When doing laundry, there is a usual issue which every single one of us has come across and that is the smell arising from various situations. For instance mildew smell will stem from having clothes in your washing machine after a tiring day, hard water, indefinite washing machine, or delay of washing used gym wears.
With an average schedule, mildew smell is sure to penetrate the clothes and homes, but this in itself is not permanent. Nevertheless, a normal wash will not suffice to remove the persistently aggressive stinks out of our clothes. Hence if you are interested on how on can get rid of mildew smell in clothes we take time and provide several methods of dealing with it.
What is Mildew?
Mildew is a fungus that grows in clothes that have been soaked, or any other surface that retains moisture. They also thrive well in any organic fiber materials such as those used in production of cloth used in our clothes and even in our towels.
Mildew, moldy and musty smells are probably some of the most difficult odors to eradicate once they have taken root. It is quite possible the smell might go away naturally if left undisturbed, but for the most part, the smell out of clothes will not be a fleeting issue.
What is the Difference Between Mildew and Mold?
Both mold spores and mildew and their chemicals are not the best for your health and the indoor quality in your house. Although the two terms are used interchangeably, EPA states that mold and mildew are not the same things.
Mildew is a type of fungus that looks yellow or grey with a powdery texture, and it refers to what grows flat and remains on the material surface. The laundry will not have visible mildew spots in some cases, but it will have a musty smell. Mildew grows with high moisture levels, such as window sills and shower walls.
On the other hand, mold is brown, green or black fungi that look fuzzy or slimy found outdoors and indoors. There are many species of mold ranging from tens of thousands to about three hundred thousand or more. Mold grows in a dark, warm and damp environment, and it's tougher to remove as the green, or black growth could leave stains.
Methods of Getting Mildew Smell Out of Clothes
1. White Vinegar
Plain white vinegar is safe and effective in eliminating not so good smell and it works on mildew smell too. Most scents and stench, and including mold stench, are neutralized with acetic acid that is present in distilled white vinegar.
Not only that, but it is also a good substitute for white vinegar as a laundry detergent since it neutralizes bacteria causing odor, and removes mildewed product accumulation that could be in your mildewed laundry. You get to use half as much detergent and mix it with vinegar as long as the laundry detergent is not made from a bar of natural soap.
White vinegar breaks down fats in natural soaps such as the castile soap, and so both do not mix well. Other users rinse stinking bath towels with hot water and a cup of distilled white vinegar without the use of soap.
2. Baking Soda
Vinegar and baking soda will kill mildew and mold, but they attack different strains of the odor-causing bacteria. If you have already tried using white vinegar to remove the mildew smell from clothes and still have a musty odor, add half a cup of baking soda to the washing machine and run the wash cycle using the hottest water possible.
After washing with baking soda, adding some white vinegar into your rinse cycle might help leave your clothes smelling fresh.
3. Sunlight
If the weather allows you to, there is no better method than to let the clothes dry open air or air dried to make the smell fade away. Bathed in the presence of sunlight, microbes that create the mold smell dies and the fresh air helps to enjoy good air circulation to the rest of the areas where your clothes are placed. Furthermore, air drying can be done together with other forms instead of dryer sheets in order to enhance the smell of mildewed clothes.
However, using sunlight has a disadvantage of a bleaching effect, this is where with time your clothes are likely to appear old. Secondly, scorching and ultraviolet light can degrade fabrics if exposed to them repeatedly; the sunlight will cause the synthetic fabrics to tear similar to how the plastic hardens. The ability of sunlight to remove odors is good especially if the fabric is made of natural fiber like the cotton.
4. Enzyme Odor Removers
You can use an enzyme odor remover for mildew smells caused by body odors or sweat. For instance, if you leave your damp workout clothes in your gym bag, the mildew and body odor combination make removing the musty smell from your clothes extra difficult.
Opt for a product with enzymes for destroying odor and add it to your wash cycle. Some commercial laundry detergents contain odor-fighting enzymes, or you can purchase a laundry booster bottle to use in addition to your regular detergent.
5. 20 Mule Team Borax
Another great odor remover everyone should know is Borax; The specialists suggest that the stained clothes and musty towels should be pretreated. Like vinegar and baking soda, Borax eliminates mold without the production of toxic smells or fumes and will help to get a mildew smell out of clothes.
For you to eliminate mildew smell out of clothes using this method you will require ½ cup of Borax and 1 cup of hot water. First, scour it in a tub in hot water with half cup Borax for one hour before washing it as you normally do.
