damp smelling leather

ostaragirl

I bought a second hand leather bag and as soon as I took it into the car I was getting a really strong damp smell, was a bit confused as it also smells strongly of the leather but it's as if it's been lying somewhere damp. No marks but strong smell.
I wondered if there is something I can do to eliminate this or will just using the bag eventually get rid of it. Would spraying the inside with febreze be ok?

Austin_Allegro

Musty/damp smells are caused by mildew etc growing on things. This can only really survive in a damp and dirty atmosphere. So remove the damp and dirt and you remove the smell.

The easiest way to do it would be to air the bag; hang it by an open window overnight or leave it in the sun for a while (a bit tricky in winter I know).

If this doesn't work, try febreezing it inside and out (but do a spot check first) or sprinkle some sodium bicarbonate inside.

If that fails, wipe inside and out with some mild detergent or and a tiny bit of bleach and outside with saddle soap. (spot test first). Repeat this until the smell is gone. You may need to treat the leather with some balsam after this (which will help shift the smell as well).

If you have a steam cleaner you can try that instead of washing the bag, as steam will sterilize the bag as it will kill the spores that cause musty smells.