Understanding The Change Of Colour In Leather

Technically speaking, it is called Spew on Leather! Spew on leather has grown more prevalent; read on to see why and what may be done to address the issue.

The phrase "Spew" or "Spue" is not what you think it is!!

Nothing to do with having a good time or feeling unwell!

The term "spew" refers to the movement of fats/oils from within the leather that crystallise on the surface when they come into contact with air.

The crystals appear on the surface as a white powder or as a 'bloom,' but are frequently misidentified as mould or mildew.

The fact that Spew is extremely white in appearance is a significant clue that you have Spew rather than mould. Mould is typically green/grey in colour, especially on leather.

Spew originates from the natural fatliquors employed in the tanning process and can be produced by a manufacturing flaw (typically inadequate degreasing), which is then exacerbated by the tanning process.

Sounds GROSS! But, you can fix it.

Why does leather turn white?

As far as leather is concerned, some people like to call this effect “whitening”. It isn't the leather itself “whitening”, but actually the fat on the surface of the leather crystallising. The more oil or fat there is on the surface of your leather, the quicker it will happen. Furthermore, if you live in a very humid area, your chances of this happening are increased greatly.

White mould on cowhide is caused by the mould using the leather as food. The mould makes enzymes which digest leather, resulting in a white discolouration on the hide. To stop the process, dehumidifying and drying out the affected area is required.

There are three main causes of fat blooming, which are heat, light and moisture.

How to avoid leather turning white?

The simple way is with correct storage of your leather goods! Damp conditions results in the growing of these white spews on leather. So, keep the bags in a dry place and occasionally take them for a spin in the sun!

Well, it may be a joke! But, your leather bag needs Vitamin D just like you!

How to fix white leather?

Spew cannot be handled merely by cleansing, but coping with Spew is a very simple procedure - all you need is a properly formulated Spew Stabiliser, which will eliminate the spew from the surface of the leather and restabilise the fatliquors to avoid them from returning to the surface.

What is Spew Stabiliser?

A magic potion! Literally!! Nah, you just need Rubbing Alcohol and some leather cleanser or dish soap.

What You'll Need:

1. Rubbing alcohol and a soft horsehair brush
2. Dishwashing liquid or leather cleaning
3. Vacuum cleaner and a soft wire brush
4. Conditioner for leather

Step 1: Sweep off any loose white mould or mildew remnants from the leather using gentle horse brushes.

Step 2 (optional): If you have a vacuum cleaner, use it to remove any loose dirt that has remained on the surface of the leather. Instead, gently shake or rub the leather outside your room or over a garbage can.

Step 3: Wet your microfiber cloth and add 2 or 3 drops of dish soap or leather cleaner to the damp towel.

Step 4: Gently massage the leather's surface in circular strokes.

Step 5: After completely cleaning the leather surface, use another clean towel dampened with plain water to wipe away the foam.

Step 6: Prepare a solution with equal parts water, rubbing alcohol, and detergent.

Step 7: Wash, rinse out, and moisten your cloth with the solution. Clean up the leather surface region once more.

Step 8: Allow the leather to dry naturally.

Step 9: Apply the leather conditioner and buff until no debris remains.

Step 10: Allow the leather to air dry.

Voila! You got yourself a brand new Leather Bag!

Why does Leather turn Green?

Leather can become stained and turn green if it enters into touch with metal hardware (such as copper-alloy or brass) and interacts with it.

Fading leather dye is another typical reason for leather turning green.

When leather that has formerly been stained black is subjected to direct sunlight for an extended length of time, it tends to discolour and acquire green spots.

How to avoid leather turning Green?

Nothing much to say and I don’t wanna bore you guys! So, just store your leather bags in a dry place with no moisture in contact.

How to fix leather turning green?

Plan A:

All you need is a piece of microfiber cloth, rubbing alcohol and water.

Step 1: Wipe away any loose mould with a cloth.

Step 2: 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1/4 cup water

Step 3: Gently apply to the leather's remaining mould.

Step 4: To complete drying, place the leather somewhere out of direct sunshine.

Plan B:

All that you need is inside your kitchen cabinet.

• Baking Soda
• White Vinegar
• Leather Conditioner
• Clean Soft Toothbrush

Step 1: In a mixing dish, combine the baking soda and white vinegar. Make sure the mixture has the consistency of a thin paste. The combination of baking soda and white vinegar will produce some sort of mild acetic acid, which will aid in the removal of verdigris or green stains safely.

Step 2: Let the mixture froth up a little. The vinegar and baking soda combo produces a mild acetic acid that aids in the removal of brass tarnish.

Step 3: Load up the mixture with a soft, clean toothbrush.

Step 4: Brush the baking soda and white vinegar solution over the damaged area(s) of the leather with a gentle pressure.

Step 5: Allow the mixture to sit on the leather for 3-5 mins.

Step 6: Wipe the mixture and green stains off the leather with a clean moistened (with regular water) microfiber towel. If any stains persist on your leather, repeat the same procedure.

Step 7: Let the leather air dry completely.

Step 8: Finally, condition your leather using a leather conditioner. This will replenish any lost leather nutrients.