Filson Chaps - Cleaning suggestions for mildew

[Go West Old Man]

I have an old pair of Filson Double Tin chaps that got put up in a dog box drawer that leaked. Didn’t know that chaps got wet for awhile, and they mold/mildewed pretty bad. Sun dried them & then hung them up for past year or so inside dry utility shed. Looks like the mold/mildew dried up but they need to be cleaned. They don’t smell. I know they’re not supposed to be washed because they’ll shrink.

Anyone have a suggestion on what I might use to clean them? Quick online search came up with suggestion to use a product called Revivex which used to be called Mirazyme. How about using Odoban (from Home Depo) maybe?

Final step after cleaning will be to brush off any remaining dirt & then rewax them of course. All suggestions appreciated! Thanks.

 

[slvrslngr]

Maybe try some Dawn dish soap in a bucket of warm water with a soft brush and rinse with a garden hose. Dry somewhere shady outside. Then rewax.

 

[oake]

^^^ this would be the route I’d go

 

[Jagger0502]

Murphy’s oil soap is all I have ever used and it works great but a buddy uses a liquid glycerin saddle soap unnamed brand and it works well too. The problem with a Dawn dish soap is it will remove the natural oils from the leather and dry it out faster. You can use it but would need to follow up with a conditioner and/or Oil so it will not dry out and break down.

After either the last step should be a light coating of a good leather wax over the entire outside of the chap or just around the parts that move like your knees and around the bottoms where it will get chewed up by the brush to add a little protection. Bees wax or any shoe wax will work.

 

[slvrslngr]

Murphy’s oil soap is all I have ever used and it works great but a buddy uses a liquid glycerin saddle soap unnamed brand and it works well too. The problem with a Dawn dish soap is it will remove the natural oils from the leather and dry it out faster. You can use it but would need to follow up with a conditioner and/or Oil so it will not dry out and break down.

After either the last step should be a light coating of a good leather wax over the entire outside of the chap or just around the parts that move like your knees and around the bottoms where it will get chewed up by the brush to add a little protection. Bees wax or any shoe wax will work.

For the sake of clarity, Filson chaps are waxed canvas, not leather. The suggestion of Murphy’s is actually a good one though.

 

[Wrench]

Whatever you choose, if you rewax them then put them in the dryer for a few minutes, they come out like the day you bought them. The patina is mostly gone, but the wax it driven deep.

 

[Macintosh]

RIIIING
(Picks up old-school rotary phone)
“It’s the 1950’s calling, they want to talk to your waxed cotton chaps.”

Sorry, couldnt resist, I know thats not helpful. I always just gave them a good scrubbing with a stiff brush, hosed them off and let them dry and then re-waxed them. I would hang them by my wood stove to let the wax soak in.
If youre looking for a change, I got so sick of maintaining pants and chaps that were heavy, sticky, took forever to dry, inflexible and didnt even keep me that dry in the first place when it really gets wet, that I gave up and went to gore tex brush pants for wet/frosty brush. I am much dryer and happier for it and I dont have to spend any time maintaining them. They still work fine in any briars short of the worst multiflora. Ll Beans fit me better, orvis are better quality/stay drier for longer.
I have a couple pairs of very well-loved 34x34 waxed pants if anyone wants em, theyre gathering dust, if you want em they’re free to a good home.

 

[Jagger0502]

For the sake of clarity, Filson chaps are waxed canvas, not leather. The suggestion of Murphy’s is actually a good one though.

Haha. Yup…

I promise I knew that. But looking at the time of my response I am sure I was not all there for my response. I do indeed use Murphy’s on my hunting chaps and also my wife uses it on her leather riding chaps. I remember asking her, what do I use to clean my chaps with? It’s the same stuff you use and she said Murphy’s and then said don’t forget to use leather oil or conditioner after so the leather doesn’t dry out. Soo… she was wrong, I was just the tool that put it in my response before going to bed.

Murphy’s yes… leather conditioner, No need.

 

[slvrslngr]

Haha. Yup…

I promise I knew that. But looking at the time of my response I am sure I was not all there for my response. I do indeed use Murphy’s on my hunting chaps and also my wife uses it on her leather riding chaps. I remember asking her, what do I use to clean my chaps with? It’s the same stuff you use and she said Murphy’s and then said don’t forget to use leather oil or conditioner after so the leather doesn’t dry out. Soo… she was wrong, I was just the tool that put it in my response before going to bed.

Murphy’s yes… leather conditioner, No need.

Happens…️