Can you wash mold out of clothes? Experts say yes – here's how
By Ottilie Blackhall,
23 days ago
If you're experiencing mold on your clothes, either from poor storage, your washing machine, or exposure to dampness, you might be worrying how best to remove it.
While it's a common laundry issue, knowing how to proceed is crucial to saving your garments before mold takes hold and spreads, causing irreparable damage, odors and staining.
We spoke to laundry experts for their professional tips on whether you can wash mold out of clothes (spoiler alert: you can) and how to do laundry to do so successfully.
'You can wash mold out of clothes, but typically not using the same methods you would with any other laundry,' says Carolina Kazimierski, co-owner and president of Sophia's Cleaning Service . This is because mold spores are stubborn, and typically penetrate fabrics deeply, so they need to be completely removed to prevent them spreading further, avoiding bad habits that increase the risk of mold .
'While it's certainly possible to remove mold from clothing, it will be a difficult process and may even permanently damage the material,' says Ken Doty, COO of The Maids .
If you do wish to attempt to save your clothes, here's Doty's expert-approved method, which is best to do in a well-lit room, with natural sunlight if possible.
Step 1: Act quickly
'You should act as quickly as possible when you spot mold on your clothes,' says Doty. 'Make sure the mold hasn't spread to any other articles of clothing and take the affected piece outside or in a well-ventilated and lit room.'
Next, grab your scrubbing brush. 'Remove any loose and outstanding spores,' says Doty, which will make the cleaning process easier.
Step 3: Soak in vinegar
'Create a cleaning solution of water (preferably hot) and 1-2 cups of white vinegar,' says Doty, in a 1 cup to 1 gallon ratio. Soak the clothes for one hour, then scrub the impacted areas again with a brush.'
'If mold is still visible, run the clothing through the washer with another 1-2 cups of white vinegar alongside your regular detergent,' he says. 'Add 1/2-1 tablespoon of baking soda to help with the deodorizing process if the smell of vinegar or the mold itself is too strong.'
Yes, but in order to effectively kill mold, wash affected clothing on the hottest washing machine setting . Mold spores will die at temperatures upwards of 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), so cooler setting won't work.
Can mold in the washine machine transfer to clothes?
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