How to get mold off fabric? This is perhaps one of problematic issues that you have to deal with on a regular basis. You keep clothes in a closet and within weeks they are covered in dusty blots of mold and mildew that are not only creating foul smell but also destroying the clothes.
Typical clothes that are prone to mold infestation are those made of cotton. Cotton is an organic material which mold loves to feed on. Some of the best solutions you can soak up the affected clothes in include:
- Specific detergent with mold-killing abilities,
- Baking soda,
- Vinegar,
- Borax,
- Bleach
When you wash the affected clothes, you would be better off using hot water instead of a cold ones.
In addition to being able to kill the mold, hot water works better in removing allergens such as spores. If using any solution mentioned above, you need to at least wash the clothes twice in order that the solutions can get through the fibers more thoroughly. Once done washing, make sure that you hang the clothes dry in the sun.
Both the sun’s heat and ultraviolet light can effectively kill the remaining mold that might still exist even after washing. Mold stains that are left on your clothes can also fade away by exposing them to direct sunlight.
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How To Get Mold Off Fabric? The answer to that question does not end with treatments to deal with the mold’s presence. It extends to what you can and should do to prevent a possible infestation in the future. There are preventive measures you can take for this purpose:
- Do not let clothes pile up for days, especially if the pile is damp in the first place. The moment you are done washing your clothes, you need to dry them up as soon as possible.
- Treating sweaty clothes also entails not leaving them on a pile prior to washing. Hang the clothes first so they can dry out. Towels must always be hung in a clean place post-use.
- Prevent moisture from building up. The higher the moisture is, the damper the environment will be. As humidity rises, mold thrives and your clothes are at risk.
Mold infestation on clothes is not something to take lightly. You cannot pat it off and hope for the best afterward. The mold might be eliminated just by simply patting it off the fabric but the spores are still there so you can expect another growth in a couple of days. Mold causes health condition in anyone too sensitive or not.
Once the mold or its spores come into contact with the skin, it could cause rash and those with respiratory problems will sneeze as a reaction to exposure. The longer you leave the mold on your clothes, the large its growth would be. Cotton-made clothes are exceptionally prone to infestation as the mold feeds on this material. The damage would unmitigated and your clothes would be rendered unusable soon.
