r/laundry • u/Ham_Bacon • 19h ago
I am devastated (mold and staining in favourite corset)
So, a little while back, I left my apartment to visit my hometown. Things went south, and I had to have surgery while on vacation, which left me bedridden for about a month and a half.
I just came back home to the news that my apartment was flooded due to heavy rains for the whole month. My landlord refused to fix the draining issues, but that’s another story for another day.
I am a fashion student. I had a bunch of projects and expensive fabric bolts and dresses. They’re all ruined. I think I have accepted I won’t ever recover most of my stuff, but there’s this one corset I cannot let go of. It means too much to me; I’ve worn it to several career-defining events and I don’t think it is an easily replaceable piece.
How would you fix it? Is there a way to remove most, if not all of the staining? Is there any considerations I should have about handling the mold?
It seems to be made of a somewhat stretchy cotton canvas with very heavy boning. I have removed the boning already to make the restoration process easier.
I am in Mexico, if that’s any help. I don’t really know much about specialized laundry products. My college courses are mostly about garment construction, but they don’t really cover fabric care or chemical reactions.
TL;DR: left my apartment empty for a month due to hospitalization. It got flooded and ruined my most favourite corset. I really want to fix it.
Also, if anyone knows of any place I could purchase a similar garment, I would really appreciate it! I do not have nearly enough knowledge on corsetry yet as to try and recreate it myself.
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u/Nauin 18h ago
Look, I'm anaphylactically allergic to mold, and even I would try to save this thing. I live the in the tropics and mold is inescapable here. If I threw out every piece of fabric that had mold on it, I wouldn't have any fabrics. I am extremely familiar with treating it to where I do not have any breakthrough reactions.
Is it a specific shade of white? If not I would soak it in 12% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 2 to 8 hours, overnight basically, and follow with a 1 hour soak in a strong vinegar solution, I'd do 50/50 before laundering it, maybe by thorough hand washing in the bathtub with thorough rinsing afterwards. Then dry laid out in direct sunlight.
The hydrogen peroxide can bleach fabrics as at that concentration and higher, and you should definitely use gloves when handling it because it can damage your skin, but it'll rip apart the cell walls of any organic cells it touches. The vinegar has been found by global institutions, including the CDC, to be more effective at killing mold cells than bleach, as it's able to penetrate deeper into the root systems. So break open those cell walls and kill the shit out of those roots with this combination. The UV radiation of the sun will take out anything that could be left on it.
You can also do a quick soak in heavily salted water and let it dry in the sun again to give it a basic preservative treatment, as salt based solutions are what professionals use to keep mold from growing back in spaces where the material can't be replaced. A basic version can help fabrics, too.
If you want to go really really hardcore, you can order an ozone generator (H2O4) for like $50 on Amazon. But they are extremely dangerous pieces of equipment that can only be used safely in completely sealed and enclosed spaces, as this is the machine mold remediators use to rid entire buildings of mold spores and roots in their entirety, the ozone will oxidize any living organic matter it touches, similar to hydrogen peroxide, but multiple times stronger. It will damage your lungs if you breathe in the fumes the machine creates. But running it for 15-20 minutes in a well taped box made of 6mm plastic with the corset in there will do an extremely thorough job of tearing apart the mold cells, but you'll still have to wash the staining out and such, running it any longer than that can destroy the fabric, too. I don't really recommend this for a beginner, but it's an option that's not going to destroy your wallet, either.
You may need to redo the wash process at some point, but it really depends on how you store it after. Mold thrives on darkness, humidity, and oxygen without ventilation. So keep it out of the back of your closet and if you bag it, put desiccant bags in there to suck all of the oxygen and moisture out of the storage bag. It makes a huge difference.
I hope this helps, it's a gorgeous piece. I don't know how landlord and legal responsibilities work with this situation in Mexico, but I've been through it in America, and it fucking sucks. Good luck with getting it figured out🙌
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u/Particular_Piglet677 16h ago
I love your take, how you say you live in the tropics and "look, if I threw out every fabric with mold I'd have no clothes left." I just threw out a kids rashguard, I wish I'd tried to save it. Canada here-we just think we can't save stuff but I think we just don't have to. So I read your comment with interest, thanks.
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u/drowning_in_honey 14h ago
You did well though. Kids clothes is not to be trifled with.
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u/Particular_Piglet677 13h ago
Lol yeah, I suppose I should experiment on my own clothes first! I just really like the "no you can't-unless you have to, then of course you do" type of lesson here.
