How to Clean Mold From Clothes

Mold grows readily on damp or wet clothing, especially if clothing is stored in enclosed areas without ventilation and away from sunlight. If you catch the problem quickly it's possible to simply wash the clothes to get rid of mold, although it almost always takes more than one washing to do so; mold clings to fabrics in ways simple soil and grime do not. Even when visible mold is gone, the moldy odor may linger if clothes aren't cleaned thoroughly and with the correct products.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Rubber gloves
• Dust mask (N95)
• Laundry detergent
• Bowl
• Hot water
• Borax

1. Protect yourself from mold spores--wear rubber gloves and a good dust mask (N95 masks are better than regular household dust masks for this) to minimize contact with mold.

2. Place the moldy clothing in your washing machine. Fill the machine with the hottest water the clothes can handle. Add regular laundry detergent to the water.

3. Fill a small bowl with hot water. Dissolve 1/2 cup of borax in the bowl. Add the dissolved borax mixture to the water in the washing machine.

4. Run the clothes through a full wash cycle. When the cycle is finished, wash the clothes again following the previous steps.

5. Hang the clothes to dry in full sun, if the weather permits. If it is rainy or too cloudy, dry them in the dryer on high heat if the clothes can handle it.

Tips & Warnings

• If mold odor remains after washing the clothes twice, soak the clothes in a solution of one cup white vinegar per 5 gallons of water for at least an hour. Wash them again with detergent afterward.
• If clothes are white cotton, you can use bleach instead of borax or vinegar in the laundry cycle to remove mold stains and odors. Follow instructions on the bleach container.
• Mold and mildew eventually destroy natural fibers. If clothes have been stored moldy for a long time, they may not be salvageable.
• Mold can cause reactions in many people. Don't wear the clothing until all traces of mold--including the mold odor--is completely gone.

References

• blackmold.awardspace.com
• moldinspector.com
• Mrs. Clean House Cleaning Services