Homeowner Forum / Cleaning / April 2005

You must have an awfully damp home, as I've never had that happen to
clothing hung up dripping wet, only if left in a wet pile.

A cup of vinegar added to the wash water (with detergent) in the
washing machine removes mildew from shower curtains, I would give
that a try.

If these are undershirts, add a half cup of household bleach to the
laundry and use hot water.   Soak the shirts overnight in a bucket
containing a couple gallons of hot water in which a cup of Boraxo
(Mule Team is one brand) is dissolved.  Laundry as usual.  Add a cup
of vinegar to the rinse water.  If it is a sunny day, hang the shirts
out on the line.  If you don't have any Boraxo, try (one cup of) soda
ash or vinegar for the overnight soak.

You would have avoided the moldy smell by drying each shirt better.
Place the garment between two dry terry towels, roll up onto the
floor, and put pressure over the roll with your knees.  The towels
will extract most of the mositure for fast drying.  Many years ago I
recall the local laundry had something called an "extractor" which
looked like a huge doughnut.  It had a powerful spin that took most of
the water out of the clothes which made the clothes dry quickly,
although it left terrible wrinkles in the fabrics.    You can also
place a fan in the bathroom to speed the drying process.   Mold likes
dark and damp, a situation you want to avoid.

In alt.home.cleaning on Thu, 07 Apr 2005 16:47:11 GMT "jw 111"
<blue.star77@REMOOVEvirgin.net> posted:

P&M

I had an obnoxious roommate who insulted me and blamed me because he
hadn't paid his rent (75 dollars a month, in 1980).  When the steam
radiator was leaking, instead of telling me so I could fix it or have
the landlord fix it, he took MY thermal blanket, the kind with a loose
weave and lots of air to keep in the heat) and put it around the
radiator to soak the water up.  When he was leaving, I noticed it on
the floor around the radiator.  He didn't offer to wash it, and was
not a bit embarrassed.

I did wash it at the laundromat and it smelled just as bad after as
before, which was terrible.   I put it in the drier, and just let it
get warm or rather warm (Something short of hot, iirc.  I never let my
clothes get hot, and I think that was true then too.) and when I took
it out, it smelled wonderful.  No trace of mildew.  No drier sheets or
anything, just heat.

If your shirts are permanent press, I would never let them get hot.
Afaict that ruins the perm.  But if they need ironing anyhow, and
getting them warm doesn't get rid of the smell, I'd go hotter.

Meirman
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