How can I Remove Mold Stains from Clothing?
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Mold is a fungus that thrives on organic matter, and it appears in a wide variety of forms. Some molds are deliberately cultivated, to make cheeses and some antibiotics, for example. Other molds are unwanted and adore food, whether on the counter, inside the fridge, or smeared into carpeting and clothing. Molds are not photosynthetic – in fact, many molds are photosensitive and will die in bright light. Because molds can form in a variety of environments, mold stains, especially on clothing, can pop up with irritating frequency.
Prevention is the first step in dealing with mold stains on clothing. Mold stains form when clothing is splashed with food or allowed to get wet and left somewhere warm and dark. When food spills occur, it is best to clean them immediately and wash the clothing before mold and the resultant mold stains can form. When laundry is done, make sure that all the clothing is completely dry before being folded away. Keep clothing in a well ventilated space, as well.
If mold stains have already set in, there are a number of steps to follow. Ideally, the mold stains should be caught as soon as possible, before the organism has had a chance to dig in. Bring the mold stained clothing outside and brush it out, to prevent spores from spreading around your home. Clothing that has been stored in proximity to the mold stained clothing should also be taken out and aired, and wiping down the shelf, drawer, or closet where the clothing was kept with a mild bleach solution will kill any spores floating in that environment.
The next step is to leave the clothing in the sun to dry out, because heat and sunlight kill many varieties of mold. Hang the clothing from a clothes line so that it remains well ventilated and the sunlight falls evenly across most of the garment. Mold stains will likely still remain, because fungus discolors fabric.
Presoak the mold stains in cold water, and then wash hot or warm with detergent. Check the garment before putting it in the dryer to make sure that the mold stains are gone, and wash it again if necessary. Drying the garment in the sun to kill any remaining spores is advised. If the mold stains persist, blot the area with a mild bleach solution, if possible, and launder it again. For colored fabrics, use a lemon juice and salt solution and rinse with cold water immediately.
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13
The Milton sterilizer is fantastic! Thanks guys for the helpful tips. I had a calico crinoline (hoop skirt) that i got given to me for work and it had rather large black mould stains on it. i soaked it in hot water with nappy san and detergent, used sard soap, a stain remover spay, and vanish duo and none of these helped at all, so i tried the miltons after all of that and it took them right out with ease. you could even see it start to fade the stain while you watched. i soaked it overnight and by morning they were all pretty much gone and the crinoline was nice and bright! Thanks again. Happy milton soaker! - anon50357
12
Oil of cloves will kill the mold spores. Dilute a few drops in water first then spray. Use bicarb of soda/water paste if you need to clean the mold off as well. - anon49502
11
Mold is growing in my apartment on my clothes, and shoes. the beds are moist furniture is moist. what do i do? - anon49064
10
what is milton and where can i find it and is it powder or liquid? thank you. - anon37908
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I tried all the methods I could find to remove a really old, bad mould stain from a cushion. In the end it was Milton which removed it easily. I added a lot of Milton to warm water, and the cushion did fade to a slightly lighter colour but it faded evenly so I wasn't bothered. If you have something and you really don't want the colour to change, dilute the Milton lots and leave for a long soak. - anon35548
8
I own a pink underskirt which was left in the washing machine after washing, while I had a short stint in the hospital.When I returned, the underskirt had yellow stains on it. I re-washed it & hung it on the line, but I was also thinking about soaking it in white bleach. Would this remove the stains permanently ? Kind Regards, Princess Michiru - LadyMichiru
7
My wife was about to throw away our toddlers new dress as mold had developed when a damp cloth had laid on it for a few weeks.We tried washing it few times but to no avail. After looking for a few tips on the web (not much help there as sun here in the UK is a rare commodity), I tried 2 cap full of Milton baby Sterilising fluid in about 3 or 4 lt of water and let the dress soak overnight. Next day clean as a whistle, all mold stains gone and no visible loss in color of the dress itself (a very colorful toddlers dress). Hope this helps anyone else. Cheers, Wallis - anon17952
6
FYI, bleach is really only an effective mold killer on hard non-porous surfaces (like countertops and tiles). Borate based cleansers (like Borax) kill mold and also prevent mold from forming. - anon14180
5
I have a hand quilted cotton baby blanket that has a white background with primary colored figures on it. It was full of of old, set, mildew stains which I had tried everything to remove then washed and dried the blanket in the dryer. The stains were set, and made unusable this favorite baby blanket I had wanted to make into a remembrance gift for my grown son. With nothing to lose, I sprayed X-14 Mildew Stain Remover with Bleach on the stains and they disappeared without affecting the color. - anon10312
4
mold stains are frustrating, and from experience, i've never been able to get them out of clothing. i didn't realize that the spores could spread even after washing--unless it's a small, hidden area, you probably should just throw the item away. - bigmetal
3
I did that too!
Now im curious. - bobbunit
2
my daughter's shirt grew a lot of fungus after it lay forgotten in a plastic bag from daycare. i washed the surface fungus with hot water and handwashing soap in the bathroom, then threw it in the washing machine with the rest of her clothes. i ran the machine twice, with regular detergent, first in cold water, then in warm water. then i dried the entire load in high heat. have i contaminated all of the clothes in the load? do i need to treat the shirt or the other clothes with an anti-mold remedy? if she has worn any of the clothes from that load, is there anything to worry about? - mommy
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Written by
S.E. Smith
Last Modified: 28 October 2009
copyright © 2003 - 2009
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