By Zach Pozniak, VP of Operations at Jeeves of Belgravia New York and fourth-generation dry cleaner · @jeeves_ny
Quick answer: To remove mold from clothes, shake off loose spores, then wash the item on the hottest water the fabric can safely handle with detergent and a mold-fighting booster like borax, vinegar, sanitizer, or oxygen bleach. Do not dry it until the stain and musty smell are gone, or the mold can set in.
If you want to know how to remove mold from clothes, the most important thing is to treat the garment before drying it. Mold and mildew need a strong wash cycle, hot water when the fabric can handle it, and a disinfecting or mold-fighting product to break down spores and odor.
Drying alone will not fix the problem. In many cases, you’ll need to rewash the item, pretreat it, and inspect it before it goes in the dryer.
Before you do anything, take the garment outside if possible and shake it gently or vacuum off loose mold. This helps keep spores from spreading into your laundry room or washer.
Important: If the item is heavily moldy, handle it carefully and avoid brushing it aggressively indoors.
Heat helps with mold removal, so wash on the hottest setting that is safe for the fabric. For sturdy cottons and similar washable items, hot water is usually the best choice.
Use detergent plus one of these helpers:
For a strong home method, soak the garment in warm or hot water with powdered oxygen bleach, then wash it again.
Spray the moldy area with a mold-specific disinfecting spray or a fabric-safe stain treatment, then rub it in gently and let it sit before washing. If the stain is still visible after the first wash, repeat the treatment rather than drying it.
A mildew smell usually means mold spores are still present. If the garment smells funky after washing, rewash it on a hotter cycle with detergent and a sanitizer. Drying may reduce the odor, but it will not fully remove the problem.
Always inspect the garment before tumble drying. Heat can set any remaining stain and make it harder to remove later. If you still see discoloration or smell mildew, treat and wash again.
Bring the item to a professional cleaner if it is delicate, structured, dry-clean-only, or heavily contaminated. Silk, wool, leather, and vintage pieces can be damaged by hot water, bleach, or aggressive scrubbing.
For washable clothes, the key is simple: remove loose spores, wash hot when safe, use a disinfecting booster, and never dry the item until the mold is gone.
Or ask about any laundry or garment care question
Zach Pozniak is VP of Operations and co-owner of Jeeves of Belgravia New York, the Madison Avenue dry cleaner serving New York since 1979, and the fourth generation of his family in the trade. Zach posts garment care techniques as @jeeves_ny on TikTok to over 620,000 followers, and his book The Laundry Book, co-written with his father Jerry Pozniak, was featured on Good Morning America in October 2024. Jeeves NY's clients include the Metropolitan Opera, the Met Museum, and FIT, and the business has been profiled by The Wall Street Journal and New York Magazine.