Re: getting mold out of fabrics (clothes, curtains,etc)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/14/06 8:23:24 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, lmas@...

writes:

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Les

Hi Les,

You might try some tea tree oil, see web site below

_Five Smart Housekeeping Ways to Use Tea Tree Oil –How-To_

(http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

_http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499_

(http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

Take care,

Maxine

[Guest guest]

I purchased a tapestry once on ebay and it arrived reeking of mold.

The seller told me to soak it in downy fabric softener and warm or

cold water (can't remember which) and then rinse. The result - no mold

smell whatsoever.

Ballady

>

> Does anyone know how to get mold out of fabrics? Apparently dry

> cleaning of any sort will not do it. I have heard of using Clorox, but

> if the clothes are brightly colored, this won't work. One dry cleaner

> recommended using Lysol to wash the clothes in (I thought Lysol did

> not kill mold? ), but I don't think I could ever get the smell out (and

> I am allergic to fragrance, including fragrance in cleaning solutions,

> like Lysol)

> Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Les

>

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 6/14/2006 2:51:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

notify writes:

I just put a few drops of Tea Tree Oil on a handkerchief and stick it in the

dryer with the wet clothes. Works for me, been doing this for 10 years at

least.

Also, put a few drops of Tea Tree Oil in the closet, etc, air conditioner

and furnace filters...

If you can smell it after a couple of hours, you are using WAY TOO MUCH. A

few drops goes a long way.

mjh

In a message dated 6/14/2006 2:29:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

writes:

_Re: getting mold out of fabrics (clothes, curtains,etc) _

(http://us.lrd./_ylc=X3oDMTJwMmk4NjNlBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE1BGdycElkAzkxNTc0BG\

dycHNwSWQDMTYwMDA

2MTY0NQRtc2dJZAM5OTU4OARzZWMDZG1zZwRzbGsDdm1zZwRzdGltZQMxMTUwMzA5Njg2;_ylg=1/S

IG=1221ftf4u/**/message/99588)

Posted by: " Masland " _lmas@... _ (mailto:lmas@...?Subject=

Re: getting mold out of fabrics (clothes, curtains,etc)) _lmasju _

(lmasju)

Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:51 am (PST)

Maxine- this is a very informative website! I looked thru all her cleaning

suggestions. She suggested tea tree oil , or GSE (grapefruit seed extract),

or vinegar (but that is estimated to remove only 82% of mold - not

enough) - but you aren't supposed to rinse any of these out of the item, and

with fabric, I would not want to leave these ingredients in there, for fear

that they would discolor, or eat away, at the fabric. (also, the smell of

the tea tree oil would be hard to take)

Has anyone used tea tree oil with fabric items, and left it in there? Has

the smell completely dissipated, and did it leave the fabric undamaged? Does

GSE leave the fabric undamaged?

I was even wondering about alcohol (and rinsing it out of the fabric after

it had soaked in alcohol for awhile, and then I could wash it), but perhaps

alcohol is just for germs/bacteria? Les

mjh

" The Basil Book "

http://foxhillfarm.us/FireBasil/

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I've had a terrible mold problem here and have had to clean all

clothes, furniture, books, etc. Anything that couldn't be detoxed had

to be thrown out.

You could try the suggestions of tea tree and lysol.

All I did was to wash my clothes in Arm and Hammer Washing Soda and

Borax. Then I added a goodly amount of White Vinegar to the rinse

water. This seemed to do it for me and I am very allergic to mold.

>

> Does anyone know how to get mold out of fabrics? Apparently dry

> cleaning of any sort will not do it. I have heard of using Clorox,

but

> if the clothes are brightly colored, this won't work. One dry

cleaner

> recommended using Lysol to wash the clothes in (I thought Lysol did

> not kill mold? ), but I don't think I could ever get the smell out

(and

> I am allergic to fragrance, including fragrance in cleaning

solutions,

> like Lysol)

> Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Les

>

[Guest guest]

On Jun 14, 2006, at 5:21 AM, lmasju wrote:

> Does anyone know how to get mold out of fabrics? Apparently dry

> cleaning of any sort will not do it. I have heard of using Clorox, but

> if the clothes are brightly colored, this won't work. One dry cleaner

> recommended using Lysol to wash the clothes in (I thought Lysol did

> not kill mold? ), but I don't think I could ever get the smell out

> (and

> I am allergic to fragrance, including fragrance in cleaning solutions,

> like Lysol)

> Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Les

Bleach will kill the spores. You might consider washing your colored

fabrics in hot water and vinegar (test first -- vinegar sets most

dyes, but removes some others) with a double rinse -- the second

rinse might include baking soda to remove the vinegar smell. I can't

imagine mold spores surviving vinegar, then baking soda. (Be sure not

to mix them!!)

