How do I remove mildew from material?

Mildew can attach to clothing and grow, eating away at the fibers. The process for removing mildew requires you to shake out the garment thoroughly, treat the stains and launder the garment. You need liquid detergent, chlorine or oxygen bleach and hot water.

1. Shake out the garment

   Shake out the garment to remove any mildew. Brush the garment down. Make sure you shake out the garment while you are outdoors so that the mildew spores do not spread indoors. If you are dry cleaning the garment, let the cleaner know about the stain.

2. Treat the stains

   Dab the stains with liquid detergent. Allow the detergent to soak into the garment for several minutes.

3. Launder the garment

   Fill a washer with hot water and detergent. For colored fabrics, add oxygen bleach. For white fabrics, use chlorine bleach. Soak the garment for up to 8 hours. After it has soaked thoroughly, check the stain. If the stain is still there, drain the water from the washing machine, and add more hot water and laundry detergent to resoak the garment. Repeat this process until the stain comes out at the end of the soak process. Once the stain is gone, finish laundering the garment.