How to get mold and mildew stains out of clothes
For a mold stain on clothes, take the garment outside and brush off the loose growth, pretreat the spots with heavy-duty liquid detergent, then wash in the hottest water the label allows with chlorine bleach (if the label allows) or an oxygen bleach soak for colors. Dry it completely. Mildew is a fungus that feeds on damp fabric and pits the fibers, so bleach clears the color while drying stops it from growing back.
- Best method
- Brush off outdoors, detergent pretreat, hot wash with bleach safe for the fabric
- Time
- 15 minutes plus a soak and a hot wash
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Stain type
- Mold, mildew and biological
You will need
- A soft brush
- Heavy-duty liquid detergent or enzyme detergent
- Chlorine bleach for white cotton, or oxygen bleach for colors
- Gloves, and a mask for heavy growth
How to remove mildew and mold from clothes
- 1
Brush off growth outdoors
Take the garment outside, shake it and brush the moldy areas with a soft brush. Wear gloves, and a mask if there's a lot of visible growth.
Why: Removing loose growth before wetting means less to wash out, and doing it outside keeps spores from spreading through your house.
- 2
Check the fiber and the label
Read the care label for fiber content and bleach symbols. Silk, wool and anything with spandex can't take chlorine bleach.
Why: Chlorine bleach is the strongest option for mildew, but it weakens or yellows protein fibers and spandex.
- 3
Pretreat the spots
Work heavy-duty liquid detergent or an enzyme detergent into the darkest spots and let it sit for a few minutes.
Why: Detergent loosens the soil and organic residue the fungus is growing on.
- 4
Wash hot with bleach safe for the fabric
On white cotton, linen or polyester that allows it, wash in the hottest water the label permits with heavy-duty detergent and chlorine bleach. On colors, soak in hot water with oxygen bleach first, then wash.
Why: Hot water and detergent remove the growth, and bleach oxidizes the dark pigment left in the fibers. Oxygen bleach works best in hot water.
- 5
Check before drying, repeat if needed
Look at the spots while the garment is still wet and again in daylight. If marks remain, repeat the bleach soak before drying.
Why: Once the fungus is gone, any color left may be fiber damage rather than mold, but a second soak is worth trying first.
- 6
Dry it completely
Dry the garment fully, in the sun or in a hot dryer if the label allows, once the stains are gone. Don't fold or store it until it's bone dry.
Why: Mold needs moisture. The EPA says drying wet items within 24 to 48 hours usually prevents it from growing.
Why mold stains don't always wash out
Mildew and mold are fungi. On damp clothes they feed on natural fibers, soil and finishes, and the dark spots are a mix of pigmented growth and actual damage. Texas A&M Extension notes that the color of a mildew stain is partly the shadow of pits in the fiber surface where the fungus has eaten into it. That's a biological stain, and it behaves differently from a spill: it keeps getting worse as long as the fabric stays damp.
So there are two goals. Remove and kill the growth with detergent, heat and bleach, and dry the item so it can't come back. Expect that old mildew may leave a faint mark or weak spot even when the fungus is gone; the American Cleaning Institute warns that badly mildewed fabric may be damaged beyond repair.
By situation
Mildew stains on colored clothes
Soak in oxygen bleach and hot water, then launder. Avoid chlorine bleach on colors unless the label allows it and a hidden-seam test shows no change.
White cotton and linen
Chlorine bleach per the label is the most effective option. Iowa State Extension suggests presoaking whites in a mild bleach solution following the product label, then washing hot.
Old or heavy mold that has been sitting
Repeat the pretreatment and bleach soak a couple of times. If the fabric feels thin, tears easily, or the color won't budge, the fibers are damaged and the mark is probably permanent.
It already went through the dryer
Try an oxygen bleach soak (or chlorine on colorfast whites) before giving up. Color that survives that is likely fiber damage, not live mold.
Clothes still smell musty after washing
Residue is still there. Rewash in the hottest water the fabric allows with detergent and a bleach safe for the fabric, and dry completely, preferably in the sun or a hot dryer.
Silk, wool, spandex and dry-clean-only items
Never use chlorine bleach. Brush off the growth outdoors and take the item to a dry cleaner. Heavily damaged delicate fabric may not survive cleaning.
What not to do
- Don't brush mold off indoors. It spreads spores through the house.
- Don't mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or vinegar. Bleach with ammonia makes toxic chloramine gas, and with an acid like vinegar it makes chlorine gas. Never mix them.
- Don't put clothes away or leave them in a pile while damp. Moisture lets mold regrow. The EPA advises drying wet items within 24 to 48 hours.
- Don't use chlorine bleach on silk, wool or spandex. It weakens and yellows these fibers.
Other methods that work
Lemon juice and salt in the sun
An old government bulletin used lemon juice and salt, then drying in the sun, to bleach light mildew spots on washable fabric. It's traditional, with weak evidence.
Caution: Only for light stains on white or colorfast fabric. Sunlight fades dyes.
White vinegar
Widely suggested for musty smells and light mildew, but no extension stain guide recommends it for mildew stains. Treat it as traditional, with weak evidence.
Caution: Never use it with chlorine bleach, and test it on colors.
Stain still there?
Gray or brown shadows remain after bleaching
That's likely the pitted fiber, not live mold. One more oxygen bleach soak may lighten it; beyond that, it's permanent.
The mildew came back after a few weeks
The item or its storage spot stayed damp. Rewash, dry completely, and store it somewhere dry and ventilated, not in sealed plastic.
The fabric tore or has thin spots
The fungus has eaten into the fiber. The garment may be damaged beyond repair; a tailor or cleaner can tell you if it's worth saving.
Safety
- Wear gloves, and goggles and an N-95 respirator for heavy growth, as the EPA advises for mold cleanup.
- Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia-containing cleaners or acids. Ventilate the room.
Never mix cleaning products; see chemicals you must never combine.
Questions
Can you get mold out of clothes?
Often, if you catch it early: brush it off outdoors, pretreat, and wash in the hottest safe water with a bleach safe for the fabric. Old mildew can leave permanent marks because the fungus damages the fiber.
How do you get mildew stains out of colored clothes?
Soak them in hot water with oxygen bleach, then launder. Avoid chlorine bleach on colors unless the label allows it and a test shows no change.
Does vinegar kill mold on clothes?
It's widely suggested, but no extension stain guide recommends it for mildew stains. Hot water, detergent and a bleach safe for the fabric are the sourced method.
Should I throw away moldy clothes?
Not necessarily. Try the brush, pretreat and bleach wash first. If the fabric is weak, torn or still stained after a couple of rounds, it may not be worth saving.
Mildew and mold on other surfaces
Other stains on clothes
Sources
- Stain Removal for Washable Fabrics (HE 2-840), University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- Quick Stain Removal Guide (L-5199), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
- Quick and Easy Stain Removal for Clothing (HS 305, May 2026), Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- Stain Removal Guide, American Cleaning Institute
- A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Stain Removal from Fabrics: Home Methods (Farmers' Bulletin 1474, rev. 1951; historical), U.S. Department of Agriculture (digitized by Project Gutenberg)
Last updated . Methods are drawn from the sources above; how we research and check our guides.