Simple and easy hacks to remove Mould Stains from fabrics Permanently!

Have you ever noticed the black spots growing automatically on your clothes? Many of us store clothes in the basement and leave damp towels and wet clothes in the machine load for several days. Well, this is how we invite mould and mildew to thrive on our clothes.

Clothes, when exposed to humidity and moisture for a longer duration, start breeding mold and mildew which is unhealthy. That’s why it is recommended not to store the clothes in wet conditions.

It feels unpleasant when these stubborn mold stains don’t just go away and you end up throwing your favorite garments.

What if we say, you can easily get rid of these black mold stains without putting in a lot of effort? Yes, that’s true!

In this article, you’ll find the simple yet effective techniques to easily remove mold and mildew from fabric.

Let’s start exploring!

What Causes the Moulds on Fabric?

It’s the prolonged exposure to humidity and moisture that promotes the growth of mould and mildew on organic surfaces, or fabrics.

The mould spores then look for damp places to float. Once they have landed on the surface, they’ll immediately start eating the upper surface they stick to. This process is called decomposition. Although mould is an important part of nature that helps in completing the life cycle of either living beings or things.

Two different types of mould can grow on fabrics:

The black mold: The aggressive kind of mould which expands rapidly and is highly visible even in the initial stages. If plunged deeply; they are hard to remove from fabrics.
The white mould: You’ll find plenty of white mould in your kitchen and furnishings. It’s fungi that start growing on damp substances like leather, paintings, wallpapers, etc. It can be easily removed.

The most prominent factor that promotes and infest the growth of mould and mildew spots on clothes is moisture and dampness. So it’s important to not leave or store your clothes in a damp place. For example:

Your wet towel
Wet gym T-shirts
Clean Clothes left in the dryer can easily harbor molds.

Some Most Effective DIY ways to remove moulds from Fabric:

If you think washing alone is enough to remove mould stains, then you are highly mistaken. Mold spots require special attention and treatment. There is a high possibility that the mold spores will grow back.

There are many mold-killing solutions available in the market these days that can help you get rid of mould stains permanently. These solutions are also used by expert cleaners in upholstery cleaning.

So, presenting you with the #10 most cost-effective ways to treat moulds on fabrics:

Use a mold-killing solution in the washing cycle:

As we told you earlier, Mould killing solutions are easy to use and are easily available in the market. Check below to know how and when to use these solutions:

Vinegar – Adding vinegar along with your favorite detergent not only kills the mold spores but also removes the nasty mold smell. Make sure to use the right quantity of vinegar (just one or two cups) in each machine cycle. It will leave your clothes smelling fresh and bright.

Instructions to use vinegar for treating mold stains:

Simply add one or two cups of vinegar to each machine cycle.
Use the hot water mode in your washer.

Borax – Borax is an amazing cleaning agent that also helps remove germs, molds, fungus, etc. Add half a cup of borax powder to each washing cycle. Borax is most effective on organic fabrics such as cotton, linen, rayon, etc. Make sure to use hot water when using borax.

How to use borax for best results?

Add half a cup of borax powder to each washing cycle.
Make sure to use hot water when using borax.

Bleach – Bleaching is a great cleaning agent that also gives immediate results. Ensure the fabric won’t be damaged by bleach. The only drawback is most of the time it fades away the natural fabric color. Thus leaving the white spots behind that genuinely looks awful. The best thing is to try the spot test.

Instructions to use Bleach:

Mix half a cup of water and half a cup of bleach in a spray bottle.
Also, Add detergent for heavy stains.
Spray it on mold stain.
Now leave for 10 minutes.
Wash the garment in hot water for best results.

Baking Soda and Vinegar: The best combination ever to treat the mould and mold smell permanently. Both these powerful ingredients are easily available in our homes. This simple and effective hack is widely used in Cleaning Mould Off Curtains. To begin:

Add Vinegar in the first ashing cycle.
Add Baking soda in the second washing cycle.
For stains on the couch, mattress, and curtains you can add & mix both ingredients in a spray bottle.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil has a nice aroma that instantly removes molds from fabrics. You’ll be definitely impressed by the visible after effects and soothing smell from your clothes.

Tea tree oil is known for its antimicrobial properties that can easily remove fungus, mold spores, ad other airborne particles. It’s not as harmful and aggressive as borax and bleach are!

How to use Tea tree oil for stain treatment?

Form a mixture of one cup of water with one teaspoon of tea tree in a spray bottle.
Spray it on the area with mold stains.
Leave it for 10 minutes.
Add the remaining mixture to the washing cycle with detergent.
Make sure to use the hot water for washing.

Hang-dry your clothes in the sun:

After you have treated your clothes with mold-killing solution, make sure to dry them in natural sunlight. Sun rays have a natural bleaching effect that helps lightning the mold spots and kill the mold spores.

In contrast, if you’ll use a washing machine dryer; the heat will even increase the spots’ visibility. So it’s better to avoid dryers especially when you are treating mold stains.

What If mold stains persist even after the treatment?

In such a case, you can repeat the whole process or choose to dye your clothes in a darker color to get rid of stains permanently.

If you’ve followed the above steps and the mold stains persist, repeat the whole process. Alternatively, dye your garment a darker color – this may cover the stain for good.

Looking for professional Mould Clean up services? Contact

Mould harbor in damp and moist places. So following a few protective measures we can stop mold from infesting. Rest there are many commercial and household products that can easily remove the spots and kill the mold spores.

Frustrated? None of these hacks helped? Contact our hire tradies Experts’ for visible results at 022 026 5920