Mold and Gold

What happens when your Golden Goose boots get covered in molds?

Turn on to panic mode and Google, "how to remove molds on leather boots". And pray. Hard.

Good thing I remembered about Germ Killer and how it is tough on molds and mildew.

I emailed Joni Ong of Germ Killer Philippines and asked her,

Hi Joni! Will Germ Killer work on removing molds from my leather boots? Eeeep!

Joni emailed back,

Yep, it should work. Use the GK Surface one. Spray it on a piece of cloth and wipe it on your boots. It should kill the molds. Test it out first in an inconspicuous area of the boots though. :)

I knew that Germ Killer was water based, so it should be safe on leather. But I did the ultimate test on my suede Minnetonkas. Also ridden with molds. But I wasn't as worried about them. I sprayed some Germ Killer Surface cleaner on a shallow bowl of water, dipped an old toothbrush into the mixture and brushed at the molds.

Side by side. Left part = still moldy. Right side = damp but mold free.

Tadaaaa! OMG. So clean! Like nothing happened! It still has hints of eau de molds so I plan to take this pair to Colorwash and have it deodorized professionally.

So I happily got a damp rag and sprayed Germ Killer on it. Wiped my boots in and out. Et voila!

With nary a hint of its sordid past...

The other day, I brought in a few pairs of shoes for repair at an established shoe/bag repair shop and asked them if they could take out molds. The guy manning the counter said they could, and he estimated that it would cost about Php1,800 to clean a pair of boots. Php1,800 hello! Too mahal. I would rather buy saddle soap and clean these boots myself regularly. Unlike the suede ones, they don't have that old mold-y smell.

These boots are now again made for walking. Must plan a trip somewhere cold so they don't feel neglected.

Germ Killer is on Facebook and available at Handyman, True Value, Ace Hardware and other select retailers.

UPDATE: Joni also wanted to share that they have just marked down their prices. This is great news for me, bad news for molds.

 

Prevention is always better than cure, so here are some tips to PREVENT molds from growing on leather:

- Keep leather clean

- Prevent moisture and keep them dry by stuffing shoes and bags with tissue and wrap them in the dust bag they come in. Put a silica gel pack or two inside to absorb moisture. Best to also use those disposable moisture absorbers/dehumidifiers and stuff inside your shoe closet and bag cabinet.

- If you like, place a dehumidifier in your closet or install an exhaust fan.

- So as not to dry out the leather, apply leather balms regularly

- Check your shoes every so often for molds & cracks

Hopefully these tips keep our precious leather bags and shoes in pristine condition, long enough to pass on as vintage to our daughters :)

Nesting Instinct

One of my favorite finds from the Germ Killer stash I received was this duster from Arix. I get a kick out of seeing dust magically cling to the duster and disappear without dispersing into the air. Especially since I am allergic to dust and just a whiff of it sends me into a sneezing fit.

Observe this monitor BEFORE:

and AFTER:

Check out this keyboard BEFORE:

and AFTER:

It manages to pick up the dust from the inner crevices of the keyboard with no need to use those expensive air spray cans and such. Cool no?

I have seen Arix at True Value and my guess is, these are also available at Ace Hardware and stores where you can find Germ Killer products.

Get up to 50% Off on Germ Killer at Ensogo

Take advantage of this Germ Killer deal at Ensogo starting tomorrow until this Saturday. From May 29 to June 2, get up to 50% off on all Germ Killer products!

To shop, click HERE!

Germ Killer Giveaway! CLOSED

Germ KiIller and yours truly are giving away this entire set of Germ Killer products and Arix home cleaning implements you see above.

Please use the Rafflecopter widget below to join. You can do so simply by:

- Liking Germ Killer Philippines on Facebook
- Posting a cleaning tip on your Facebook wall, and tagging Germ Killer Philippines on your post

You may earn more entries by
- Following Germ Killer PH on Twitter, @GermKillerPH
- Following me on Twitter, @cd_mfo
- Tweeting about the contest and tweeting just once everyday.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Contest is open to all with a Philippine address. I will close the contest on May 18, 2012 and will announce the winner on May 21, 2012.

Good luck to everyone! And to the winner, you'll have a grand time cleaning your entire home once you get this package! Hee!

UPDATE: Congratulations Keene Slither! Please expect an email from me so we can coordinate shipment of your prize!

It's (Germ) Killer Time

If you haven't noticed the flashing banner right under my blog header, let me say it again, it's Germ Killer Time!

Apart from being my latest blog sponsor, I was sent the full range of Germ Killer products to try. And so far, I am loving it. For one, Germ Killer disinfectants are water-based making it safer and more effective than other household disinfectants out there. 

How effective? Well, Germ Killer products supposedly have broad spectrum bactericidal properties that can kill 99.9999% of bacteria and viruses that cause molds, mildew, salmonella, E.coli, even H1N1 and HFMD. Impressive huh? Plus, it doesn't leave a nasty chemical smell. Which is equal to extra plus points in my book.

The brand has three variants GK Air, GK Surface and GK Disinfectant:

If you are fanatical about hygiene, cleaning and disinfecting, but don't want your family to be exposed to harmful/hazardous chemicals, this is the brand to use. Germ Killer is now available at Ace Hardware, True Value, Handyman, and Citihardware branches.

For this month of April, they are giving out 20 ml. samples of Germ Killer Surface at Baby and Beyond (in P. Guevarra, San Juan). I actually carry this sample sized spray bottle in Berry's diaper bag. For disinfecting dubious restaurant table tops, hee!

Next month, one lucky reader will also get the full range of Germ Killer products like the one I have above. So watch out for my Germ Killer blog giveaway in May!

For more information about Germ Killer products, check out the Germ Killer Philippines Facebook page.