How to Remove Mildew Stains and Odor from Clothes and Upholstery

How to Remove Mildew Stains and Odor From Washable Clothes

1. Brush Away Spores Outside

   To remove mold or mildew from machine-washable clothes, take the affected items outdoors to shake or brush away the spores. Remove as much of the powdery substance as possible to brush both sides of the fabric. Go outside to prevent spreading the spores inside your home, where they can continue growing.

2. Spot Treat, Wash, and Disinfect

   After brushing, each spot should be pretreated with a heavy-duty liquid detergent (Tide or Persil contain enough enzymes to break down the stains). Allow the detergent to work for at least 15 minutes before washing the stained items in the hottest water recommended on the care label.

   To disinfect the fabric and kill the spores, add chlorine bleach to the wash cycle of white 100 percent cotton fabrics. Use pine oil or phenolic disinfectant if the materials are synthetic or colored.

3. Inspect Stain

   If stains remain after disinfecting the clothes or linens, you can use oxygen bleach on all types of white and colored fabrics to remove the stains. Note: Oxygen bleach will not kill mildew spores.

4. Soak in Oxygen Bleach Solution

   For persistent stains, use oxygen bleach by following the package directions to mix a soaking solution. Completely submerge the stained fabric and allow it to soak for at least eight hours or overnight. If the stain is gone, wash as usual. If it remains, mix a fresh solution and repeat. It may take several soakings to remove the mold and mildew stain, but it should come out.

How to Remove Mildew Stains and Odors From Dry-Clean-Only Clothes

1. Brush Away Spores Outside

   Fabrics labeled as dry clean only with mildew spores should be brushed outdoors using a soft bristle brush. If the material is napped like velvet or faux fur, brush gently in the direction the surface should lie.

2. Prevent Spores From Spreading

   After brushing, place the garment in a cotton or plastic bag to prevent the spores from spreading, and immediately take the garment to a professional dry cleaner. Point out and identify the stain to your cleaner.

How to Remove Mildew Stains and Odors From Upholstery

1. Use Anti-Mold Spray

   If the mildew stain is small and manageable, use the same cleaning solutions and techniques recommended for cleaning the carpet. Apply an anti-mold spray to the area, saturating the area. Allow it to dry completely.
   

2. Spot Clean With Oxygen Bleach

   Make an oxygen bleach and water cleaning solution and apply it to the discolored upholstery. Air dry between applications. Repeat until the stains are gone.

Additional Tips to Remove Mildew Stains and Odor

If the stain or odor does not come out after one or two times trying these steps, continue to repeat the steps. Eventually, these methods will kill and remedy mildew stains and odor. You can also try a few other household materials for a gentler, perhaps slower, attempt at removal:

• If you don't use bleach or pine oil to eradicate mold, you can also use hydrogen peroxide. It is less harsh than chlorine bleach. Hydrogen peroxide (3% to 10% solution) will kill mold and lighten stains. It has a bleaching effect but works more slowly than chlorine bleach, has no fumes, and leaves no residue. Test on an inconspicuous spot to ensure you don't discolor the material.
• Distilled white vinegar is mildly acidic and can also be used to break down the structure of mold and kill it slowly. Vinegar will eliminate odor but not remove mold stains, so you might need to scrub it away using another household cleaner. 
• Baking soda, borax, and alcohol are other household ingredients that you can use to inhibit the growth of mold and mildew—although they don't kill spores.
• Front-load washers can sometimes develop mold in the door seal, resulting in clothes that smell bad after being washed. Mold growth is often behind the rubber door seals or within the inner washer drum. If you have a front-load washer and your laundry has developed a moldy odor, give your washer a complete cleaning and wash it regularly.
  

When to Call a Professional

If you're unsure if you can clean the mildewed clothing article on your own, consult a dry cleaning professional. They may give you more tips or launder the garment for you. If the item that needs cleaning is silk or vintage furniture, consult a furniture cleaning professional to preserve it safely.