Vicky asked, “Anyone ever found white mould on furniture? What did you use to clean it?”
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Mold is a fungus that can grow virtually anywhere, including on your couch. It is important to remove it as soon as possible, as it can cause the fabric to deteriorate quickly (in addition to causing health problems). Follow the steps below to remove the mold. When using a cleaning solution, always test it on a hidden area first to check for any adverse reaction.¹
Removing the Mold
You Will Need:
- Long sleeves & pants
- Gloves
- Mask or respirator
- Sunlight
- Broom
- Vacuum with a filter
- Rubbing alcohol
- Water
- White vinegar
Steps to Remove the Mold:
- Put on long sleeves and pants, preferably ones that you wouldn’t mind discarding afterward.² Also wear gloves and goggles.³ Wear a mask to prevent inhaling the mold spores², or you can use a respirator, available at a hardware store, instead of a mask.³
- Take the furniture item outside and set it in direct sunlight. Sunlight will kill the mold and taking the item outside will also prevent the spread of mold within the house as you clean.⁴
- Use a broom to sweep any mold that is visible off of the fabric. Do not sweep any areas where you don’t see mold, as you can spread the mold spores to those areas.⁴
- If your vacuum has a filter, use the hose with a brush attachment to vacuum the upholstery. It is important that your vacuum has a filter, otherwise you can send mold spores back out into the air later as you clean. As soon as you finish, take the vacuum canister outside to empty it into a trash bag.⁴
- If there was a lot of mold on the item, mix a mild detergent or soap in water to make lots of suds. Use a cloth to wipe only the suds onto the upholstery and rub them into the fabric. Then, wipe the area with a clean damp cloth to rinse.³
- Let the item sit in the sun for several hours.
- If there is still any mold or a mold smell, spot treat the area with a solution of equal amounts of rubbing alcohol and water.³
- Instead of rubbing alcohol, you can use a solution of equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray the upholstery with the solution, then let it dry.
- Rinse the vacuum canister, hose brush attachment, and the broom with undiluted white vinegar. Also rinse the vacuum filter with vinegar, but be sure to rinse the vinegar off thoroughly afterward. Set the items in direct sunlight for a couple hours, rotating as needed.⁴
Additional Tips and Advice
- There are other natural antifungals, such as tea tree oil and grapefruit seed extract, that you can use for cleaning as well.³
- To use tea tree oil, mix two teaspoons of the oil in two cups of water, then spray the mixture onto the area where the mold was located. Let the spray dry; no need to rinse.⁵
- To use grapefruit seed oil, mix 20 drops of the oil in 2 cups of water, then spray the mixture onto the area where the mold was located.⁵
- If your furniture is leather, use the guide How To Remove Mold and Mildew from Leather Furniture instead.
- Mold cannot grow without adequate moisture. Consider using a dehumidifier in the room near the moldy furniture to help prevent the mold from returning.
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Sources
- The Spot and Stain Remover Handbook by Jean Cooper
- How To Clean Practically Anything by Consumer Reports
- Cleaning Plain & Simple by Donna Smallin
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide To Green Cleaning by Mary Findley and Linda Formichelli
- Natural Green Home Cleaning For Beginners by R. Kishore
My home has become infested with mold spores and not one company has been able to help us. We are now in a hotel since we started to feel the spores enter our bodies. I need help with cleaning them from my home and my clothes feel like they’re alive and stinging me after washing them a bunch of times!! Money is tight, but I need a home for my kids again so I have to do the removal alone!! Any advice please??!!!
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I have stored upholstered dining room chairs in the basement. After a small incident with a leak from the water heater, I have mold & rust (orangey) stains on the creme cored fabric. The fabric is a poly blend. How can I make these stains disappear & the chair look normal again?
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What do you use to remove the mold, and how about mustard colored mold on clothing inside a wool coat lining? It comes on other things too; the fabric looks a little like rust.
Sandie,
This is the article that you need: How to Remove Black Mold/Mildew from Washable Fabrics. The mold color doesn’t matter; all types of mold (and mildew) are a fungus.
Since your coat is wool, adjust the cleaning steps in any way needed to be appropriate for wool. This article can help: How to Wash Wool.
I left an ottoman in plastic in hopes of cleaning it prior to bringing it in house…Months went by & I worry…the top was open & on the side facing the house on the patio & noticing some dark small spots on the part that was not covered with plastic so now I’m worried about bringing mold spores into the house. The bottom is a black material with foam that the plastic did cover to try to protect it from dirt, etc. It is on a covered porch but I’m worried…should I just toss it? Very allergic to mold.😬 Thinking I should just toss over patio. Thanks, V
I’m renting a room that has mold from an overrunning washing machine; half of the floor (carpeting) stays a wet. This room has no ventilation (windows are not permitted to be opened). How can I help myself!!
Allyson,
This is the article you need to remove the mold: How to Remove Mold from Car Carpeting. After cleaning the area, you can use a wet vac to remove as much water as possible. Then, use dehumidifiers (either a DIY one or a commercial one) to help the carpet dry out. Then, the washing machine will need to be fixed to keep the carpeting dry. (Mold needs moisture to grow.)
If you can’t do all that, an air purifier might help keep the air cleaner.
I live in a condo facing north west and very little sun full year round. This caused my leather dining chairs to catch some molds from time to time. I have been contemplating covering them with fitted cushion fabric as protection after wiping clean with tea tree oil. Would it work to prevent or promote the mold to return?
Eve,
Just using the tea tree oil might work, although the fabric cover might block any mold spores in the air from landing on the leather. The only concern would be that if the mold were to return, you wouldn’t know about it because it would be under the cover.
The lady I am a caregiver for has a laundry bin that’s made out of cardboard and fabric around the cardboard. The bottom became moldy. How do I clean it, and is the cardboard keep growing mold if cleaned or not? Is the bin worth cleaning to save?
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Live in a house with mold but I’m moving out. I don’t want to take it with me. The mold is in the bathroom, but I’m scared that the spores have gotten on my new couches. What can I do to make sure I don’t take the mold with me.
Megan,
These methods will work to remove the spores. Since you are moving the couches out anyway, the easiest method would be to just let them sit in the sun for an hour or two. Just be sure you do that at noon when the sun is overhead or rotate them to ensure each side gets an hour of direct sunlight. Good luck!