Mold on Clothes
Removing Mold & Black Mold Spots from Clothes
Mold grows easily on clothes, especially cotton clothes or clothes made from other organic materials which mold can feed on.There are a number of solutions you can wash moldy clothes in to kill the mold and remove any black mold spots from the clothing. Some include:
- Bleach
- Borax
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Anti-fungal detergent such as OxiClean or Clorox
Tips for Removing Mold from Clothes
Washing clothes in hot water (as long as it's not hot enough to damage the fabric) is better than cold water when it comes to killing mold. Hot water will also remove mold spores and other allergens from the clothing more effectively than cold water can.
Moldy clothes should be washed at least twice to remove mold effectively with a mold killing solution.
You can treat your clothes with remedies before washing them such as applying lemon juice to the moldy areas of the clothes for extra effectiveness.
After the clothes have been washed it's best to hang them on the line in the sun to dry. The sun's ultraviolet light and its heat kills mold and can also fade away mold stains.
Non-washable, dry clean only clothes with mold on them can be taken to the dry cleaner to kill the mold. The heat used during the dry cleaning process should kill any mold growing on the clothes. You can also have other clothes with mold on them dry cleaned as an alternative to washing them to remove the mold.
Remove Mold from Clothes with Bleach
You can wash your clothes in a solution of bleach and water to kill mold and make mold stains disappear. Alternatively, you could use Clorox laundry detergent which contains bleach or some other bleaching detergent such as OxiClean.
When using bleach, check the label on your clothes before you start to make sure they don't have a "do not bleach" warning. Beforehand you might also want to do a spot test on the clothing using the desired concentration of bleach and water to make sure they won't fade.
- Put your clothes in the washing machine along with laundry detergent.
- Once the washing machine has filled up with water add about a cup of bleach or whatever amount the label on the bleach suggests to use.
- Let the washing machine run like normal.
- If you notice the colors fading at any stage, remove the clothes and rinse them well.
- Alternatively you can soak your clothes in bleach using a concentration of about half a cup of bleach per gallon of water or whatever concentration is specified on the bleach's label.
- Let the clothes soak in the solution for a few hours making sure the colors do not fade.
- After soaking, wash your clothes in the washing machine with laundry detergent.
Remove Mold from Clothes with Borax
Borax is a natural mold killer which does not emit toxic fumes. To kill mold on clothes using borax you can either purchase borax laundry detergent or add borax powder yourself to a normal load of washing. Mix the borax with very hot water before adding it to your washing to ensure it is completely dissolved.
- Add your clothes to the washing machine along with laundry detergent.
- Dissolve half a cup of borax in very hot water.
- Once the washing machine has filled up add the borax that you dissolved in hot water.
- Let the washing machine run through like normal.
Remove Mold from Clothes with Vinegar
Vinegar kills 82% of mold species and will remove most species of molds from your clothes. Vinegar will also remove the moldy smell from your clothes.
- To kill mold on your clothes using vinegar, put your clothes in the washing machine along with detergent and let the machine fill with water.
- Then add about a cup or two of vinegar to your washing.
- Let the washing machine run through its cycle as normal.
- Alternatively let your clothes soak in a solution of one cup of white vinegar in a bucket of water for about an hour.
- After soaking, wash the clothes with laundry detergent in your washing machine to wash away the mold and vinegar.
- You might need to repeat the process to remove all the traces of mold and any moldy smell from your clothes.
Preventing Mold on Clothes
If you have mold growing on your clothes it's probably because you left them in a damp pile for a few days or more. Every time you wash your clothes you should hang them on the line or dry them in the drier as soon as you can. Clothes that have been washed and then left wet for a day or more are at risk of mold starting to grow on them.
The same applies for clothes that have gotten sweaty or wet from you wearing them. Don't throw wet clothes in the hamper where they'll sit for days until you do the washing. Hang sweaty clothes somewhere where they can air out first. Do the same for wet swimming gear. Towels should also be hung up to dry after they've been used. If you have sweaty shoes you might also want to let them air outside on the doorstep or some other place before putting them away.
Not only might mold grow on wet clothes but moisture from the clothing can really increase the humidity in your home which can lead to mold growth in your house. Another related tip is to vent the clothes drier outside or at least ventilate the room where the drier is so that the moisture from drying clothes doesn't get released into the air in your house.
Symptoms & Effects of Mold on Clothes
If you find mold on your clothes you should remove it as soon as possible. One reason to clean away mold and a sign that you might have mold on your clothes is the symptoms it can cause. If you're wearing clothes with mold on them you may feel itchiness where the mold is contacting your skin and develop a rash. The clothing might also make you sneeze when you wear it.
Another reason to remove mold from clothes quickly is the damage it can do to your clothing. Mold digests whatever material it's growing on so long term mold growth will destroy clothing. As mold grows larger it will also leave a greater stain on your clothing which can be difficult to remove and the clothes will smell.
Finally, mold on clothes releases mold spores into the air of your home which can promote mold growing inside. Additionally a build up of spores in your home's air can cause you to suffer allergic symptoms while you are inside your house such as sneezing and sore eyes.