Here at CleanerToday.com we have a committed focus on customer service and assistance. We dedicate many hours each day to helping customers understand how best to use our products and how to select which products will best fit their needs. Occasionally we will post these questions, and our answers to them, to help assist others who may be confronted with these relatively common situations.
We received the following inquiry from Deanna, a technology contractor, via email:
“During a recent move we found it necessary to store some clothing and other household items in a storage locker. When we opened the locker we found mold and mildew on a number of items. Can MoldStat products be used to wash mildewed clothing? Will the MoldStat kill and remove the mildew, destroy the musty odor and yet not damage my clothing?”
It may surprise some readers, but the situation Deanna finds herself in is not an uncommon one. Here at CleanerToday.com we hear from customers dealing with mold growth on items following storage, for even short periods, in rented storage lockers, especially those facilities which do not feature climate control, meaning that ambient moisture in the air can contribute to the growth of mold and mildew.
For the sake of clarity, the organisms that some people refer to as “mildew” are almost always one of two species of mold.
The answer to Deanna’s question is yes, you can use MoldStat products, specifically MoldStat Plus, in the washing machine, or in handwashing if you prefer, to destroy the presence of, and the odor generated by, mold on clothing. The only restriction on this use of MoldStat Plus is that the fabric to be cleaned MUST be water washable. If the care instructions indicate that the fabric must be dry cleaned, then you should not wash the garment in water with MoldStat; instead you should consult your dry cleaner about cleaning options.
To use MoldStat Plus in the washing machine it is helpful, but not required, to know the volume of water that your machine uses in a wash cycle. This information is often provided in the owner’s manual provided with your machine or can be found through an Internet search. For a general estimate, consider that many front loading washing machines use around 10 to 12 gallons of water per wash load while the water usage of a top loading machine varies depending on the water level selected. You could use the amount of MoldStat Plus indicated on the label that matches the amount of water used by your machine for a load of wash, and in the case of the front loading machine given above, that would amount to 7 ½ ounces.
However, our in-house studies on the use of MoldStat Plus in the washing machine suggest that you can, in fact, use a great deal less MoldStat Plus to achieve excellent results in the washing machine when washing moldy clothing. We have washed moldy clothing in a 10 gallon capacity front loading washing machine with no more than 1.5 ounces of MoldStat Plus, with the addition of regular laundry detergent in the standard recommended amount, and had great results with the elimination of both the mold and the moldy odor. We have also tried washing moldy clothes without the MoldStat Plus, using just regular laundry detergent and the results were not as good, especially in regards to the musty and moldy odors which tended to linger when MoldStat Plus wasn’t used. We believe that there is a synergistic effect between the MoldStat Plus, which isn’t a detergent but which does kill mold and remove moldy odors, and the regular laundry detergent that allows for the use of a great deal less MoldStat Plus than would be required for mold killing and cleaning on other surfaces.
In short, yes, you absolutely can use MoldStat Plus to clean and remove odors from moldy clothing, in either the washing machine or when hand washing (use gloves to protect your hands if hand washing with MoldStat Plus) in addition to regular laundry detergent of your choosing. You won’t need to use more than between 0.75 – 1.5 ounces of MoldStat Plus concentrate per load. Wash and dry on normal settings and the mold and the moldy odor will be gone. MoldStat Plus provides a quick and simple solution for cleaning moldy clothing.
