How do I remove mold and mildew from clothes esp cotton?

Question

I always put my summer clothes in organizers til winter is over. Everything was dry when they went in. To my horror, I found the clothes in one organizer full of mold and mildew. ALL of the clothes had it on them.
I've tried washing them and drying in the sun. I was able to salvage 2 outfits. The rest still have it on them. They are new clothes. I hate to throw them out.
I also need to know how to get the smell out of the organizer they were in. I've never had this problem before. HELP!!!

Answer 1

Try oxyclean or color safe bleach. I know bleach should work on the whites but that sucks if you cannot salvage your colors. Good luck!

Answer 2

Mildew On Clothes

Answer 3

Carbona Stain Devils #8 for Fruit and Red Wine also removes mold and mildew from fabric. I had great success using this after a similar incident and was able to salvage everything with no remaining stains or odor. You can find them at most of your local grocery stores, but not Wal-Mart for some reason. Good luck!

Answer 4

It EATS the fabric so there is no really"washing them out" once set in there.
Throw away.
next time mak sure the container is in an airy container sometimes a low wattage light bulb turned on in a closet all the time in a safe distance from-flammable things-being low wattage helps but also not touching anything directly-) can help a lot. Moisture collects into clothing and then if totally sealed it will have no wear to go. Don't do airtight. Also there are dehumidifiers and sealed packers of those beads You would need to change it out often

Answer 5

Removing mildew stains from clothes: Begin by brushing of mold outdoors so you don't scatter mildew spores in the house. On washable fabrics, pretreat by rubbing detergent into the dampened stain. Then, launder the items in hot water, detergent and chlorine bleach, if it is safe for the fabric. If the stain remains, sponge it with hydrogen peroxide, rinse and launder. If the item isn't bleach-safe, soak it in an oxygen bleach that is safe for colors, then wash it. Take non-washable fabrics to the dry cleaner and tell them what the stain is.

Answer 6

Try some vinegar in the wash to neutralize the mildew. Or a mildew & mold remover like bathroom cleaner.

Answer 7

I hate to tell you, but you might as well throw out the clothes. You will just waste time and effort trying to get the mold and mildew out. If you try to bleach them, you might lighten the stain, but it just doesn't come out. Sure hope you can find some good sales to replace your loss.

Answer 8

If they are white cotton, try washing them with Clorox. They're pretty much ruined anyway, so this is a last hope, but if they are bleach-safe, you should be OK. If they are colored material, I think you're out of luck. And I would NEVER use that organizer again. Mildew HIDES. Even when you think you've destroyed it, it can come back. Throw it away.

Answer 9

For whites only, you may try a bleach solution, but be careful to not overdo it. The others are probably just gone forever. I know of no way to salvage them. For the container, clean with a bleach solution and then leave in the sun to air dry. Good luck.

Answer 10

The clothes are a lost cause you have set the stain after the first washing. The organizer can be saved by cleaning it with a bleach solution then storing crumpled up newspaper in it. The newspaper will pull the smell out of the plastic.

Answer 11

For white clothes use Bleach, For the rest you use Hydrogen peroxide treat the spots and then wash as usual and dry in the sun if possible. Hope it helps.