5 Tips To Remove Mildew From Fabrics

Mildew is the name of smelly, offensive mold that appears as the result of fungi and the mold developing in the damp places such as garment bags, dresser drawers or anywhere with excessive moisture. Mildew is often found in dark, humid, and warm areas, especially in the laundry rooms or bathrooms. However, the most frustrating place that mildew can appear is the clothes. If you accidentally forget your dirty clothes in the washing machine for a few days, mildew can come and never leave.

If you try to ignore it, your health can be negatively affected. The long exposure to the mildew in clothes or other places can lead to health risk such as respiratory issues or infections. Even the simple touch or inhale mildew can cause throat irritation, nasal issues or skin issues like rashes. For that reason, ways on how to remove mildew from fabric become essential for many people. Especially for infants, children, pregnant women, the elderly, the immune-compromised patients, and also people with respiratory conditions, these tips are highly appreciated because these people are more sensitive to the mildew-related conditions.

* Hot Water

Washing your fabric in hot water as soon as possible is believed to the safest way to save your clothes. It can remove mildew more efficiently and quickly than cold water. It is also helpful in removing allergens and mold spores. Just remember that you have to make sure that the water is not so hot and damage the fabric.

* Alcohol And Water

- Use a vacuum cleaner to remove the excessive amount of mildew as much as possible. Most of the vacuums are equipped with a hose or something similar to deal with the mildew lying on those hard-to-reach cracks. You have better do this step in an outdoor place in order to protect yourself from inhaling mildew spores.

- After that, mix one cup of hot water with one cup of rubbing alcohol.

- Use a sponge and soak it in this mixture before wringing the liquid out of this sponge.

- Next, rub this mixture slightly into the place having mildew. Don’t make this sponge too damp because it can soak the fabric, making it easier to be ruined. Keep in mind that some kinds of fabric can be damaged by rubbing alcohol. Therefore, it is better to test this method on a hard-to-see spot and wait for 15 minutes to make sure this method is suitable for your fabric. Stop using this method and change to another one mentioned in this article when you find any damage or discoloration.

* Tea Tree Oil

- Add 2 tsp of tea tree oil to 2 cups of water and mix well.

- Add a few drops of tea tree oil to the vinegar solution to get extra effectiveness.

- Spray the mixture onto your fabric.

* Lemon Juice

- Apply the lemon juice on the mildew- affected fabric.

- Sprinkle a little salt on the fabric for extra effectiveness.

- Let the fabric dry in the sun, rinse it before laundering it as the normal way.

* Hydrogen Peroxide And Water

- Apply hydrogen peroxide onto the fabric by using a clean rag.

- Let the fabric rest for around 15 minutes.

- After that, wash the fabric carefully as normal.