Furniture Mildew
Have you ever put away furniture in storage, only to pull it back out and find mildew growing all over it? Furniture mildew is a big problem in most parts of the country, but don’t worry… Your furniture can be saved! Furniture mildew is easy to take care of, and your stuff will be as good as new.
Cleaning Furniture Mildew
First, take the mildewed stuff outside. You should always do your cleaning outside to prevent mildew spores from spreading. These spores fly through the air and cause all sorts of nasty health problems if inhaled.
Sometimes leaving furniture in the sun and beating it will remove mold and mildew. Wipe and hit the fabric, and then leave it in the direct sunlight outside for a few hours. Mildew doesn’t like the sunshine, so it will often disappear by itself.
Bleach The Mildew Away
One way to clean furniture is to spray it with bleach. Use a very weak solution of bleach, something like 1 part bleach to 5 or 6 parts water. Remember that too much bleach can change the color of your furniture. You want just enough to get the mildew out without making any color changes.
Put your solution into a spray bottle. In order to make sure you don’t bleach your furniture and ruin it, spray a small area first. Check to see if it changes color. If you’re okay, go ahead and spray the rest lightly. Spray more cautiously.
Try Rubbing Alcohol
If you’re not sure about using bleach, try rubbing alcohol on it. A mixture of half-alcohol and half-water often works to get out mildew stains. Put it on a cloth and scrub the mildewed part of the fabric. You should see it start to disappear.
Finally, make sure you clean the mildew off completely, or else it will come back. It’s hard to keep stored furniture from getting this nasty stuff, but easy to prevent a mold infestation in your house by just making sure it’s cleaned off completely.
