How to Get Mildew Out of Clothes

As the monsoon season comes, it brings with it the problem of mildew. Mildew is basically a mold i.e. a living organism/fungus that grows in dark, moist places. It thrives in places and environments that are warm and humid. This is why our clothes get affected by mildew around monsoon season. Most of the time, mildew goes unnoticed, especially if you are storing seasonal clothing away till after a few months or for the next year, i.e., woolens for winter. If you happen to find mildew like substance on your clothes, it is better to act upon them right away. This is because the more time mildew stays on your clothes, the more damage it can cause. In case you do not know how to get mildew out of clothes, we are here at your service. Given below are the complete procedures of removing mildew from clothes. You could do with a variety of combinations like lime juice-salt, vinegar-water or the traditional detergent/bleach-warm water. Scroll further to learn more.

Getting Mildew Out Of Clothes

Lime Juice-Salt

One of the most common and the easiest ways of removing mildew from clothes is by using lime juice and salt. The concoction never fails! Just follow the steps below and your clothes should be rid of mildew in no time!

Items Needed

Lime Juice
Salt

Procedure

Make a paste from lemon juice and salt.
Rub the paste onto the areas affected by mildew.
Let the garments dry in the sun. Do not wash the lemon juice off!
Repeat steps 2-3 till the mildew is completely gone.

Vinegar-Water

Mildew reduces considerably with the application of any substance with a high acidic ratio. If you have run out of lemons/lemon juice at home, this would do the trick!

Items Needed

White Vinegar
Warm Water

Procedure

Mix the white vinegar and warm water in a bowl and set aside for 5-10 minutes.
Once the vinegar has settled, rub the solution on to the areas affected by mildew. On the places where there is heavy mildew, you can even apply some full-strength vinegar directly without diluting it with water.
For lighter mildew stains, you could either mix equal parts of vinegar or water or more water and less vinegar, depending on how of mildew is present.

Detergent/Bleach-Warm Water

Items Needed

Brush
Water
Detergent
Chlorine Bleach

Procedure

First of all, take the clothes soiled by mildew out of the closet. It is best to take them out in the driveway/garden.
Now, take a brush and rub off the loose mold growth.
Leave your clothes outside, in the sun, for a couple of hours. The sunrays and heat will kill the mildew.
Soak the stains that have remained after brushing, in cold water.
Take some detergent and wash the clothes in hot water.
Do not dry the clothes in the machine. Allow them to dry in the sun.
In case the mildew stains still remain, prepare a diluted solution of chlorine bleach. Put 2 tbsp. bleach in 1 quart (little less than 1 liter) of water.
Soak the stains with this diluted solution and put the clothes aside for 10 min.
Now, take warm water and rinse the clothes properly.
Wash the clothes as usual, rinse them and put them in the sun, to dry.

Tips

In case of non-washable clothes, it is better to go to the drycleaner. Make sure to identify the stain before handing over the clothes.
Do not use chlorine bleach in case of silk, wool, nylon and spandex clothing. It might damage them.

How To Prevent Mildew From Coming Back

If you have mildew growing on your clothes, it is probably because you left the clothes in a damp pile for a couple of days. Hence, the first step to prevent mildew from coming back is to never leave your clothes in a damp pile and leave them in the dryer or out in the sun as soon as you can!
Another reason for mildew growing on clothes is because they are attracted to sweat and moisture. Hang sweaty clothes away from fresh clothes or put it for a wash right away. Towels, once they have been used, should also be hung up to dry. Also, if you have sweaty shoes, you might want to keep them out in the sun before stowing them back into the cupboard. Yes, shoes make comfortable homes for mildew too!
Apart from clothes, mildew can also grow in the walls of your house. So, apart from drying your clothes outside, make sure you ventilate the rooms of your house often to let fresh air come in and the dampness dry out.

The methods given above will all help you remove mildew from your clothes easily and will make it easier for you to manage your wardrobe, and you won’t have to worry about these pesky molds anymore! So, go through the article again and feel free to use any one or all these methods!

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How To Get Mildew Out Of Clothes

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