anyone know how to remove mould/mildew from fabric?

Question

i stood a matress against a wall while i was decorating the bedroom, now i find it has mould on the side that was against the wall, i have left it to dry off and it has a light coating of whitish powder, (spores?) i will vacuem it off, but how do i kill off the mould spores.

Answer 1

DampRid makes a handy mold & mildew remover and protector in a spray bottle for fabrics. You can find it at Lowes home improvement stores in the cleaning aisle. Spray it on the mattress, agitate until you no longer see the fur or mildew stains and then hit the area with a blow dryer. It won't damage the fibers of the mattress upholstery and it leaves a protective coating that prevents the mildew or mold from growing again. Moreover, it has no toxic fumes or odor.

Answer 2

Most household mould likes damp and dark. It doesn't photosynthesize light, and is often killed by it. Your best bet is to leave the mattress in sunlight, but if that isn't practical, leaving it under a nice bright, hot light for a few hours should help. The dampness is the real problem here - if there's any moisture left in the mattress, the mould will grow back (hence the sunlight cure). Drying the mattress with a hairdrier is a good option, unless the mattress is wool, in which case the fibres will shrink & deform under the heat. If you do use a liquid mould killer, DON'T saturate the surface - the water content in your cleaning product will help the next generation of mould to thrive. The solution is to use a spray bottle, and to use it several times over a couple of days so the surface can dry out between times. You can try bleach, but bleach gets weaker over time (and smells gross). You also can't use any other product once you've tried bleach -residual bleach will react badly with pretty much everything (especially ammonia) and give off a range of toxic gases. Have a go at white vinegar - it doesn't smell good, but it will kill the spores. Good luck!

Answer 3

Most household mould likes damp and dark. It doesn't photosynthesize light, and is often killed by it. Your best bet is to leave the mattress in sunlight, but if that isn't practical, leaving it under a nice bright, hot light for a few hours should help.

The dampness is the real problem here - if there's any moisture left in the mattress, the mould will grow back (hence the sunlight cure). Drying the mattress with a hairdrier is a good option, unless the mattress is wool, in which case the fibres will shrink & deform under the heat.

If you do use a liquid mould killer, DON'T saturate the surface - the water content in your cleaning product will help the next generation of mould to thrive. The solution is to use a spray bottle, and to use it several times over a couple of days so the surface can dry out between times.

You can try bleach, but bleach gets weaker over time (and smells gross). You also can't use any other product once you've tried bleach -residual bleach will react badly with pretty much everything (especially ammonia) and give off a range of toxic gases. Have a go at white vinegar - it doesn't smell good, but it will kill the spores.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Oh, that is so not fair- while trying to spruce up your place something else goes wrong. Since you have tried to sweep up the mess, and nothing has happend I would try three things:
1. use mild dish washing detergent mixed with lots of water and dry to use a sponge to get it off. Don't rub it in though.
2. Rent a steam cleaner - usually you can rent through through the grocery stores for cheap.
3. Buy a new matress. If you have children expecially, the mold can make an adult sick however can really damage a child. If the above two things don't work, try getting a new mattress.

Good Luck! I hope it works so that you don't have to purchase a new one!

Answer 5

Pour undiluted white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle. Vinegar is great at getting rid of mildew, and it also eliminates the bad odor. Spray the vinegar onto the affected areas. Let it sit for several hours, ideally outside in the sun (or under a light).
Use warm, sudsy water and a rag, to wash it, and let it dry in a clean, dry place.