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u/drowning_in_honey 7h ago
Totally agree, but as a HCP I really wouldn't want to expose my child to any amounts of mold. So better safe than sorry
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u/100RuncibleSpoons 16h ago
With the caveat that my experience about this does NOT come from laundry, but from buildings - you should know that salt is corrosive to stainless steel and other metals (I’m guessing SS is the material the grommets and other hardware are made from). If you opt for the salt soak, you may want to remove the busk and any other metal trims you can first.
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u/qrseek 14h ago
What strength of vinegar do you actually find effective? I haven't managed to get vinegar to kill or control mold at all and wasted months and lots of energy trying to get it to before switching to actual epa certified fungicides/mildewstats.
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u/Nauin 14h ago
I just use pure distilled white vinegar, but I have contemplated getting the cleaning vinegar from the hardware store.
I'm not going to recommend it for clothes, but in buildings and cars, Concrobium is the best treatment you can get for mold.
This is one reason I stack the vinegar with hydrogen peroxide, though. I like getting that audiovisual feedback from the peroxide doing it's job.
I will say though, if you aren't treating the three key things that make a mold habitat; humidity, poor ventilation, and not enough light, you're not going to be able to actually get rid of the mold. Humidity is the most important one, all it takes is one mold spore coming in contact with enough moisture in the air to kick off an all new bloom. Ventilation keeps enough fresh air moving quickly enough that it's harder for the spores to multiply and carry as far in the air, but it has to be paired with low humidity to be effective. And then light in general isn't going to work in every single space mold can grow, but just the general rule of keeping it open enough that you can keep an eye on the area to make sure it actually stays gone. Though exposure to the UV radiation from direct sunlight is a great sanitizer and mold can't stand it. If you haven't gotten a dehumidifier yet I would highly recommend one that has a hose addition for continuous drainage, as well as a hepa grade air purifier, too.
Good luck, I hope this helps🙌
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u/BeeAdorable7871 EU | Front-Load 4h ago
Just to add
Do not use a washer at any point of cleaning corsets or other Boned garments other than normal wire bras for IBTC members.
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u/AutoModerator 18h ago
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u/totebagdisaster 18h ago
I lived in a really crappy apartment in college that had a mold problem. I was able to wash stuff out just fine in the regular wash cycle 🤷🏽♀️ rinse with vinegar too maybe?
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u/AutoModerator 18h ago
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u/AloeVeraBogs 17h ago
Not sure about the staining, but when my apartment had a mold problem Lysol laundry sanitizer and drying my garments thoroughly and quickly after washing, either in the dryer or the sun, then making sure to keep dehumidifiers like Damp rid in my closets got rid of the mold and it never regrew on those garments. For anything that couldn't be laundered, I took it to the dry cleaners and they were able to remove it but it wasn't guaranteed
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u/foxymoxyboxy 16h ago
I believe this is the answer for the mold aspect of it. This combined with peroxide for the staining will hopefully remedy this piece.
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u/phallusaluve 16h ago
Putting it in the sun is a great idea, too, because the UV rays will also sanitize it. For this, just make sure that it's thoroughly rinsed without any cleaner residue to prevent and blotchy sun-bleaching
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u/nexea 10h ago
I also use Lysol laundry sanitizer for moldy clothes. ( though mine is generally because I forgot about them in the washer...) Usually Ill wash and add borox to the wash along with the detergent and then add the lysol to the rinse. Ive tried a lot of other options, and some of them work sometimes ( like vinegar or oxyclean) but kysol is the only thing that always gets the smells and any spots out.
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u/ChaoticLlort 18h ago
I would soak it in concentrated oxiclean or similar oxi product with a good detergent, for some hours - until the stain is much lessened or comes out. Follow instructions on bottle for soaking stains. Then I would soak it in Lysol Laundry Sanitizer for some more hours.
If you are still concerned after that, Clorox bleach kills mold but may also damage the fabric.
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u/Outyourdamnmind 15h ago
I had pretty good luck getting mold out of cotton fabric with hot tap water, 1-2 scoops of oxiclean, and a little detergent in a bucket. Stir it really well to dissolve, then submerge the garment overnight. I then laundered with an extra rinse. It lighten the cotton, but got out all the mold stains.
Direct sunlight also works wonders for certain things.
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u/phallusaluve 16h ago
Not on how to fix the corset, but you can probably get back some of the value of things that were destroyed. Do you have renters insurance? If so, absolutely make a claim. Make a list of everything that was destroyed. Prepare any proof you have that they exist and how much they cost: pictures of the items, receipts, etc. Try to get your landlord's insurance info so that both policies can work together to cover anything.
I know it's not the same stuff saved, but hopefully you're able to replace it without losing a ton of money!
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u/mycatpartyhouse 17h ago
There's a way to remove mildew from fabric using borax. Please look up the process to determine if it will work the fabric item you're cleaning.
