Recently, I had some black leather shoes repaired. In addition to rebuilding the heel they also dyed parts of the leather that had worn away (eg the back of the shoe).
Soon after collecting the shoes I noticed a strong soapy smell coming from the areas that had been dyed black.
After a quick search on the internet it turns out leather dye is quite toxic and today I actually developed a head-ache while sitting at my desk (and I NEVER, EVER get headaches).
Moments ago I took the shoes to the repair place and the lady in charge said she could not smell anything. She showed me a bottle of leather dye (for sale) but it did not smell anything like the fragrance on my shoes. I felt she was hiding something or not telling me the truth. I’m guessing they used leather dye and covered it up with a masking agent/fragrance. She offered to let me use the deodoriser machine but I could not leave the shoes with them as I need to wear them to work.
Does anyone have any similar experiences with newly-dyed leather products?
According to a source on the internet if I leave the shoes in an enclosed space with a packet of baking soda overnight it will absorb the nasty smell. Is the surface of the shoe safe to touch or is it just the gas that is harmful?
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