Ikontafan
1936 Zeiss Super Ikonta C
Has anyone found a way to successfully get rid of the musty (?) smell from inside old Zeiss and Rollei leather camera cases? I haven't had any luck yet!
Thanks--RB
Thanks--RB
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puderse
Established
That old case smell
That old case smell
My wife is a children's book collector and she puts them in a tupperware with lots of soda and seals it up for a while. She sprinkles it around on a few pages. Another option is to fill it with fresh kitty litter.
What you smell is the spores from mildew. Sunlight kills it. It thrives in the dark and damp. Here in west Texas setting it outside in the summer works but it dries it out and fades it. Real leather will need Luxol and a good wax after a week or two in the summer sun. The mildew will grow on the leather but it is probably living in the glue that holds the lining to the leather.
If you live in a humid place like Seattle or Savannah (I've lived in both) mold grows on your shoes in a week under the bed. Leather goods need to be where the air can circulate.
Sometimes the best solution is to find one that doesn't smell!!!
That old case smell
My wife is a children's book collector and she puts them in a tupperware with lots of soda and seals it up for a while. She sprinkles it around on a few pages. Another option is to fill it with fresh kitty litter.
What you smell is the spores from mildew. Sunlight kills it. It thrives in the dark and damp. Here in west Texas setting it outside in the summer works but it dries it out and fades it. Real leather will need Luxol and a good wax after a week or two in the summer sun. The mildew will grow on the leather but it is probably living in the glue that holds the lining to the leather.
If you live in a humid place like Seattle or Savannah (I've lived in both) mold grows on your shoes in a week under the bed. Leather goods need to be where the air can circulate.
Sometimes the best solution is to find one that doesn't smell!!!
FallisPhoto
Veteran
Yes. Go to the drugstore and buy a bottle of hydrogen peroxide antiseptic. Take a paint brush and brush it on the inside of the case. Get it really wet. It will foam like crazy. Wipe that out and let it dry, then apply it again. When you can apply it and it doesn't foam, you've killed all the mold and the spores. It won't stink after that, but you may need to reglue the lining back down.
Edit: Distilled white vinegar works too.
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BigSteveG
Well-known
Clean the smell? The smell is the best part!!!!
Ronald M
Veteran
The mold will transfer to the camera and lens and you will have a real problem.
Ikontafan
1936 Zeiss Super Ikonta C
Thanks for all of your good advice! I will have my work cut out for me this weekend. I do keep my cameras and cases separated, so it was nice to hear that this is best.
Thanks,again, to all of you who are so generous in sharing your knowledge and experience in this Forum. RB
Thanks,again, to all of you who are so generous in sharing your knowledge and experience in this Forum. RB