What to do with a fungus'y case?

Bill Burk · Jul 4, 2015

A few years ago I found a funky Caravelle Leather camera case in a dumpster so I rescued it, took some saddle soap to it, put some stuff in it and set it in a corner of the room...

Went to use it for a weekend carry-all, and found it was a bit funky and fungus'y. Stuff that was inside it smelled and had coatings of fungus. Lucky for me it was just electronic wires/accessories inside the case (no loss).

But what can I do? Should it be put out of its misery and tossed before it eats a real camera? Or can it be saved with a little "Gold Bond" foot powder? What do you do with a fungus-infested case?

Patrick Robert James · Jul 4, 2015

Bill, I would put some diluted bleach in a bucket and dunk it. Or soak it with Lysol. You could also try Tea Tree Oil but that stuff is expensive.

trythis · Jul 4, 2015

I would throw it out. No sense risking getting the fungi on your lenses.

Typos made on a tiny phone...

bdial · Jul 4, 2015

Given that your investment in it is pretty low, I'd probably ditch it. But, I had good luck resurrecting a mildewed leather jacket thrift store find by wiping it down with rubbing alcohol.
A disinfectant of some sort and some sunlight may do the trick.

Gerald C Koch · Jul 4, 2015

Get yourself a bag of either Di-Gas or Sun Pac Mildewcide. Put the product in the camera bag, close the bag and leave it for several days. Di-Gas contains a solid form of formaldehyde and it will kill any fungus. Afterward remove the Di-Gas and allow the bag to air out for a few hours.

Bill Burk · Jul 4, 2015

Gerald C Koch said:
Get yourself a bag of either Di-Gas or Sun Pac Mildewcide. Put the product in the camera bag, close the bag and leave it for several days. Di-Gas contains a solid form of formaldehyde and it will kill any fungus. Afterward remove the Di-Gas and allow the bag to air out for a few hours.

Thanks Gerald,

That's the kind of treatment I was thinking would be effective.

Sirius Glass · Jul 4, 2015

trythis said:
I would throw it out. No sense risking getting the fungi on your lenses.

Typos made on a tiny phone...

+1

Typos made on a keyboard mit pudgy fingers.

mgb74 · Jul 5, 2015

Gerald C Koch said:
Get yourself a bag of either Di-Gas or Sun Pac Mildewcide. Put the product in the camera bag, close the bag and leave it for several days. Di-Gas contains a solid form of formaldehyde and it will kill any fungus. Afterward remove the Di-Gas and allow the bag to air out for a few hours.

Interesting "stuff" and good information. I see a few other products with the same active ingredient. I'm tempted to get some to put in my boat for storage. And tempted to use it to treat camera bags that have not exhibited mildew (I have a few that came to me with camera purchases).

And wondering if this would be a means to treat lenses that have fungus just beginning.

But I'm not sure I would trust it to treat a camera bag - known to have mildew or fungus - where I'd be storing lenses. Seems like tempting fate. Just my 2 cents.

Bill Burk · Jul 5, 2015

I couldn't find those two products at my local hardware store, and I wasn't sure which of the fungicides I saw in the garden section would work...

But the thought occurred to me... What's the stuff they spray in shoes at bowling alleys? Seems like it might be a kind of fungicide that would be useful to spray in any camera bag... not just this known bad one.

mgb74 · Jul 5, 2015

The advantage with the products Gerald suggested is that they generated a gas that should permeate the bag as opposed to something that works on contact. I would be even more concerned about the effectiveness of the latter than I am about the formaldehyde product.

Apparently the products he suggested are not readily available. Amazon seems to have them. If convenient, you might try marine (boating) suppliers.

r.reeder · Jul 5, 2015

Bill Burk said:
A few years ago I found a funky Caravelle Leather camera case in a dumpster so I rescued it, took some saddle soap to it, put some stuff in it and set it in a corner of the room...

Went to use it for a weekend carry-all, and found it was a bit funky and fungus'y. Stuff that was inside it smelled and had coatings of fungus. Lucky for me it was just electronic wires/accessories inside the case (no loss).

But what can I do? Should it be put out of its misery and tossed before it eats a real camera? Or can it be saved with a little "Gold Bond" foot powder? What do you do with a fungus-infested case?

I've had good luck with a product called Febreze. It's readily available, & says it's an antimicrobial fabric refresher. It is a liquid that comes in a hand pump bottle that sprays out the stuff. Every now & then, I get an old camera case that has that grey coating of whatever it is inside. I spray the inside of the case, & a few hours later, >vwa-la<, the case is fungus free. I got the idea from a bunch of Argus camera users that swear by it.

Bill Burk · Jul 5, 2015

I thought Febreze only dealt with odor... by numbing your olfactory!

Richard S. (rich815) · Jul 5, 2015

Another vote for tossing it. Once some fungus spores get into a lens and other many tight microscopic places in camera equipment you chance infecting your whole collection even with stuff stored outside the case after that.

Richard S. (rich815) · Jul 5, 2015

Bill Burk said:
I thought Febreze only dealt with odor... by numbing your olfactory!

That's my understanding too. I don't think it's an anti-microbial or anti-bacterial or actually "kills" anything. I've used it to remove cigarette stink form a case I bought, and also to remove burnt smoke stink from a Contax T2 I bought from Japan that while It worked fine and had no damage I could see was obviously near or in a fire. Smell gone and it continues to work fine.

Truzi · Jul 5, 2015

This is a timely thread for me. My best friend has a stereo viewer and cards given to her by her Uncle - it was her Grandfather's. We just found the (broken) case is starting to grow some mildew. She would like to keep it for sentimental reasons.

If products such as Di-Gas and Sun Pac Mildewcide are based on (para)formaldehyde, could one simply mix a dilution of formalin and put it in a container with the items? I have some 37% formalin.

Following proper safety precautions, of course.

PinRegistered · Jul 5, 2015

Hi, this is a great question. Molds and fungi will eventually take over the world because they have remarkable survival mechanisms, and thrive on cellulosic fiber and moisture. Febreze is mostly water, so in my opinion, the gaseous formaldehyde is the best bet. It is a biocide and sporicide. You need that to salvage this case, otherwise, you may have recurrence. I work in the biotech industry and molds and fungi are a show stopper. For cleanrooms we use an industrial proprietary solution of hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid and peroxyacetic acid, but that is for hard surfaces that will dry quickly. Molds and fungi will grow colonies within 24 hours when given food (cellulose) and moisture.

Use the gas and follow instructions for exposure times and safety cautions.
Julie

Sirius Glass · Jul 5, 2015

PinRegistered welcome to APUG

What to do with a fungus'y case?

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