Paging Laundress.... need help getting rid of mold smell from clothes

[miele_ge]

my partner is rehabbing a house that had/has a serious mold problem. It has been fogged, but still after being in the basement working all day, he and his clothes positively reek of it. I made him shower and change before I would serve him dinner last night it was so bad. I washed them in the Miele (twice) at 120 with Persil Megaperls color on the extended cycle, but they still smell of mold. I have them in the dryer now hoping the heat will get rid of it.

Are there any additives I can add to colorfast colored laundry that will get rid of the mold smell?

Thanks and Regards,

Alan

PS What are your thoughts on using white wine to shift red wine stains. I have a lime green polo shirt that got hit with a ton of red wine. I washed it twice with Spray 'N' Wash, and most of it is gone but there still is a trace.

thanks!

 

[launderess]

You Is Interuppting My Eating BBQ For This?

*LOL*

If Persil and a 120F wash didn't do the trick doubt if adding more of the usual chemical (oxygen bleach) to the mixture would help.

Try this:

Rewash using baking soda (good) or Borax (better) in the wash cycle with vinegar (white) in the final rinse.

You could also try line drying on a sunny day (with a good breeze if possible) and let nature attack the scent.

 

[miele_ge]

Sorry to have interrupted you mid-rib....

I would have expected you would have been noshing at the finger buffet at a lovely indoors-outdoors soiree.

Thanks for the advice. I will try that and post results.

Enjoy the rest of the day!

Alan

 

[launderess]

Well Violet and Bruce couldn't make it...

So we all went over to our Daisy's.

Apparently Bruce laddered his last good pair of tights and Violet refused to lend him a pair of hers.

 

[nmassman44]

I am a big fan of borax and it does get rid of the mold aroma. We had a housemate that had clothes that reeked of mold. He washed in cold water in a front loader and the washer was uber stinky. It took me quite awhile before I got the scent out of his clothes, but borax and Clorox2 along with Tide powder worked. Plus washing the clothes in the warmest water they could stand worked along with the formula. Let us know how you make out.

 

[mamapinky]

When dealing with mold isn't there more to it than just getting rid of the smell? Couldn't there still be spores that could multiply? I thought you had to use chlorine bleach to kill it...Launderess correct me if I'm wrong please

 

[circlew]

Having had mold in my house, the best cleaner is a quat based sanitizer, which is also a fungicide. That is what the mold remediation co. used to scrub the framing after the plaster and rocklath were torn off. You will find these cleaners at places that sell janitorial supplies. Expect to pay $20-25 per gallon, but they go a long way. I suggest wearing chenical goggles when using.

 

[miele_ge]

borax helped - used a half cup - washed 2x

smell is mostly gone. Will try more borax and maybe the vinegar next load. This house is nasty. I helped the friends who own it move their stuff yesterday and i was coughing and wheezing something awful and my breathing wasn't right for a few hours after i got home.

 

[launderess]

If you've laundered things twice with Borax I'd try using a good vinegar rinse, then air drying. The latter preferably on a sunny and windy (better) day.

Borax is not easily rinsed from fabrics so you might want to "sour" the remaining residue.

You guys should *NOT* be working in or just in a badly mold infested home without proper gear. If things are that bad to cause reactions just think of what you are breathing into your lungs and getting into your body.

I'd look around from some cheap coveralls or those that are disposable and wear those. Once done chuck them in the rubbish and that is that. You might want to cover your hair as well.

http://www.epa.gov/mold/moldguide.html

http://www.familyhandyman.com/cleaning/mold-and-mildew/how-to-remove-mold/view-all

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/diy-rid-house-mold-2735.html

 

[angus]

And for heaven's sake wear something to cover your mouth and nose.

 

[miele_ge]

Angus and Laundress, thanks for the concern and good advice.

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">But, it is not me working in the house. As a database software guy, I am not allowed to touch power tools or paintbrushes, which suits me fine. I just write checks, cook and do laundry. </span>

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">It is my partner who is working there - I keep telling him to wear protective gear, but he wont listen. It doesn't seem to bother him or the new owners of the house but it nearly killed me. If I had to actually LIVE there, I think I would rather just set the whole thing on fire and put an RV on the lot until the new house was built! </span>

<span style="font-family: verdana, geneva;">Will mention the disposable coveralls though - I may buy a set for myself next time I have to go there</span>.

 

[launderess]

Well you want to sort things out then

Whatever is in that home can and possibly is being tracked into the vehicle and or your home. Mold spores are very adaptable things and like to hitch rides when they can.

If someone's clothing reeks that badly of mold when coming out of the place it wants looking into.

It is like trying to keep coal dust out of the house when married to a miner. Unless you are going to pull a "How Green Was My Valley" and make your man-folk wash-up out of doors.....

 

[circlew]

When I was having the mold removed from my house, the guys wore disposable coveralls, shoe covers, and respirators.

They put up 6 mil plastic sheeting to isolate the work areas from the rest of the house, and used air scrubber machines to create a negative air environment. The machines had HEPA filters, and poly tubing that stuck out through holes in plywood that they installed in the windows. (The hoses were about 1' in diameter, and stuck out about 4'. You can guess what it looked like was sticking out the window, LOL!)

All upholstered furniture either had to be stripped to the frame or discarded, as mold may have got into the stuffing. I also threw out the carpet as it was old, though it could have been cleaned and sanitized. Other furniture had to be vacuumed, then wiped down with a damp cloth, or washed. All clothing, dishes, etc. had to be washed before being packed up. Needless to say, it was a lot of work and expensive.

 

[whirlykenmore78]

The only thing besides a chlorine bath over 200 PPM:

That will completely remove mold is to treat the affected laundry with Vital Oxide. While the $40/gallon is very high, it is cheaper than throwing out your clothes or disintegrating them in a CL bath. This product also guarantees a 99.9%sanitization on hard surfaces and 99% on carpet. It is available @ Amazon and some ACE hardware stores.
WK78