Fungal spores can only be seen under a microscope, but under favorable conditions they quickly develop and affect everything around.
If things are stored in a humid and warm room without periodic ventilation, the chances of mold growing significantly increase.
Moldy things are dangerous because the fungus can quickly spread to the closet, other furniture and walls. Also, some types of mold cause an allergic reaction in humans, and it is almost impossible to get rid of it if it spreads on a large scale.
How to remove fungus using traditional methods?
How to remove mold from fabric at home? The sooner you start acting, the better. It is more difficult to wash stubborn mold, especially since other things remain in the danger zone.
If you don’t have any chemicals at hand, you can start fighting the fungus with what you find in the kitchen:
9% vinegar;- laundry soap;
- table salt and lemon juice;
- ammonia;
- chalk;
- dairy products;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- boric acid;
- turpentine;
- soda;
- onion;
- aspirin.
There are many ways to remove mildew stains from fabrics, depending on what you have in your home and the type of fabrics. If one option doesn't help, you can always try the next one.
Acetic acid
This method will not only help you wash the item, but will also eliminate the unpleasant smell of fungus.
How to use for hand washing:
- Add 20 ml of vinegar to 1 liter of water.
- Soak the item in warm water for 60 minutes.
- Wash with detergent.
In the case of machine washing, you need to add 200 ml of acetic acid to the powder and wash in hot water.
Laundry soap
The use of this product has no expiration date. Laundry soap is often used to remove difficult stains. Soap can easily deal with mold stains .
To do this, you need to soap the fabric well, paying special attention to stains, leave for an hour and then rinse with warm water. Since laundry soap cannot cope with the smell of fungus, it is recommended to add vinegar to the water.
Kitchen salt and lemon
These two products are often used to remove dirt and bacteria. Apply lemon juice, preferably fresh, to the stains and sprinkle with salt.
It is better to dry in a well-ventilated area or outside. Then you need to wait until the juice is completely dry, and then wash it with the addition of powder. A good alternative to lemon juice is fresh tomato juice .
Soda
Caustic soda is found in every kitchen. Since the product is included in soap, it can be used to remove various stains.
This product is not suitable for cleaning delicate fabrics. It is advisable to clean only raincoat fabric with soda.
To use this substance to get rid of mold, you need to dilute it with water to a paste and rub it into the dirty areas with a brush. After 10-15 minutes, rinse with cool water.
Ammonia
Ammonia is used for washing synthetic products . To do this, mix alcohol and water in equal proportions.
Then rub the moldy areas of the fabric with this solution and leave for 20 minutes. Then wash with detergent.
Alcohol will not eliminate the unpleasant smell of mold, so it is recommended to wash the fabric with vinegar or lemon juice.
Chalk
It is advisable to use chalk to remove mold from colored fabrics. Mode of application:
- Crush the chalk into powder.
- Apply it to the stains.
- Cover with waterproof paper.
- Iron.
- Clean the fabric from the powder.
When heated, the fungus should be absorbed into the chalk and completely come off the product.
Instead of waterproof paper, you can use a clean cotton cloth.
Curdled milk or other fermented milk products
There is no need to always rush to get rid of sour milk, because it can be useful in removing various stains.
Kefir, sour cream, and yogurt do an excellent job of removing mold.
To do this you need:
- Soak the fabric for half a day in fermented milk product.
- Wash with added detergent.
- Dry thoroughly.
conclusions
- Mold and mildew are dangerous enemies of humans, causing damage to clothing and affecting the health of household members.
- Most kitchen and pharmacy products found in any home can be used to neutralize mold-affected areas of clothing and linen. These are lemon juice, boric acid, vinegar, laundry soap, rock salt, alcohol, aspirin, etc.
- Removing an unpleasant odor after anti-mold treatment is no more difficult than removing wax from fabric; vinegar and gel conditioner added to machine wash will help.
- Items treated against mold should be dried for at least 12 hours outdoors in the sun.
- Ironed items should not be immediately put back in their places, since they still retain a large amount of condensed moisture. Let them “breathe.”
- Strong household chemicals and chemicals are not suitable for white and delicate fabrics.
- Before removing stains from colored fabrics using chemical methods, you should test their effect on a small piece of the item. If the fabric has not changed color within half an hour, then this product can be used.
