Re: decontaminating musty clothing

[Guest guest]

If you were in a very moldy environment clothes can smell like mold

for years and still make you sick too. I have heard that a special

soap called Vulpex works well and is used by professional restorers

but its incredibly expensive.

I have tried repeated washings, in strong detergent, and bleach if

they can take it, Or ammonia (never both together) and drying in the

bright sun, both inside and out (turn them inside out and move them

around so the sun shines into them.

But I would be lying if I said that that worked well. After the

initial few washings which each reduce the smell a good amount, then

what is left stays a long time, there is a residual smell that you

notice in certain situations quite a bit but its not an obvious mold

smell unless you are in a confined space with them or they are in a

bag where the clothes have been stored or they get warm (from wear) -

then you get whiffs of it.

Most of my clothes have gradually become wearable but I still have

some clothes I still can't wear because they still make me ill. I

still keep washing them though.. eventually they will either become

usable that way or I will hear of some method to accelerate the

process.

[Guest guest]

My favorite, Borax 20 mule team with unfrangced laundry soap and vinigar in the

rince cycle. Mmmmmmmmmm where did I learn that recipe????? LOL

macedgeca <macedgeca@...> wrote: Is there a

good way other than using bleach to get rid of mustiness in

clothing that has been stored?

Elyse

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[Guest guest]

Elyse,

a is right and this is what I would recommend to start with.

Main reason either one of these products you can get at your local

grocery store. You don't want to mix the two together because they

will just neutralize each other. The borax is on the high end of the

pH scale and the vinegar is on the low end. This may take 2 or 3

washes, but it all depends on your sensitivity and susceptibility to

these toxins. It's worth a try, but you may end up pitching them in

the end.

KC

Is

there a good way other than using bleach to get rid of mustiness in

> clothing that has been stored?

>

> Elyse

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

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homepage.

>

>

[Guest guest]

KC, do you mean not to mix borax and vinegar in the same load? I

thought soaking for a couple of days might help also.

On 11/29/07, tigerpaw2c <tigerpaw2c@...> wrote:

> Elyse,

>

> a is right and this is what I would recommend to start with.

> Main reason either one of these products you can get at your local

> grocery store. You don't want to mix the two together because they

> will just neutralize each other. The borax is on the high end of the

> pH scale and the vinegar is on the low end. This may take 2 or 3

> washes, but it all depends on your sensitivity and susceptibility to

> these toxins. It's worth a try, but you may end up pitching them in

> the end.

>

> KC

>

>

> >

> > My favorite, Borax 20 mule team with unfrangced laundry soap and

> vinigar in the rince cycle. Mmmmmmmmmm where did I learn that

> recipe????? LOL

[Guest guest]

a,

What amounts do you use?

Elyse

On 11/29/07, a Townsend <kmtown2003@...> wrote:

>

> My favorite, Borax 20 mule team with unfrangced laundry soap and vinigar in

> the rince cycle. Mmmmmmmmmm where did I learn that recipe????? LOL

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, don't mix them together. The white vinegar should only go in on

a final rinse cycle. 1 or 2 cups depending on the load. I know the

rinse cycle may be difficult to catch at the right time, so if you

would like wash once in borax and the next full wash use white

vinegar. You could try soaking them for a couple of hours, but there

is a possibility that the white vinegar may at that time fade

colors.

KC

> > >

> > > My favorite, Borax 20 mule team with unfrangced laundry soap

and

> > vinigar in the rince cycle. Mmmmmmmmmm where did I learn that

> > recipe????? LOL

>

[Guest guest]

At the beginning we used borax many times but it wasn't as effective

as we had hoped.. It did help, though..

It was the same with ammonia, bleach, etc.