How to Get Mold and Mildew Out of Clothes (and the Musty Smell)

To get mold or mildew out of clothes, take the item outside and brush off what you can, soak it, then wash it in the hottest water the care label allows and dry it completely. Mildew is mold in its early, flat stage, so the same steps work for both. The musty smell comes out with a vinegar wash followed by a regular wash. Most washable clothes can be saved if you catch it early.

Mold or mildew: what you’re looking at

Both grow when fabric stays damp and warm, usually in a hamper, a gym bag, a washer left closed, or a box in the basement.

• Mildew is flat and powdery, white or gray, and sits on the surface. It’s the easier one to remove.
• Mold is fuzzy or slimy and can be black, green or blue. It grows into the fibers and is more likely to leave a stain.
• The smell can show up before you see anything. A musty, damp-basement odor means growth has started even if the fabric looks clean.

Before you start

• Work outdoors or in a well-ventilated space, and wear gloves. If you have asthma or a mold allergy, add a mask or have someone else do the first step. The EPA’s mold cleanup guidance recommends the same basic protection.
• Keep moldy items away from the rest of your laundry until they’re washed.
• Read the care label. Wool, silk, leather and dry-clean-only items need different handling (see below).
• Never mix chlorine bleach with vinegar or ammonia. The fumes are dangerous. Use one, rinse, then the other.

How to get mold out of clothes, step by step

1. Brush it off outside. Use a soft brush or an old toothbrush to remove loose growth so the spores don’t spread indoors. The University of Georgia textile guide starts here too.
2. Pretreat. Work a little liquid detergent into the spots and let it sit for 15 minutes.
3. Soak. Pick one soak to match the fabric:
   • White cotton and linen: if the label allows chlorine bleach, the UGA guide uses 1/4 cup bleach in 3/4 cup water, soaked for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinsed.
   • Colors and most synthetics: an oxygen bleach soak, mixed per the package directions, for one to several hours.
   • No bleach on hand: 1 cup of distilled white vinegar in a basin of warm water for an hour.
4. Wash hot. Wash on the hottest setting the care label allows, with a full dose of detergent. Don’t overload the drum. Clothes need room to move for the water to rinse them clean.
5. Check before drying. If you can still see spots or smell must, repeat the soak and wash. A dryer can set what’s left.
6. Dry completely, in the sun if you can. Sunlight helps fade leftover stains on whites. Make sure seams, cuffs and waistbands are fully dry before you put anything away.

Black mold and old mold stains

Dark mold often leaves a gray or black shadow after the growth is gone. That’s a stain, not live mold, and it usually takes more than one round.

• Repeat the soak and wash. Two or three rounds are normal for older stains.
• On whites and colorfast fabrics, dab on 3% hydrogen peroxide, wait 10 minutes, rinse and wash. Test a hidden seam first.
• For white cotton, the UGA guide also suggests lemon juice and salt on the stain, then drying in direct sun.
• If a stain survives three rounds, it’s probably permanent. The item is clean, though, as long as it no longer smells.

How to get the mildew smell out of clothes

The musty smell comes from mildew and bacteria living in damp fibers, and in detergent residue they can feed on. Masking it with fragrance doesn’t work for long. Remove the source instead.

1. Vinegar wash. Run the clothes on hot (or the warmest the label allows) with 1 to 2 cups of distilled white vinegar and no detergent.
2. Regular wash. Wash again with your normal detergent dose. Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the drum if the smell is strong. Don’t add vinegar and baking soda to the same cycle, since they cancel each other out.
3. Dry fully, right away. Air flow and sun help. A partly dry shirt in a closet will smell again within days.
4. Still smells? Run an oxygen bleach soak and wash once more. If it’s towels, see our guide on getting towels soft and fresh again.

Why clothes smell musty after washing

If clean clothes come out smelling stale, the problem is usually the routine or the machine, not the clothes.

