open the closet.
The Bottom Line
If you pull out leather shoes after winter and discover white fuzzy patches, the most likely culprit is mold or mildew caused by moisture and poor airflow during storage. White mold commonly appears as fuzzy, powdery spots and often comes with a musty odor.
However, not every white patch is mold. Some leather shoes develop harmless fatty spew—a waxy residue created when natural oils migrate to the surface. The texture and smell usually reveal the difference.
The good news is that most affected shoes
