How Do Jeans Get Moldy

If you've discovered mold on your clothing, let's hope you found it early. The sooner you can start the cleaning process for mold and mildew, the better. The longer mold stays on your clothes, the harder it is to remove and the smellier it's going to be. Step one in the process is to get the clothes out of the moist environment right away and out into the hot sun (if possible). While your clothes are baking outside, clean up the area where the clothing was stored to make sure you don't have any reoccurrences. The heat will dry the clothes out and help to kill the mold, which we all know is a living fungus.

Going for a jog or running for the bus – sweat can contribute towards smelly clothes Leaving wet laundry in the washing machine means the fabric can’t ‘breathe’ Leaving wet or damp laundry in the tumble dryer will also cause clothing to smell Storing clothing in enclosed spaces (drawers/wardrobes) while they are still damp. I left a pair of raw jeans that had been worn, oh, probably everyday for 8. It stops to see if that will get rid of it. But it's A LOT OF MILDEW. Any suggestions.

After your clothes are completely dried, you'll probably still see the areas where mold and mildew have stained them. There are a variety of products you can use at this point to pre-treat your clothes before the wash. If they're whites and you aren't afraid of adding chemicals to your clothes, then bleach can be added. Mix the bleach with water and spray it on the affected areas until it's soaked through. Sodium borate, more commonly known as Borax, or other spray stain removers can also be used for pre-treatment. If you're not into chemicals at all, then try soaking the clothes in a solution of cold water and one cup of white vinegar.

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Once you've pre-treated the clothing, you need to wash and dry them at least two times. Hot water is best for killing mold spores, so if you have a sanitize setting on your washer, then use it. The same things you used for pre-treatment can also be added to your wash, so if you want to throw in some bleach or white vinegar, feel free. After one complete wash and dry, check the affected areas with your eyes and nose. If they pass the sight and sniff tests then you should be OK. If not, give it another wash.

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Sources

• 'Fabric Mold Removal Remove Black Mold from Clothing Get Rid of Mildew on Clothes.' Moldremovalfacts.com. April 8, 2012. http://moldremovalfacts.com/mold-removal/fabric-mold-removal-remove-black-mold-from-clothing-get-rid-of-mildew-on-clothes/
• 'How to get Mold out of Clothes and Fabric.' Blackmold.awardspace.com. April 8, 2012. http://blackmold.awardspace.com/black-mold-clothes.html
• 'Mold In Your Home: Cleaning Options.' Dhs.wisconsin.gov. April 8, 2012. http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/hlthhaz/fs/moldclean.htm

Mildew is a nuisance -- it's smelly, offensive and a hazard to our health. It's produced by mold, fungi that grow in damp places, including dresser drawers, garment bags and the space behind your closet doors. Really, anywhere there's moisture, mildew can become an unwanted guest that will make itself at home. And unless you make a conscious effort to remove it, it'll definitely overstay its welcome. But is it possible to remove mildew's musty odor once it's embedded in your clothes? While it can be a tricky task, this fungi (and its lingering odor) can be defeated -- but not without investing a little time and elbow grease first.

Perhaps the easiest way to remove mildew stains is to use what's available in your own kitchen pantry -- namely table salt and a lemon. Combine lemon juice and salt to make a thick paste and rub it into mildewed-infested areas on clothing. Quickly dry affected garments in direct sunlight, then, if the stain is still there, do it all again. Repeat the process until the mildew is gone.

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Water and vinegar is another simple way to rid clothing of mildew. Use equal parts white vinegar and water, and soak the solution on soiled areas to remove mild stains. For tougher stains, try full-strength vinegar instead.

Comprised of boron, sodium, oxygen and water, borax is an all-natural mineral that's sometimes used to fight mildew. Mix two liters of water with two cups of borax, and rub the solution into mildewed areas on clothing. Then saturate the garments in the solution until the stains are gone -- a process that may take several hours. Once stains are removed, thoroughly rinse the garments and dry immediately.

Bleach can also remove mildew stains, but be mindful to use it with caution -- if handled carelessly, bleach's harsh chemicals can ruin clothing. Pdfsharp wiki. For washable fabrics, first rub a small amount of powdered detergent on mildew stains. If tags allow, wash clothing in hot water and add one half cup of chlorine bleach. When clothing labels don't permit the use of bleach and hot water, soak garments in a quarter cup of oxygen bleach -- labeled perborate or all-fabric -- in one gallon of warm water. Mildew stains should be gone after half an hour or so.