I thought Lysol killed mold, too. It sure does in my shower stall.

You might check their website, or call their 800 number and ask.

If the clothes have mold stains, though, you're stuck with them. Rit

makes a mold stain remover that works on some things. But generally,

once mold stains are in the fiber, it's not coming out, even if the

spores themselves are dead dead.

Sara

[Guest guest]

Maxine- this is a very informative website! I looked thru all her cleaning

suggestions. She suggested tea tree oil , or GSE (grapefruit seed extract),

or vinegar (but that is estimated to remove only 82% of mold - not

enough) - but you aren't supposed to rinse any of these out of the item, and

with fabric, I would not want to leave these ingredients in there, for fear

that they would discolor, or eat away, at the fabric. (also, the smell of

the tea tree oil would be hard to take)

Has anyone used tea tree oil with fabric items, and left it in there? Has

the smell completely dissipated, and did it leave the fabric undamaged? Does

GSE leave the fabric undamaged?

I was even wondering about alcohol (and rinsing it out of the fabric after

it had soaked in alcohol for awhile, and then I could wash it), but perhaps

alcohol is just for germs/bacteria? Les

Re: getting mold out of fabrics (clothes,

curtains,etc)

In a message dated 6/14/06 8:23:24 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

lmas@...

writes:

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Les

Hi Les,

You might try some tea tree oil, see web site below

_Five Smart Housekeeping Ways to Use Tea Tree Oil –How-To_

(http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

_http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499_

(http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

Take care,

Maxine

[Guest guest]

Oxiclean?

repeated soakings, allowing to dry in-between without rinsing. Rinse once the

stain is gone.

Re: getting mold out of fabrics (clothes,

curtains,etc)

In a message dated 6/14/06 8:23:24 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

lmas@...

writes:

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Les

Hi Les,

You might try some tea tree oil, see web site below

_Five Smart Housekeeping Ways to Use Tea Tree Oil –How-To_

(http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

_http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499_

(http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

Take care,

Maxine

[Guest guest]

I used to use Oxy but discovered I have a reaction to the scent,so no

more.

>

> Oxiclean?

>

> repeated soakings, allowing to dry in-between without rinsing.

Rinse once the stain is gone.

> Re: getting mold out of fabrics

(clothes,

> curtains,etc)

>

> In a message dated 6/14/06 8:23:24 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

> lmas@...

> writes:

>

> Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks, Les

>

> Hi Les,

>

> You might try some tea tree oil, see web site below

>

> _Five Smart Housekeeping Ways to Use Tea Tree Oil †" How-To_

> (http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

>

> _http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499_

> (http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/1499)

>

> Take care,

>

> Maxine

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I'm Carol, I read your post and I thought a moment about your problem with

mold..I have used a product called Oxyfresh, it is in power form, has no perfume

to my

memory, can be bought at any grocery store..is a super

clearer for whites and colors..it does not bleach out like clorox, but has been

a really great

find for me when I need to get heavy soil out, stains, and just dirt..I buy it

by the tub

in power form..read the lable, since the original came

out , many copy cats..so be sure to see if it has no

perfume...

Good Luck,

Carol

[Guest guest]

Thank you EVERYONE for all your great ideas on what to use to get mold out

of fabric! I really appreciated hearing all these suggestions, and never

knew that so many ingredients existed that could kill mold (I was afraid

that I would not be able to find any). Les

Re: getting mold out of fabrics (clothes,

curtains,etc)

> Hi,

> I'm Carol, I read your post and I thought a moment about your problem

> with mold..I have used a product called Oxyfresh, it is in power form, has

> no perfume to my

> memory, can be bought at any grocery store..is a super

> clearer for whites and colors..it does not bleach out like clorox, but has

> been a really great

> find for me when I need to get heavy soil out, stains, and just dirt..I

> buy it by the tub

> in power form..read the lable, since the original came

> out , many copy cats..so be sure to see if it has no

> perfume...

> Good Luck,

> Carol

>

>