Dear Michaele,
What you have sounds like a classic case of over-dressed boots.  The wax is
excess dressing that is blooming on the surface of the leather.  The best
way to deal with the problem is to use a soft, clean cloth to wipe away
this excess.  The bloom may continue to occur but as long as you keep
wiping the excess away and not reapplying dressing then the problem will
eventually go away.  I hope this helps
Eileen Procter
Objects Conservator
Australian War Memorial

>LISTers,
>The Witte Museum has a couple of pairs of newly acquired old Western
>boots that were apparently treated during their working days with
>Pecard--a popular boot dressing in this part of the world. When they came
to the >museum, they had a white bloom that polishes off perfectly well.
>The insides, however, are covered with pinhead-sized white spots. The
>donor said that heating the inside of the boot with a hair dryer would
>make the leather reabsorb these "wax" spots. It doesn't sound like a
>good idea to me. Can any of you how recognize this problem advise me?
Thanks.  >Michaele

>Michaele Haynes   [log in to unmask]