Ask Mrs. Clean: House Cleaning, Stain Removal and Organizing Tips

[needlework_52]

I have several quilts that have been waterstained and have mold. Do you have any suggestions? These stains are four to five years old.

[mrscleannw]

Hello needlework_52 and welcome to our forum.

It's a shame about the quilts, I have some very old ones that family members made many years ago and would be devastated if they were to become damaged.

Mold can be very hard to remove from fabrics especially when it has set for so long but here are some options:

If the fabric can handle it, you can try soaking it in warm water with 1/2 cup of borax and a wash load of hot water. Let the borax dissolve before adding the quilt(s). Start the cycle and let it agitate then stop the machine and let the quilt soak for about 3 hours, then continue washing.

For a more heavy duty washing, substitute the borax with an oxy bleach and follow instructions above.

Do not put the quilt(s) in the dryer until you know the stains are gone. As a matter of fact - if you are washing on a sunny day, hang the quilts out in the sunshine as this will help to naturally fade the spots if any are remaining.