015

Smelly Leatherwork...

 This box full of leather and ultra suede has been collecting for about 25 years... It has been confined to a cupboard for all of that time... It doesn't smell so good anymore.  Everybody hold your collective noses!
I keep seeing leather based jewelry on Pinterest and wanted to try some cuffs and other goodies... I just don't want to wear something that smells icky!

So.... I tried washing some of the pieces this morning.  Altogether, I think that I did five.  I used a mild shampoo and rinsed them well.

I read, in one of the jewelry making sites that water will harden leather...  We shall see.  I picked out some of the softer pieces and rinsed them well after shampooing.

I have no idea how this is going to work.  Maybe it will, or maybe it won't.  If it does, I will wash the whole tub full.

I can get away with using small pieces in mini scenes, but there is no way I want to make jewelry from leather that stinks!

The last photo is a piece that I started, but never finished.  I couldn't stand the smell. 

Keep your fingers crossed for me. 

If this works, I will set my leather free and start using it for lots of different things... If it doesn't, at least I tried. No harm. No foul.

Back to the laundry.

See you tomorrow.

6 comments:

Karin Corbin said...

You can use an enzyme cleaner such as "Kids and Pets". Some carpet cleaners also have this ingredient in them. The enzyme will destroy the odors. Of course the dyes they use on some leathers may or may not be color fast so that is always a risk when washing and cleaning.

Another option is to put it in a small space such as a closet with an ozone generating air cleaner. Its a little difficult nowadays to find one of that type of air cleaner as California has banned them. But they are terrific for getting rid of the bad smells from and also preventing mold and mildew.

Caseymini said...

Thanks Karin! I will look into your suggestions. So far, these are coming out pretty good though. Fingers still crossed.

Phyllisa said...

Hi Casey. How did you read my mind? I recently purchased a great book on making all
sizes of doll clothes, including shoes. So I have been looking for leather and
checking out the pieces I have. Mine smells okay.I would like to use some of it up
because it is quite old and has been hanging around a long time. Besides shoes, I
would like to make bags in different sizes too. Now the next thing is to search out
hardware.
Phyllisa

Caseymini said...

Phyllisa, I have several tutorials for bags. Any of them can be made with leather. I usually use jewelry findings. They can be cut down to use just a part of them if you find some that you like.

mcddiss said...

el cuero es lo que tiene , si no se guarda bien acaba oliendo bastante mal , espero que tengas suerte y tu remedio resulte

besitos

Mari

Giac said...

Hello Casey,
I read a trick on how to get the old mildew smell out of books...maybe it can work for the leather.
You take a large plastic container with a tight lid and fill the bottom of it with odor absorbing kitty litter. You then take your "smelly" items and but them in a smaller box with no lid and put that over the litter. put the lid on and leave for a month. I have not yet tried it, but thought it might be worth mentioning.
Big hug,
Giac