Your favorite sweater is getting moldy because you left it in the laundry for too long. You don’t know whether to throw out the shirt or save it.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Mold thrives in dark, moist places. To prevent decay from growing, keep your laundry in order and ventilate any humid areas of your home.
Check the label of each fabric type before you use any cleaning products or chemicals to avoid causing additional damage to your garment. The instructions on the label will always take precedence over the ones listed below.
Try to do this task on a sunny, warm day. UV rays will help to kill the mold.
Clean your clothes in a room with good ventilation
If you find mold on your clothes, look around to see if other items are affected. Then, gather the affected items. When the clothing is still damp, please place it in the sunlight to kill the mold.
Wear a mask and gloves while cleaning to avoid irritation of the skin and breathing. After soaking the clothing for an hour, mix water with 1/2 cup of Borax and 1 cup of white vinegar in a bucket. Use the scrub brush after washing to remove the moldy stains from clothing. Scrub the moldy spots, but do not scrub so hard that you damage the fabric.
Wash the moldy clothes in the washing machine using Borax or vinegar
Use Borax or vinegar to wash your clothes with musty clothes. Both methods require you to use the laundry detergent as directed on a hot-water cycle. The heat will help kill the mold. Add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to your laundry load to reduce the mold smell. Baking soda helps deodorize clothes naturally.
Follow the instructions on your box if you’re using it. Follow the instructions on the box if you are using it.
Vinegar can be used to kill mold, even those that live on clothes. To clean moldy clothing, add laundry detergent and up to two cups of vinegar to your washing machine (for small or large loads).
Dry your freshly washed clothes in the sun if possible. The UV rays from the sun and the heat they produce will help to kill any remaining mildew and mold.
Use the highest temperature setting for your fabric on cloudy days or in cooler seasons. Warmer temperatures will kill mold faster. Dry the clothes completely and thoroughly, as moisture can cause mold to return.
Check clothing for mold and smell to make sure they are clean
Make sure you check your clothes to ensure that all visible mold is gone. If mold persists after the first three steps are completed, repeat the process.
Smell the clothing if you cannot see mold. If the garment has a musty, earthy smell, then there is likely still mold on it. Repeat steps 1 through 3, or skip the pretreatment. Instead, rewash the garment and dry it.
Hang your clothes in a place that is well-ventilated, clean, and dry
Don’t ruin all your hard work by leaving your clean clothes in the laundry basket or dryer. After you’re sure that your clothes are clean and free of mold, fold them and store them in a dry place.
Never place freshly washed clothes in damp areas. They can grow mold. Use disinfectant on any moldy clothes you find in your hamper before adding more dirty laundry.
Remove any mold sources to prevent further contamination
This step should only address the habit of leaving wet or sweaty clothes in the laundry for too long. Mold spores can grow in damp, dark areas. Wash your clothes immediately or let them dry before putting them in the laundry basket.
Moldy clothes can be caused by a damp closet, storage area, or window due to a leaky roof, pipe, or window. If you are unable to fix the source of the leak or window, then move your clothes to another location.
Final thoughts
You can safely remove mold from clothing by following these six steps. Preventing decay from growing on clothes is the best way to avoid it. Mold is less likely to affect clothing that’s stored away from damp or humid areas. This guide will help you remove mold from your clothes.