Alternatively, you can use oxygen bleach instead of your normal detergent, though, if you choose to use Borax it ought to be in combination with the detergent. First of all, mix the Borax with warm water, next pour the mixture into your washing machine.
In addition, oxygen bleach can be applied as a precursor to the cleaning process performing deeper cleanup. First, put a small quantity of the oxygen bleach on your clothes and let it work for a few minutes. Then wash the clothes in warm water with a washing brush or sponge before washing in the washing machine.
Can You Prevent the Mildew Smell on Clothes?
Yes, it is possible to prevent your cloths to have the smell of mold and the best ways that come with this is by doing your washing regularly. Do not overload the hamper with dirty clothes, wet towels or even sweaty garments. Other ways to get mildew smell out of clothes include:
1. Hang the Damp Clothes to Dry Right Away
Regardless of whether it was a towel after the shower or the set of clothes after a specific workout session in the gym, do not let your exercise wear lie on the floor or be left in the laundry room or a laundry basket. However, spread the stinking towels and cloths on the shower rod or hanging line if not taking them directly to your laundry basket or room. Heaping the wet clothes results to wetting them for long and hence allowing mildew to grow since its main reason is the wetting of clothes.
2. Use the Recommended Amount of Detergent
Overusing laundry detergent in your wash cycle lead to the formation of soap scum which is just left behind during the wash. Besides, the detergent residue will attract moisture to lock it up and aid the odor producing bacteria ensuring that your clothes smell even when they are cleaned, resulting in a musty closet.
When washing your clothes, make sure you measure your detergent accurately or use a detergent dispenser so that you don’t use a lot of detergent each time you wash your clothes. These instructions will tell you how much more you will need to add to that water, and one should minimize on the use of detergent in their washing.
3. Avoid Fabric Softener on your Workout clothes
Fabric softeners are used for making your clothes smell fresh and have a softer feel; nevertheless when applied to stretchy and synthetic wears that you wear while Jogging, the outcome will be a slippery surface that is almost inconceivable to eliminate. This residue makes it impossible for water to pass through the fabrics and in your clean clothes, they will have mildew smells.
If you still smell musty on your garments do not use fabric softener as it creates a layer which becomes difficult to remove and just reinforces the musty smell. Furthermore, the fabric softener residue will gather bacteria similarly to when using excessive detergent.
4. Dry Your Clothes Immediately After Washing Them
Remove your garments from the washing machine immediately after it finishes running, as leaving them in the washing machine could create unpleasant odors. In addition, it could cause them to develop mildew in a few hours or sooner if the weather is hot and humid.
To have odor-free clothes, move them to a dryer or line dry them as soon as you are done with the rinse cycle. In addition, if you accidentally leave your laundry in your washing machine for long, you should run them through another cycle using vinegar and baking soda to get mildew smell from clothes.
5. Clean Your Washing Machine
Inspect and clean your washing machine because the mildew source could be the seal. Sometimes washing machines, especially the front-loading machines, develop mildew which can then transfer to your clothes.
If you think your washing machine is the problem, put a rag in hot soapy water, clean the gasket around the door, and clean any detergent dispenser. Next, pour one cup of 240 ml bleach and a cup of baking soda, then run a regular cleaning cycle in your washing machine.
Add half a cup of an enzymatic detergent to extra stain and odor removal or deep cleaning. In addition, to prevent mildew from forming in your washing machine, leave the washing machine open after each cycle. This will allow your machine to completely dry out but always remove wet clothes immediately after you are done.
Tips to Know to Remove Mildew Smells
Before you remove mildew smell, there are several things you can keep in mind:
- Do not use very perfumed detergent when washing mildew smell from clothes because you are expected to eliminate the smell and not conceal it.
- Wash your bath towels with vinegar and baking soda at least once per month, especially in summer, to get rid of the smells on your clothes.
- If you do not want to wash them but need to get rid of the bad smells, you should put your clothes in the freezer. This easiest and most effective way is to wash your clothes with water, and take the garments that smell of mildew outside in the cold and allow them to freeze.
- If you trace the same smell to your closet, then it is high time that you cleaned up your closet to reduce the musty smell. If unfortunately there is pet stains you use an enzymatic cleaner, if not you simply sprinkle some baking soda then leave the closet doors open for some air circulation and your closet will be fresh.
Image Credit: housewifehowtos.com
