Mold is a nuisance wherever it grows, and that includes your clothes. Keeping your clothes in damp conditions for a long time will cause mold to grow on your clothes. To both remain healthy and keep your clothes intact, you must know how to get mold out of clothes. You can use a few things to remove mold from your clothes, such as vinegar, regular soap, sunlight, borax, or even bleach.
The way of removing mold will depend on a couple of things. First, you should know how old the mold stains are. Second, you must also know if the cleaning agent of your choice suits the fabric of your clothes. Remember, mold is very harmful to both your health and fabric, so you must do everything to remove it as soon as possible.
Let’s take a look at how you should get rid of mold from your clothes.
How to remove mold from clothing
When you forget to take your clothes out of the washing machine for too long or keep them in damp conditions, mold can grow on them. These molds will then keep spreading the longer the clothes are in the aforementioned condition. Wearing these clothes will not only be harmful to your health, but they will also not look very good on you, aesthetically speaking.
So, here is how to remove mold stains from clothes.
1. How to remove mold from clothes using sunlight
Let’s take a look at the easiest way of removing mold on clothes first: sunlight. Most molds that grow on clothes are quite easy to get rid of. All you need to do is put your clothes in direct sunlight for a few hours, and the mold stains will be gone. Then finish up by removing the remaining mold stains with a brush.
But keep the fabric of your clothes in mind when keeping them in sunlight for a prolonged period. This is because not all types of clothes can tolerate the same level of sunlight. While a white cotton shirt will be just fine, a shirt made of nylon will not fare the same.
2. How to get rid of mold on clothes with vinegar
Vinegar, especially white vinegar, is a very good, bordering on universal, mold cleaner. No matter what the surface is, vinegar will remove mold like it never existed. You can apply vinegar to remove mold in a few ways. First, you can directly apply the vinegar onto the mold-affected area. Second, you can pre-soak your clothes by mixing a cup of vinegar with a bucket of water. You can even add vinegar to the washing machine before you wash your clothes.
3. How to remove mold smell from clothes with regular soap
As important as it is to remove mold stains from clothes, it is equally important to remove the smell of mold from them. In this case, using regular bar soap might be your best option. You can remove mold from fabric by washing your clothes with any bar of household soap thoroughly and then drying them off either in the sun or the dryer.
4.How to remove black mold from clothes using bleach
Sometimes the mold in your clothes isn’t easy to remove. This is when you need to bring out the big guns. Bleach is one such cleaning agent that can get rid of even black mold, one of the toughest of all molds. But there are some downsides to using bleach on clothes. Bleach can fade the color of your fabric, so only use bleach on white or light colored clothes.
Pre-soak clothes in a diluted solution of bleach, wearing a rubber glove. You can also rub the bleach directly onto the moldy area, depending on what the situation requires. Then you should wash it off properly so that both the mold and the bleach are washed off.
5. How to wash moldy clothes with Borax
Borax is another good cleaning agent for tough-to-clean mold stains. It is also very soluble in water, so there is no worry of having to wash off the residue. Mix half a cup of borax powder into a bucket of warm water. Then wash your clothes with the solution and dry them off. You will notice the mold is gone.
Finding the Right Professional
Choosing the right person or company can make a big difference, so take a moment to check a few important things before you book someone.
- Check Reviews and Licenses: Make sure the professional is fully licensed and has good reviews from other customers. This shows they are experienced and trustworthy.
- Ask About Emergency Services: Not all companies are available after hours. If the leak happens at night or on the weekend, you’ll need someone who offers 24/7 emergency service.
- Get Multiple Quotes: Don’t go with the first option you find. Ask a few companies for quotes so you can compare prices and see who offers the best value.
- Look for Leak Detection Services: Some companies have special tools to find hidden leaks inside walls or ceilings. These experts can save time and avoid extra damage.
Final Words
Removing mold from clothes is very important for your health and hygiene. Knowing how to remove mold from clothes will save you from diseases such as asthma while also prolonging the lifespan of your clothes. In addition, your looks will also not be harmed by wearing mold-free clothes.
FAQ
1. How to get mold out of clothes with baking soda?
Baking soda is a very good mold remover. But it can not be used on clothes alone to remove mold from clothes. The clothes must first be soaked in a white vinegar solution. Then, rub baking soda onto the mold stains. After you rub the stains for a few minutes, you will notice the mold is starting to disappear. Once all the mold is gone, wash the clothes normally and dry them off.
2.How to get mold out of clothes without bleach?
Although bleach is a very good mold remover, it can not be used on all types of clothes. Using bleach on dark colored clothes will result in the color fading, and in some instances, the fabric itself being harmed. So, you will need other alternatives to bleach to remove mold from clothes.
Here are a few ways you can remove mold from clothes other than bleach.
- Baking soda and Vinegar
- Only Vinegar
- Sunlight
- Regular washing soap
- Borax (either powder or the solution)
3. Can mold be washed out of clothes?
Yes, of course, mold can be washed out of clothes. You need to have the right type of soap for your fabric to wash the mold from it. Then wash them manually or using your washing machine with said soap, and you will have mold-free clothes.
4. Can clothes be saved after mold?
More often than not, clothes can absolutely be saved after mold. If you use any mold-removing agent that suits your fabric, your clothes can be saved despite having stubborn mold, like black mold. But sometimes the clothes might be unsavable if they have been moldy for a very long time. Mold can affect the fabric so much that even after cleaning it, the clothes become unusable.
5. Should you throw out moldy clothes
The first response to seeing moldy clothes is to throw them out, especially if you are a germaphobe. But most of the time, these clothes can be saved by washing with a proper mold cleaning agent. So, before you throw the mold-infested clothes out, try to wash them first and see if they can be worn again.