Help!!! getting mildew out
 

Can anyone offer suggestions for getting mildew out of cotton quilting fabric? I can't use chlorine bleach! A friend suggested soaking the fabric in BIZ or Oxyclean. I have ruined about 8 inches on both salvage edges!!! Thanks for any ideas or methods you have used that worked. lsnre

I hope someone can give you an answer because I would like to know this myself. Thanks for asking.

vinegar! put it in a sealed container with white vinegar for a day...then wash as usual!
This is what we do down South!

oxyclean, soak for 24 hrs, then wash a couple of times...with oxyclean both times...

peroxide works wonders.

all the above...if one doesnt work well ..try another...but Ive had the best luck using vinegar or peroxide

Thanks for the info. I have tossed fabric because I couldn't remove the mildew effectively. This is great advice.
Thanks again

You said that you couldn't use chlorine bleach. Is that because it is colored fabric? If so, be careful with peroxide, as that is a bleach also. Test it on the fabric before using it. You need to kill the mildew spores or it will come back.
Sue

I have had limited success with vinegar. I guess the longer you leave it the better.

Pat

So sorry to hear this.

I've not been successful trying various home remedies - soaking the mildewed shirt in buttermilk did nothing, nor did leaving it in the sun.

I hope that you can find a solution.

K

Found the following information after doing a search. Vinegar is mentioned, murphy oil soap and also Listerine. Interesting.

http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07jul16a.cfm

Wrong time of year for this, but on a warm sunny day, lay the quilt on a grassy spot, leave overnight, turn over, leave another day. The warm sun, the morning dew and the chlorophyll from the grass has a bleaching effect. Sounds incredible, but it works!

Will be interested in hearing what works. Lost a lot of linens during a move due to a leaky storage area and I could kill the mildew with bleach, but could not get the black stains out no matter what I did.

Don't know for sure if this would work or not it does for scortched fabric. Squeeze fresh lemon on it and put in sun. Can't hurt to try. BrendaK

Pine Sol has worked for me in the past.

THANKS SO MUCH FOR EVERYONE'S HELP.
I tried soaking in Oxiclean overnight. Almost all came out. The stain is gone and fabric looks like new. Soaked some of the pieces again overnight and got out all but one area on a separage piece. I WONDER IF THIS HAS KILLED THE MILDEW OR IF I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT COMING BACK? DOES ANYONE KNOW ABOUT THAT?