Do Items in Your Home Have a Musty Odor or Mildew Stains?

Mold thrives in places of high humidity and warmth. The more damp and warm an area is, the better. This includes walls, floors, personal items and even clothes. So what can be done about it?

The first thing to note is timing. The faster you can find a mold contaminated item, the better. Mold becomes increasingly hard to remove and deal with as it grows and thrives.

Mold can be found in some of the oddest places because it has the ability to thrive almost anywhere as long as it has the following three things:

1. Food
2. Moisture
3. Proper HumidityWith proper conditions, mold can spread quite rapidly.

Mold Grows on Clothing

As mentioned above, clothing is the perfect place for mold growth. If you happen to find mold on an article of clothing – hopefully its been caught quickly – there are a few ways to go about removing it.

Remember timing is of the essence when dealing with mold growth because the longer mold stays on the fabric, the worse it will smell and the more time it has to weaken and eventually rot your clothes.

Here are a couple of ways you can easily, safely, and quickly remove mold that is growing on clothing and get rid of the musty, moldy smell at the same time.

I. Vinegar

A very unusual approach would be to use vinegar in removing mold stains and its smell.  Vinegar is very useful and effective in removing the “moldy” smells from clothes.  Add 3/4 cup white vinegar to a load of wash.

The vinegar will remove any moldy smell from clothing. Repeat this process until all traces of mold and its smell are gone. Use detergent afterwards to thoroughly clean your clothes.

What’s so interesting about this process is that vinegar itself is made through fermentation with the help of a certain type of mold.

II. Old Fashion Cleaning

 
Brush off loose mold growth
Take all clothing that have mold or have been exposed to mold, outside and one by one, brush off any loose mold growth. By doing this outside you prevent mold spores from spreading inside the house.
Always remember to wear a protective mask and gloves when dealing with mold contamination.

Set out in the sun to dry
After brushing, leave the clothing out in the sun to dry.

Presoak in cold water
Presoak remaining clothes that have stains in cold water, then wash in hot water with 50% Oxi-Clean  &   50% .  Borox cleaner.  Allow the clothing to dry completely in the sun, repeat if required.

Use of “Mildicides”

“Mildicide“ is a new term or name given to products that are used in dealing with mold or mildew contamination.

Remember that if you choose to use a mildicide to remove mold and its odor from your clothes, always read the label for proper techniques. Mildicides are still chemicals and can be harmful to your health if not used properly.

If every item of clothing or fabric in your closet appears to be affected with mold, contact Mold Busters LLC for expert advise.