How To Get Mould Out Of Clothes
Is smelly ugly mould ruining your clothes?
Mould can leave permanent stains, eat away and destroy material and the smell spreads easily to other unaffected clothing items as well.
We’ve put together a guide on how to get mould out of clothes, how to remove mildew from fabric, and how to rid of that mildew smell leaving your clothes and laundry clean.
Mould in clothing is a common problem throughout Australia especially if you:
- Live in warm, humid areas (including wet winters and rainy seasons)
- Store laundry/clothes packed away in boxes or
- Leave damp clothes and laundry at the bottom of washing machines or the laundry basket
- Have leaking plumbing or walls or ventilation problems in your home
And throwing away otherwise good clothes and laundry because they have gone mouldy is expensive.
If you’re serious about getting mould out of your clothes you need to get to the source of your mould problem.
But finding the real cause of the mould can be a challenge.
Mould in your clothes may be a sign of a much bigger, more serious mould problem in your home.
In most cases, professional mould removal and rehabilitation services are the most effective way to identify the underlying causes and to remove mould from your home and your clothes.
When you need expert professional mould removal and prevention services throughout NSW, Victoria, and Queensland, call Mould Cleaning Australia.
Why Do Clothes Go Mouldy?
Mould can quickly do permanent damage to clothes and fabrics so prevention really is the best solution.
So, when you do a load of laundry hang it out as soon as possible to dry in the sun.
Always remove clothes and wet towels from the laundry basket as soon as possible and avoid storing clothes or fabrics in sealed boxes for lengthy periods.
What Are Some Natural Mould Treatments?
Hot Water
One of the easiest ways to remove mildew from fabric or mould from your clothes is to wash them in hot water.
Most mould species cannot survive high temperatures
- Check the care label on your clothes first to see if a hot wash is suitable.
- If it is then set the water temperature on your washing machine as high as you can.
- The water temperature needs to be around 60° Celsius
- To be effective and clothes do need to be exposed to the high temperatures for at least 10 to 30 minutes.
It pays to remove the stains before you dry the clothes as once dried the stains are harder to move.
Vinegar + Baking Soda
Vinegar + Baking soda is quite effective at killing mould. This mixture can also produce very good results as a stain remover and when trying to remove mildew smell.
Mix 2 parts baking soda to 1 part of white vinegar.
You can add this to a bucket of hot water and soak the clothes in it before washing them or simply add the vinegar/ baking soda mix to the washing machine once it has filled with water and before the first wash cycle.
Do not mix vinegar and bleach as this combination can release a dangerous gas.
You also need to be careful to do a spot test in an inconspicuous place first in case the mixture causes discolouration.
Borax
Borax is not only a potent mould killer but it is water soluble, which makes it easy to add to a load of washing. Check the care label especially on any delicate clothing items.
It may pay to a small spot test first before adding it to the whole wash.
Ways To Remove Mould With Chemicals
Detergents
Most commercially available detergents are not very effective at getting mould or mildew out of clothes.
Bleach
Bleach products can be effective mould/mildew killers and stain removers.
Bleach can easily cause clothes to fade so do a spot test in an area that’s not very noticeable first. It always pays to check the care label too.
Pre-soak the clothes in bleach for 30 minutes to one hour before adding them to a normal hot wash.
Bleach may be effective at killing mould spores hidden deep in the fabric but it seriously weakens the cloth fibers and will shorten the lifespan of your clothing.
Only use bleach in a well ventilated area and never mix bleach with other chemicals such as vinegar.
The combination of bleach and white vinegar can produce dangerous gases.
Dettol
Dettol is an antibacterial product that by itself will do little to kill or remove mould/mildew.
However, there are Dettol Mould & Mildew removal products featuring the addition of bleach that may be more effective.
Dettol is also a great way to freshen up clothes and remove the mildew smell.
Dry-Cleaning
Dry-cleaning can be effective at killing mould but it is an expensive option for your laundry if you need to do it regularly.
Some fabrics should not be dry-cleaned so make sure you check the care label.
How To Remove Mould From Clothes Permanently
Call the Professionals
We’ll identify the root cause of your mould problem and we are experts at mould remediation for all clothing and fabric items too.
Check out our other pages for more natural remedies to kill mould!