How to Remove Mildew from Clothes
Mildew grows on damp and warm places. If your clothes have mildew, it’s wise to get rid of it immediately to avoid further growth and additional damages on your clothing. Here are some steps you can follow to remove mildew from clothes.
Things You’ll Need:
Chlorine Bleach
Laundry detergent
Sponge
Basin with water
Lemon Juice and salt
Peroxygen bleach
Weak vinegar
Steps:
Take the affected clothing out of the house and brush of mildew as much as you can. This way, the spores wouldn’t be scattered inside your house.
Put the fabric under the sun to kill the mildew.
Choose from any of the following to remove mildew from clothes.
Lemon juice and salt
Mix salt with lemon juice.
Apply the substance on the stained area.
Place the fabric under the sun.
Rinse well.
Peroxygen Bleach
Add 1-2 tablespoons of sodium perborate in a pint of hot water.
Soak your clothes in the solution for about an hour. You can also just sponge out the area of the fabric that has mildew.
Rinse well.
Chlorine Bleach
Mix 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach with a quart of warm water.
Let the fabric sit for about 15 minutes.
Rinse well.
Soaking the fabric in a weak vinegar after cleaning it with bleach will help effectively get rid of mildew.
To make a weak vinegar, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar in a cup of water.
Tips:
If you can’t use hot water on clothes, lukewarm water will do.
There are powdered bleaches on the market that has sodium perborate or potassium monopersulfate. You can use these products to remove mildew.
Take note that some fabrics may be damaged by chlorine bleach. Be very careful when using chlorine on your clothes.
Blot your fabric with chlorine on a hidden area to check if chlorine is safe to use on your clothing.
Silk, wool, nylon and spandex should never be cleaned with chlorine bleach.
Prevent the growth of mildew by making sure that your clothes are clean and dry before storing them. Also, you may want to air out clothes that you don’t usually wear and frequently clean your closet.