- Moisture-absorbing tablets and sachets are a great help against mold in cabinets. It is enough to put one piece on each shelf to forget about humidity for several months or even six months.
- Periodically, any room requires ventilation for at least 10-25 minutes, even if there is dampness, cold and bad weather outside.
Use of household chemicals
If the fungus has already eaten into the product and folk remedies do not cope, you can resort to household chemicals.
You need to choose based on your financial situation and type of fabric. For example, “Whiteness” cannot be used to remove stains on woolen products.
It is advisable that the detergent contains chlorine. Such household chemicals cope better with difficult stains.
Domestos
A universal product in the form of a gel has an antibacterial effect.
Contains chlorine and copes well with fungus, mold, greasy dirt and eliminates unpleasant odors. Cost - 70-90 rubles per liter .
To get rid of mold on fabric, you need to dilute 20 ml of liquid in a liter of water, rub the stains with the solution and wash in warm water after 15-20 minutes.
It is better to first try washing a small and inconspicuous area of the product and see if the color changes. The product has a whitening effect.
White
Chlorine bleach eliminates fungal odors and works great on mold stains on clothes. Sold in liquid form. Cost - from 40 rubles per liter.
The procedure for removing stains differs from using other products:
- Dilute 2 tablespoons of “Whiteness” in a liter of water.
- Place the mixture on the fire and bring to a boil.
- Moldy products must be completely immersed in the solution.
- Leave for 10-15 minutes.
After this time, the stains should disappear and the water should become cloudy.
Carefully! Can only be used on light-colored linen or cotton items.
Vanish
A strong stain remover can also cope with mold on clothes. Vanish has long established itself as one of the best detergents, capable of removing even the most difficult stains.
It can be used with all types of fabrics . The product has a pleasant aroma that will completely eliminate the smell of fungus.
Manufacturers offer three ways to remove stains: soaking, machine washing or wiping.
The product comes with a special cap in the package, which is used to measure the amount of detergent. Cost – 300 rubles per liter.
How to remove mold from a bathroom curtain?
Almost all bathrooms use curtains and curtains. A negative aspect of this decor is mold, which appears due to remaining moisture in the room. Initially, this is unsightly from a visual point of view and is also dangerous to health.
Once mold has settled on the curtains, it is very difficult to wash it off with just a brush or shower . Therefore, washing would be the best option. A preventative measure for the appearance of fungus on curtains is ventilation. After taking a bath, turn on the hood or simply open the door so that excess moisture does not remain in the room.
Regular washing of curtains and ventilation of the room will prevent the occurrence of mold.
In order to get rid of annoying fungus, use three recommendations:
- Remove the curtains from the hook and brush away easily accessible mildew spots
- Pour warm water into a basin and add 100 g of powder, vinegar and soda each, place the removed curtain in this mixture for 5 minutes
- Remove the curtain from the basin and rinse in cold water
- You can dry the curtain in the dryer for about 15 minutes or with a hairdryer. Point the hair dryer no closer than 5 cm to the curtain
The curtain in the bathroom will definitely become a victim of mold if there is excess moisture in the room
Domestos is also a salvation from mold . If you dilute in 5 liters of water and rub the stains well with a brush, then not a trace of mold will remain.
To prevent mold from growing in the bathroom, try not to leave moisture near the bathroom and on the walls of the room. Wash your curtains at least once a month, even if you do not see mold on the curtains. , other fungi can form on damp curtains Systematic cleaning of the bathroom will not only keep the room tidy and beautiful, but will also protect your health.
How to remove from delicate materials?
Delicate fabrics usually include silk and wool. To remove mold stains from items made of delicate materials, you need to use gentle products. They will carefully clean the item from fungus.
You can use chalk, salt solution, hydrogen peroxide or turpentine. Under no circumstances should you use aggressive agents: vinegar, citric acid and soda.
- A solution of salt and ammonia . In a liter of water, dilute 6 tablespoons of salt and 2 teaspoons of ammonia. Put the water on the fire and wait until the mixture boils. Then you need to cool the solution, apply it to the stained areas and leave for a couple of hours. Then wash it in the usual way and add detergent. You cannot use a solution that has not cooled down, as these fabrics do not tolerate hot water well.
