How to Get Mold Smell Out of Clothes Without Damaging the Fabric

Your clothes smell like mold even after washing. You left them in the washer too long, or they were stored in a damp place, and now the musty smell won’t come out. Mold smell is caused by spores and bacteria that bond with fabric fibers and survive regular washing. The smell clings to the fabric and gets worse over time. But with the right products and methods, you can get mold smell out of clothes. Here’s how.

Mold smell in clothes is a musty odor caused by mold spores and bacteria that bond with fabric fibers. The spores survive regular washing in cold water. Removing mold smell requires killing the spores with vinegar, oxygen bleach, or hot water, then removing the trapped bacteria and oils.

To get mold smell out of clothes, wash with 1 cup of white vinegar and Tide Free and Gentle in hot water, add half a cup of baking soda, and dry in the sun. For stubborn smells, soak in oxygen bleach before washing. Don’t use cold water, don’t use fabric softener, and don’t put moldy-smelling clothes in the dryer.

Step-by-Step: Removing Mold Smell

Step 1: Sort Moldy-Smelling Clothes

Sort by fabric type. Wash heavily odored items separately from fresh clothes to prevent odor transfer.

Step 2: Pre-Soak in Vinegar

Fill a tub with warm water and add 1 cup of white vinegar. Submerge the moldy-smelling clothes and soak for 30 minutes. The vinegar kills the mold spores and neutralizes odors.

Step 3: Wash with Vinegar and Baking Soda

Wash with 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle, 1 cup of white vinegar, and half a cup of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda in hot water. The vinegar kills spores, the baking soda neutralizes odors, and the enzyme detergent removes body oils.

Step 4: Add Oxygen Bleach for Stubborn Smells

For stubborn mold smells, add 1 to 2 scoops of oxygen bleach to the wash. Oxygen bleach kills bacteria and removes organic matter.

Step 5: Add Lysol Laundry Sanitizer

For bacteria-caused mold smells, add Lysol Laundry Sanitizer to the rinse cycle to kill bacteria.

Step 6: Dry in the Sun

Dry in direct sunlight. UV rays kill remaining mold spores and remove odors. If you can’t sun dry, use the dryer on high heat only after confirming the smell is gone.

Step 7: Check Before Storing

If the smell remains, repeat the wash. Don’t store clothes that still smell like mold, as the smell can transfer to other clothes.

Monthly: Clean the Machine

Use affresh Washing Machine Cleaner monthly. A dirty machine causes mold smells.

For Stubborn Mold Smell: Oxygen Bleach Soak

Step 1: Soak in oxygen bleach. Fill a tub with warm water and add 2 scoops of oxygen bleach. Soak for 1 to 2 hours.

Step 2: Wash with vinegar and baking soda. Wash with Tide Free and Gentle, 1 cup of vinegar, and half a cup of baking soda in hot water.

Step 3: Dry in the sun.

Products That Remove Mold Smell

Product	What It Does	How to Use
White vinegar	Kills mold spores	1 cup in the wash or soak
Baking soda	Neutralizes odors	Half a cup in the wash
Oxygen bleach	Kills bacteria, removes organic matter	1 to 2 scoops in the wash
Tide Free and Gentle	Removes body oils and dirt	2 tablespoons in the wash
Lysol Laundry Sanitizer	Kills bacteria	Add to the rinse
affresh	Cleans the machine	1 tablet monthly

What Not to Do

Don’t use cold water. Cold water doesn’t kill mold spores or dissolve the oils that trap the smell. Use hot water.

Don’t use fabric softener. It coats fibers and traps the mold smell.

Don’t put moldy-smelling clothes in the dryer. Dryer heat can set the smell permanently. Always sun dry and check first.

Don’t use too much detergent. Excess detergent leaves residue that traps the smell.

Don’t wash moldy clothes with fresh clothes. The smell can transfer.

Don’t close the washer door between washes. Leave it open to let the drum dry and prevent mold.

Don’t ignore the washing machine. A dirty machine causes mold smells. Clean monthly with affresh.

How to Prevent Mold Smell in Clothes

Don’t leave wet clothes in the washer. Transfer within 2 hours.

Don’t leave damp clothes in a pile. Hang or spread to dry.

Dry clothes completely before storing.

Store in a dry place.

Use baking soda in the closet.

Leave the washer door open.

Clean the machine monthly.

FAQ

How do you get mold smell out of clothes? Wash with 1 cup of white vinegar, 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle, and half a cup of baking soda in hot water. Add oxygen bleach for stubborn smells and Lysol Laundry Sanitizer for bacteria. Dry in the sun.

Does vinegar remove mold smell from clothes? Yes. White vinegar kills mold spores and neutralizes odors. Add 1 cup to the wash or soak clothes in vinegar solution for 30 minutes before washing.

Does baking soda remove mold smell from clothes? Yes. Baking soda neutralizes odors. Add half a cup to the wash with your detergent and vinegar. For best results, also dry in the sun.

Why do clothes smell like mold after washing? Clothes smell like mold after washing because mold spores and bacteria survive regular washing in cold water, using too much detergent, using fabric softener, leaving clothes in the washer, or a dirty machine.

Can you put moldy-smelling clothes in the dryer? Don’t put moldy-smelling clothes in the dryer until the smell is gone. Dryer heat can set the smell permanently. Always sun dry and check first.

References

1. Tide. “How to Remove Mold Smell from Clothes.” tide.com.
2. The Spruce. “How to Get Mold Smell Out of Clothes.” thespruce.com.
3. Good Housekeeping. “Mold Odor Removal Guide.” goodhousekeeping.com.
4. Lysol. “Laundry Sanitizer Guide.” lysol.com.