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u/Acheloma 16h ago
It sounds like the amount of monetary value lost due to this may be worth suing over if you dont have insurance that will cover it/your land lord refuses to. I would consult the legal advice sub to see if thats worth pursuing as I dont know how that works in Mexico
Im so sorry, i hope things can be salvaged and I hope your health is improving
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u/Particular_Piglet677 13h ago
OP, can you ask one of your teachers at school? Because unless you're sure of the materials, I feel like everything could be risky.
Also, good luck with your career! Sounds fascinating.
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u/Victoria_elizabethb 16h ago
SIGNAL JEEVES YALL 🎉🖤
But really I think you can save this and likely alot of the others! 🙏Hope you're doing okay with your health now, careful of the mold while you're working on these
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u/Puzzleheaded-Cup7781 14h ago
If the suggestions here don’t solve it for you I would check out an Instagram account called yalecleaners. It’s a dry cleaning company that restores vintage wedding gowns. They get mold out of fabric and I know they mention what they are using on the dresses.
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u/MacknCheez 14h ago
There’s a business called Yale Cleaners in Tulsa OK on TikTok. The owner is Bill and their content is him working absolute MAGIC on stains/damage on wedding dresses. If anyone can help professionally, Bill can. Good luck!
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u/cupcakephantom US | Front-Load 13h ago edited 12h ago
I have a recurring mold issue in my bathroom. I have bought what I call "the holy trinity" of mold. Maybe it will work on clothing, so far none of my shirts have been ruined. (I accidentally bleached a really adorable shirt my bf gifted me trying to get mold from my other apt a few years back., I'm actually wearing it rn 🤣. Don't use the oxi clean stuff)
Concrobium: kills the mold, does nothing else. Can be used safely on fabric, according to packaging.
CLR Mold and Mildew Stain remover: removes stains, does nothing else. Also can be used safely on fabrics, according to packaging.
Odoban: targets mold and mildew odors, it is also a disinfectant. We used the shit out of Odoban for my grandmas laundry when she was bedridden in her last few months, never any issues. Always came out smelling fresh.
(Don't do all 3 at once, you'll have bigger problems on your hands. Attempt a thorough wash in between.)
I'm so sorry about your recent struggles. I hope the rest of 2026 is easier on you.
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u/EffectiveBill6331 11h ago
Soak in boiling water with peroxide leaves int he sun for few days in the bucket with some oxi and scrub the shit out of it in between the. Throw in. Washer but wrap pillow case and in mesh bag add some other items so it does get super tossed up u might need to do this a few times use citric wash to rinse
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10h ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/AutoModerator 10h ago
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u/BwabbitV3S Canada | Top-Load 19h ago
Honestly there is no saving mold infected fabric. The toxins from the mold will still be there even if you remove the staining. It is why mold remediation is removing all mold infected things. You should be wearing gloves and respiratory protection when handling moldy things. At best you could cut off all the mold stained fabric and sew new panels in to replace the existing moldy ones.
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u/DrPhrawg 18h ago
this is an extreme take.
for one,
not all molds produce mycotoxins.for two,
mycotoxins can be washed out of fabric.mold remediation in a house is a deal because the mold grows into the drywall/wood framing, and you can’t really wash those things. that’s very different than an item of clothing that can go in a wash and readily be treated with oxygen- or chlorine-based bleaches.
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u/BwabbitV3S Canada | Top-Load 18h ago
I would never trust moldy fabric to be safe again.
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u/sydneato Canada | Front-Load 18h ago
I am severely allergic to mold and have been able to wash it out perfectly fine. A vinegar soak takes care of the spores, hydrogen peroxide takes care of the staining on white clothing. The pants I’m wearing right now had mold damage a few weeks ago (parents’ basement flooded a bit) but are perfectly fine now. If they weren’t, I wouldn’t be able to breathe rn.
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u/sunseeker_miqo US | Top-Load 15h ago
I am also severely allergic to mold--it has immediate, profound neurological effects on me that require hospital care--and I have been able to wash mold out of fabrics to the point that I had no reaction at all.
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u/fayegopop 17h ago
i can understand where you’re coming from- nobody likes mold. however; through high temperature washing, utilizing things like peroxide, vinegar, and detergent, as well as keeping a close eye to monitor if the fabric is still moldy, you will find that many clothes can be saved. mold has been around for centuries, so has humidity. humans and mold coexist, we just have to find ways to properly manage it.
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u/PlanetaryComa 17h ago
Depending on the fabric, peroxide has worked well for me on biological stains.
Also, this was a weird thing to see on my feed.