Hydrogen peroxide . The product is in every home medicine cabinet. Dilute 5-6 tablespoons of peroxide in 500 ml of water and rub the solution onto the stains. After 20 minutes, wash the items in soapy water and dry well.- Turpentine . To get rid of mold with turpentine, you need to thoroughly rub the stains with it. The difficulty is that turpentine will leave greasy marks on the products. Removing greasy stains will take some time and you will need talc or baby powder. It is necessary to sprinkle the marks with powder and leave for several hours. Then wash the product as usual.
Mold on carpet and sofa
It is recommended to remove mold on the carpet in warm sunny weather. Scrub the mold with a brush. Leave the carpet for several hours. Make a soap solution (1 tablespoon of stain remover per 1 liter of water), wash the moldy areas and hang in the fresh air. Wait until the carpet is completely dry.
Fungus can be removed from upholstery of upholstered furniture and car seat covers using special products for cleaning carpets and toilets. They effectively eliminate dark mold and unpleasant fungal odors, while preserving the color of the material. But do not use cheap products, otherwise they will wash off the color of the products along with the mold.
From white
Removing mold from white products is a difficult and complex process. It may require the use of not one, but several products that will gently clean the item from stains and leave no traces.
How to do it:
- It is necessary to pour hot water into a basin and add 1-2 tablespoons of washing powder.
- Rub mildewed areas with laundry soap.
- Immerse the products in a bowl of water for half an hour.
- After the specified time, you need to wash the item in a machine with the addition of a hydrogen peroxide solution. Add half a liter of water and a tablespoon of peroxide to the soap container.
Processing items without washing
Most methods are “wet”. They imply mandatory washing of the product after getting rid of mold. But there are also “dry” ones. This is selective cleaning, solvent treatment.
Dry cleaner
A special spray or stain remover pencil is a couple of compounds available in household chemical stores that can be successfully used to destroy fungus. It is enough to contact the seller for advice or read the instructions.
Sprayer
A small stain can be sprayed with a product (peroxide, ammonia, chemicals) poured into a household spray bottle, then dried thoroughly.
Dry cleaning soda
An almost new jacket “stained” with mold is not a reason to be upset. Just sprinkle baking soda on the stain and rub in lightly. Then the soda slurry that has absorbed the spores is shaken off, the item is cleaned with a clothes brush, and it is again ready for wear.
Vodka
Mold doesn't like alcohol. You can blot the stain with a swab soaked in vodka and pour out a small amount so that the liquid saturates the fabric. All you have to do is wait for the fabric to dry.
Dry cleaning
It is possible to dry-clean the damaged item, but in this case you need to be 100% sure that the fabric will withstand treatment with solvents and heat.
From synthetic
To remove fungus from synthetic items, ammonia is used:
- Add a few drops of ammonia to 100 ml of water.
- Rub the resulting mixture onto the moldy areas, rub them and wait twenty minutes.
- Machine wash with detergent at high temperature.
- Dry the product well.
Prevention
Like many problems, mold can be prevented. Following a few simple rules will help you avoid the hassle of mold stains on fabrics.
To do this you need:
- Regularly ventilate the room and cabinets. Fresh air will not only help prevent mold, but also have a positive effect on your health.
- Do not put dirty and clean clothes together. It is advisable to immediately send dirty items to the wash. The risk of mold growing on unwashed items is higher.
- Do not place cabinets and chests of drawers close to the walls. This is especially true for corner rooms.
- Do not rush to put clothes in the closet after ironing. Condensation generated during ironing also represents moisture. It is advisable to wait another 15-20 minutes until the item dries.
- Use moisture-absorbing products. Special bags that absorb moisture will never be superfluous and do not take up much space in cabinets.
Reasons for appearance
Failure to follow basic rules for the care and storage of clothing increases the likelihood of mold growth. Spores multiply quickly if:
- undried items are put away for long-term storage;
- clean clothes come into contact with affected items;
- closets and mezzanines are rarely ventilated;
- the shelves are tightly packed with clothes;
- products stored for a long time are not removed for ventilation;
- there is no ventilation in the room.
Mold on clothing is unsightly gray, black or green stains. The earlier they are detected, the easier it is to solve the problem: how to remove mold from clothes.
The appearance of even a small spot can ruin your favorite item. Is it possible to return it to its original appearance? We'll tell you how to remove mold from clothes and prevent its reoccurrence.
