by anna25775 19 Apr 2009

HOW DO I REMOVE MILDEW FROM CLOTHES????


Yesterday hubby and me were looking through the stuff we have in our storage bed and much to our disgust we found some of the clothes stored there have mildew :(

we do have a big mould problem in our tiny flat and thats one of the main reasons we will be moving out next summer but before this I need to solve this problem. I have the following that went mouldy :,-(

5 pairs of jeans
a denim jacket
a corduroy jacket (lined with a furry like fabric)
one tshirt
one fleecy sweater
one wool jacket
4 suit jackets
an evening jacket (dry clean only)

my evening jacket is the worst case. all others are washable and dark colours most browns, blues and blacks.

I'm desperate PLEASE HELP!!!

thanks and sorry I have to bug you but I really am feeling helpless.

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by denice 19 Apr 2009

Anna I too had to move due to a mildew problem that was so bad it was seriously affecting my health. Bleach works the best but of course has obvious disadvantages. If you use bleach use a cup of vinegar in the rinse cycle to neutralize the bleaching action. Sissibrode has some very effective suggestions and I found dry-cleaning no help at all and very expensive. What works the very best is an ozone machine and I purchased a very good one from the US ( I am in Canada) from a company called Air-Zone. I bought an XT-800 model and hung things in the bathroom, closed the door and ran the machine. It is most effective in small spaces. This worked very well so I did not have to buy a larger more expensive machine. I treated leathers, silks, books, xmas decorations, well actually every thing. Some things needed more than one treatment. The company had very good customer service. I also did a lot of research on line, try black-mildew as a topic. Good luck to you.

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by sissibrode 19 Apr 2009

Bleach to the whites, lemon juice for color, milk forthe raw silk and synthetic :o) *

1 comment
anna25775 by anna25775 20 Apr 2009

thanks Sissi, I did find out on the net that lemon juice and salt can be used for coloured stuff. i sure hope it works cos thats what i'm planning to use first. never heard about milk though but sounds interesting!

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by gerryvb 19 Apr 2009

you´ve got some answers I would suggest too, so I only say good luck and try, flower 4u

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by sllakin 19 Apr 2009

found this for you - hope it helps. http://www.ehow.com/how_18795_rem...

Also, another note: White vinegar is a disinfectant and also used to set the color or dye in material - so I would think you could add some to the wash and it would help also - DO NOT USE IT WITH BLEACH!!! - but can add it with washing detergent.

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by meganne 19 Apr 2009

Do you have Detol antiseptic where you are?
It's the best thing I know to remove mildew, mould, from all sorts of materials.
I use it on my $300 leather skirt as it is not only safe but it also acts as a deterrant to prevent mould returning.
hugs n roses, Meganne

4 comments
toet by toet 19 Apr 2009

Megs this is new for me i have a lot of boots from when i lived in Western Australia,that i can now only use a couple months of the year. I use Detol on the toads it seems to work.

denice by denice 19 Apr 2009

toet, here toads are amphibians similar to frogs and we do not want to be splashing Detol all over them. But as I write the I am remembering about Asses problem with cane toads I think that is what you mean. Does it kill them. I know they are very poisonous and destroying the ecosystem there. I have heard Detol works well to repel mosquitoes.

anna25775 by anna25775 20 Apr 2009

i do know Detol Meg, we had it in Malta but I never saw it here in germany :( i'm gonna try a new drugstore than where i normally shop and if they have i'm surely getting it. loved that stuff... smells so hygienic! otherwise i guess i have to get a bottle on my next visit to malta.... whenever that will be!

meganne by meganne 22 Apr 2009

LOL! This is the funniest conversation, I just love our diversity here at Cute!!!
hugs n love, M

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by lbrow 19 Apr 2009

Marietta has given u excellent advice. I do know for whites lemon juice & sunshine but have no white n the bunch. I hope u can get out of that soon, the mold is definitely not good for u. there r some things on the mkt that will absorb moisture n the air but know not if they r available to u. I wish u the best of luck but please heed Marietta's advice if u can I think this is the best route to take. Over here the bleached denium is the thing for jeans by the way. *

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by marietta 19 Apr 2009

From my days as home-economics teacher, I looked this up for you. Send dry cleaning stuff to be dry cleaned. Suit jackets, and wool jacket also.
All materials: Wash in cold water, use a paste of starch and soap, and bleach in the sun, Wash. This will work, if stains is not to old. The problem with this kind of stain, is the older it gets the more difficult is to remove.
Cotton and Linnen: Soak in bleach (the new kind that you get for all colours should be perfect.) Use a format of 1part bleach to one partwater. Neutralize by rinsing in some vinegar water, and wash well.
NB. remember to first test the clothing before doing removal, because you are never sure about colour fastness.
I hope this will help with some of the clothing.

1 comment
anna25775 by anna25775 20 Apr 2009

thanks marietta, i'm gonna do my best to save them and am off to the drugstore in a few mins to get all the stuff i can!

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by designgirl 19 Apr 2009

If you go on the internet there is a few sites that have remedies for removing mildew from clothes. Just type in the question "how to remove mildew from clothes" and it should come up with a few websites of answers.

1 comment
anna25775 by anna25775 19 Apr 2009

thanks, already did that but they werent much helpful so far.

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by blhamblen 19 Apr 2009

I had the same problem BUT it was in my fabric stash...I had to throw away ALL that had mold. I wouldn't risk saving anything...Mold can be killed with bleach but I have NEVER had it come out of clothing just by washing in HOT water....I wouldn't risk getting it in your lungs...THROW IT OUT!

1 comment
anna25775 by anna25775 19 Apr 2009

sweetie, I am already getting it in my lungs, mould is almost everywhere in this flat. I can't afford to throw these clothes away, they had cost too much money and we are on limited budget cos I don't have a job and hubby's contract ends in sept without sign of any other contract following. I desperately need to save them.

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by quiltgrama 19 Apr 2009

no bother I would suggest the dry clean one go to dry clean they may be able to help. Not sure about others but I have had some good luck with woolite. Not sure if available to you. Good luck Hope someone else has other suggestions Flower for you.

5 comments
anna25775 by anna25775 19 Apr 2009

thanks, have heard about woolite but not sure if it exists in germany. will check next time i go shopping.

marietta by marietta 19 Apr 2009

They sell woollite in South Africa too, and it is very good. We also have a good product here called "Vanish" which is excellent. Look also for similar powders on the wash powder shelves of your local supermarket.

loish by loish 19 Apr 2009

Please be careful about "Vanish". In the US that is the name of a toilet bowl cleaner. Pretty strong stuff! Don't what to think about what it might do to clothes.

mops by mops 19 Apr 2009

Oxy Vanish is for sale in the Netherlands, it's an excellent stain remover, either used on its own in water, or a spoonful added to your normal washing powder in the machine. I think I saw it in Germany as well, in a supermarket. I have used it for quite a number of things, amongst others for tiny mildew stains in white cotton. Good luck, Anna, it would be such a waste to have to throw everything out.

anna25775 by anna25775 20 Apr 2009

yes we do have some Vanish products here - not for the toilet bowl but for stains on clothes and textiles. i just popped in here before going shopping to the drugstore so i guess i can have a good look what they have cos at the moment i have none of them at home. thank you

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