Preventive treatments
temperature and humidity. Leather items should be kept as constant as possible, about 15°C, and with balanced relative air humidity of 50-60%.
Light. As already mentioned, artefacts made of leather cannot be exposed to direct sunlight. Windows, as well as display cases should be covered with ultraviolet absorbing foil. General - not accepted, that the upper limit of illuminance for the skin must not exceed 100-150 lux.
Storage of leather goods. Leather artifacts should be stored in tightly glazed display cases or cabinets allowing for a constant flow of clean air, as well as limiting the change of daily temperature and humidity. In some cases, hygroscopic salts are placed in the display cases to reduce humidity (drying). Individual objects are also stored in plastic bags and protective coatings.
Disinfection and disinsection. Skin protection agents must have the following basic characteristics: activity at low concentrations, durability, solubility in common solvents, harmless to vintage leather) They also cannot be toxic to humans. The affected skin should be dried in a cool, dry place (humidity below 50%) and brush to remove mold. Then a fungicide solution must be applied by rubbing or spraying, or use it as an aerosol.
Taki is one of the more frequently used disinfectants and disinfestants 51 B containing high-molecular amino acids as an active substance (for example in the form of alkylaminoethylglycine hydrogen chloride, prod. Th. Foldschmidt AG Chemical factories, Essen) It comes in an aerosol, it dries quickly, colorless and odorless It is also added to the water used to clean the leather in the amount of 0.5-1.0%. For the disinfection of exhibition rooms, and especially in storage, Tritox liquid is used. Tritox (trichloroacetonitrile, prod Degesch) is a strong insecticide, but also flammable, therefore requiring appropriate care in handling it. Raschit is used to disinfect the harvesting rooms and combat microorganisms in the air (p-chloro-m-krezol) w 2 up to 5%. alcohol solution. For a very effective agent in eliminating insects, of molds and fungi attacking the skin is recognized as Polish Rotanox (ethylene oxide and carbon dioxide) used by the gassing method. Due to the danger of explosions, it is prepared in a mixture with air in the ratio 1:9. The advantages of Rotanox include:. great ability to penetrate into objects.
Past experience shows, that phenols are the most suitable for skin protection against microflora. Fungicides based on p*nitrophenol are usually used to control fungi, pentachlorophenol, o-phenylphenol (e.g.. 10-proc. solution in denatured alcohol). Copper 8-hydroxyquinolinate has a strong fungicidal effect on leather products. Theses were stated, that alkoxymercuric compounds are more effective fungicides than phenylmercuric compounds. To combat moths are used, among others. Chloromora (prod. Polish), being easily sublimable p-di-chlorobenzene.