• Wet laundry left in the washer. A few hours in a closed drum is enough for mildew to start. Move loads to the dryer or line right away.
• Too much detergent. Extra detergent doesn’t rinse out fully and leaves a film that holds odor. See how much laundry detergent to use.
• An overloaded drum. Packed loads don’t rinse well and stay damp longer.
• A dirty washer. Front-load door gaskets and detergent drawers grow mildew that transfers to every load. Here’s how to clean a washing machine.
• Slow drying. Clothes dried in a humid room or folded slightly damp will turn musty.

Delicates, wool, silk and dry-clean-only items

• Wool and silk: brush outside, then hand wash in cool water with a little mild detergent. Skip chlorine bleach and hydrogen peroxide. A short vinegar rinse (1/4 cup in a sink of water) helps with odor.
• Leather and suede: wipe with a cloth dampened in equal parts water and rubbing alcohol, test first, and dry away from heat. Take valuable pieces to a leather cleaner.
• Dry-clean-only: brush outside, let it air out in the sun, and take it to a cleaner. Tell them it’s mold.

When to throw it away

Most washable clothes can be saved. Let it go if the fabric is weak or tears easily where the mold was, if the smell is still there after three full rounds, or if the item is heavily covered and not worth the effort.

How to keep mold out of your laundry

• Dry damp towels and gym clothes before they go in the hamper, and use a hamper that breathes.
• Move wet laundry out of the washer as soon as the cycle ends.
• Leave the washer door or lid open between loads, and wipe the door gasket on front-loaders.
• Clean the washer once a month with its cleaning cycle and a washer cleaner, or the bleach method in your manual.
• Store only fully dry clothes, in breathable bags rather than sealed plastic, and run a dehumidifier in damp basements and closets.
• Use the right amount of detergent so nothing is left behind to hold odor.

Where Toss & Go fits

A detergent sheet won’t remove mold on its own. The soak and the hot wash do that. What it does well is the everyday part of prevention. Each Toss & Go sheet is pre-measured, so there’s no over-pouring and less residue left in fabric to hold odor. Sheets are designed to dissolve in cold water and work in HE, front-load, top-load and standard machines. For a sink soak or hand wash, dissolve half a sheet in a basin of water.

Use one sheet for a regular load and two for a large or heavily soiled one, like a mildewed load of towels. The Box of 50 covers up to 100 loads at home, and the Travel 3-Pack keeps a few sheets in a gym bag or suitcase. Every order is covered by our Keep It or Toss It Guarantee: 30 days, a refund or a replacement, with nothing to send back.

FAQ

Can you wash mold out of clothes?

Yes, for most washable fabrics. Brush it off outside, soak in the right bleach or vinegar for the fabric, wash on the hottest setting the label allows, and dry fully. Older or dark mold may leave a stain that takes a few rounds to fade.

Does vinegar kill mold on clothes?

Vinegar helps break down mildew and is one of the best ways to remove the musty smell. For visible mold on white cotton, a diluted chlorine bleach soak is stronger, if the care label allows it. Never mix the two.

Does hot water kill mold in laundry?

Hot water and detergent remove mold and spores far better than a cold wash, which is why most guides say to use the hottest setting the fabric can take. Follow the care label, since hot water can shrink or fade some fabrics.

Is mold on clothes dangerous?

Mold can irritate the nose, eyes and lungs, especially for people with allergies or asthma. Handle moldy clothes outdoors, wear gloves, and wash them before wearing. If you’re worried about mold in your home, the EPA’s guidance is a good place to start.

Why do my clothes still smell musty after washing?

Usually it’s wet laundry left in the washer, too much detergent, an overloaded drum or a washer that needs cleaning. Run a vinegar wash, then a regular wash with the right dose, and clean the machine.

Sources

• Remove Stains From Mildew, Mold | University of Georgia Extension, Textiles
• Mold Cleanup in Your Home | U.S. EPA
• How to Get Mildew Smell Out of Clothes | Consumer Reports

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• How to Clean a Washing Machine (Front-Load and Top-Load)
• How Often to Wash Towels: Bath Weekly, Hand Towels Every Few Days
• The Best Detergent for White Clothes and How to Use It Right
• How to Hand Wash Clothes