Q&A for How to Remove Mildew Smell from Clothing

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How do I get mold out of wood?

Community Answer

Make a paste of baking soda and water. Rub it on the furniture with a fine cloth. Let it dry. Then wipe it down with a cloth dampened with vinegar. Place the furniture in full sunshine for a minimum of 8 hours.

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I used vinegar like it was suggested. The results were horrible. Now my clothes are all brown and still smell I used balsamic vinegar. What should I do?

Community Answer

So I suppose you now realize you were supposed to use white vinegar, not balsamic. Wash the close again, and add a cup of WHITE vinegar into the wash.

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Will using vinegar make my clothes smell like vinegar?

Community Answer

No, vinegar smell will not be present when your laundry is finished. It takes odors away, softens fabrics, ans disinfects.

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What can I do if I am allergic to fabric softeners and dryer sheets?

Community Answer

Use dryer balls instead of fabric softener to fluff the clothes and help remove static. These also help the clothes to dry faster.

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Question

If mildewy clothes are in my bedroom, can it leave a mildew smell in the room?

Community Answer

Yes. And if your floor is carpeted, the mildew can spread to the carpet, and then the smell will linger in the room.

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My cotton sweater with leather panels on the front has a mildew odor. How can I get rid of the odor without damaging the leather?

Community Answer

Try putting it in the freezer for a couple of hours to erase the smell without damaging the leather. Thaw it out and check the odor again. Sunshine will also work wonders, for a short time.

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What type of vinegar should I use to remove mildew?

Community Answer

White 5% acid is excellent. You'll never need softener and your clothes will stay brighter. I always use it in my wash to disinfect.

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Question

How do I get mildew smell out of clothes that cannot be washed?

Community Answer

Most quality dry cleaning chemicals will also kill mildew. Don't use the stuff you can buy for your home dryer; take it to a professional and tell them it's a mildew problem.

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All I have is red vinegar - will that work?

Community Answer

No, you'll turn your clothes pink. White vinegar is very cheap and widely available.

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Will apple cider vinegar work to remove mildew smell from clothes?

Community Answer

Yes, white vinegar works as well. Add it to your washing machine as stated in the article.

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Can I just put the clothes back in the dryer without washing to remove the mildew smell?

Community Answer

No, this won't do any good. They might smell okay temporarily if you throw a lot of dryer sheets in there, or a towel soaked in vinegar, but the mildew smell will come back. You pretty much have to wash the clothes.

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Can I use borax and vinegar together?

Community Answer

No. They both get their cleaning properties from their pH. Vinegar is an acid and Borax is a base; mixing them will neutralize both and result in an ineffective solution. Use only one at a time.

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Can I add vinegar and baking soda together in the wash?

Community Answer

Yes, you can. I would start with 1/4 cup of vinegar and 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda.

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Question

How do I get rid of a mildew odor in the bathroom and shower?

Community Answer

Scrub the surfaces with a bucket filled with water and liquid dish washing cleaner. Let the surfaces dry, then rinse and wipe with a soft cloth that is damp with white vinegar.

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Question

I have a cloth headboard that smells of mildew. How can I get rid of the smell?

Community Answer

Put white vinegar in a spray bottle and heavily mist the entire thing. Follow with a fabric freshener like Febreeze. The vinegar smell will go away after it dries well.

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Question

If clothing can only be washed by hand, how can I effectively remove a mildew odor?

Community Answer

I did this today. I had been given a rain coat made out of nylon and washed it by hand in my clean kitchen sink. I added about a cup of baking soda to plain tepid water and swished it around with my hands, basically washed it like I would any other garment by hand. Then I rinsed it with plain water, then filled the sink a second time and added more baking soda, and this time, I also added a small amount (about 1/8 cup) of my laundry detergent (liquid). I washed it like before, then rinsed it in plain water two more times, rung it out, and hung it to dry in my bathroom, leaving the door wide open. After it dripped dry about a 1/2 hour, I also turned a fan on it full blast to dry it faster.

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Question

How do I get the mildew smell out of clothes when I have to wash delicates in cold water?

Community Answer

Dissolve Oxy Clean in hot water. Let it cool, then add it to your cold water wash. You can also soak the delicates in the cooled mix before washing.

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Question

How can I remove mildew spots from clothing?

Community Answer

It's probably best to get rid of the clothes at that point. They could be hazardous to your health.

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Question

Is it okay to put my washed mildew clothes in the dryer?

Community Answer

It is highly recommended that you rewash your clothes with white vinegar and/or baking soda. This will remove the awful smell and stains left on the clothing by mildew.

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Question

I went on vacation and put my wet clothes in a plastic bag and completely forgot about them for a month. Should I throw the bag away, or can I save the clothes?

Community Answer

It depends on the fabric. Cotton and silk fibers may have been weakened by the damp and started to rot. If the clothes can stand a very hot wash, use white vinegar or bicarbonate of soda or borax in the wash to remove the smell. Man-made fabrics probably won't have suffered much, so if you can get the smell out, it's worth try!

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How do I remove mildew stains from fabric along with the smell?

Community Answer

White vinegar will remove and disinfect the mildew stain along with removing the smell!

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Is there anything I can do at school to get rid of the smell, since I have no other clothes to change into?

Community Answer

Ask around to see if anyone has perfume or cologne to cover the smell a bit.

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How do I get rid of mold smell on my jewelry?

Community Answer

To get rid of mold smell on jewelry, spray with isopropyl alcohol and wipe dry.

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How do I keep my shower mildew free?

Community Answer

Every time you bathe or shower, wipe the tile and bathtub dry with a towel.

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Question

Why are my white clothes yellow after using everything possible to whiten them?

Community Answer

Clothing manufacturers add whiteners to their fabrics; when we wash them, these whiteners are removed and we struggle to regain that whiteness. I have not been successful at re-whitening my clothes.

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Question

Can I use the vinegar or borax in a high-efficiency front-load washer? Should I put the vinegar or borax together with the washing detergent or with the fabric softener?

Community Answer

I add the vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser in place of the fabric softener.

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How do I get the mildew smell out of my dryer so that it will stop making my clothing stink?

Community Answer

Use a hotter setting and stop using a delicate cycle. This will get rid of the mildew setting.

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