How do I get mold out of clothing?

Lulu Dubin
by Lulu Dubin
In one of the bad rain storms we had a leak and now just realized water/moisture must have gotten into the dresser in my son's room because half his clothes are now covered in mold!! AAHH! Any way to solve this without throwing it all away?! Thanks!!
  13 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Feb 19, 2016
    Wash the clothes with white vinegar and detergent at a very high water temperature,The vinegar should kill the mold.
  • Marj Marj on Feb 19, 2016
    Straight bleach on the fuzzy things, watch it, the stains fade, then was immediately. On the other fabric, like cotton, it is hit or miss for removing the colour with the stains. Sadly, you will probably lose some things. Good luck and careful.
  • Timothy Sibbel Timothy Sibbel on Feb 19, 2016
    Do the vinegar thing in the wash, but add a cup of bleach to the water and mix well before putting the clothes into the water....
    • B. Enne B. Enne on Feb 19, 2016
      @Timothy Sibbel I would never put bleach and vinegar in the same water. It is safer to do separate washes, and rinse with straight water in between.
  • Connie Connie on Feb 19, 2016
    2 things you can try. Lemon juice, then sit out in the sun and the 2nd is Fels Naptha bar soap rubbed in.
    • Patty S Patty S on Feb 20, 2016
      @Connie You are right. This was exactly what I would have suggested. I used to live on the beach in Florida. Very often if I left any article of clothing on the floor at night, in the morning it would have mold on it. I did this lemon juice and sun trick many times and it always worked.
  • Crystal Cochrane Crystal Cochrane on Feb 19, 2016
    I have sprayed spots and stains of all kinds with peroxide and you can virtually watch the stains fade. It may take a couple of washings but don't dry it in the dryer as that will help set the stains in. Another method is to soak the item in boiling water with dishwasher detergent. let soak overnight then wash as usual
  • Melody Warren Melody Warren on Feb 19, 2016
    I have tried all the ways above except the lemon juice Fels Maptha soap. They all got out the mold, but nothing has got the stains out. Will try the Fels Naptha and lemon.
  • Tess Baker Tess Baker on Feb 20, 2016
    Soak the stain in White Vinegar overnight then wash normally the next day. Worked well for me and the Vinegar can also get blood stains out too. Good Luck!
  • Patty S Patty S on Feb 20, 2016
    I keep a bottle of white vinegar and blue Dawn in my laundry room. It gets out every kind of stain there is....even red wine. Exactly as Tess Baker says, rub the vinegar in and then a few drops of blue dawn, rub that together and let stand over night. Then wash and voila, stains are gone. Even takes out oil and grease spots.
  • Nancy Nancy on Feb 20, 2016
    With the very wet, hot and humid summer we had last year in Florida, the bottoms of our porch drapes got a lot of horrible mold. Bleach didn't work, and by chance, I tried Tilex Mold and Mildow Cleaner.....just sprayed as they hung. OMG....it all disappeared, and so fast!
  • Fin3210357 Fin3210357 on Feb 20, 2016
    Oxyclean will get the stains and the smell out just follow package instructions
  • Dottie Weirich Dottie Weirich on Feb 21, 2016
    When a hot water pipe under our home broke, we didn't know until the tile started to pop up & brake. While looking at WHY we found 10 inches deep of water trapped within the stem wall under the entire house. They used old fashion 20 Mule team Borax. Mold Never came back or stained.
  • Maureen Williamson Maureen Williamson on Feb 22, 2016
    You can spray Tylex (or any bathroom mold remover) directly onto the stain. I haven't had any discoloration/bleaching issues, but you have to make sure you don't let it sit too long and try to be as careful about where you spray it as you can. Spray it into a small cup and use an old toothbrush to apply it if you are really worried about color-fade; also keeps over spray getting on other clothing.
  • Tabetha Carrier Tabetha Carrier on Jan 19, 2017

    Has anyone ever tried getting it out of a wedding dress?