How to prevent mould growing in your wardrobe and on clothes

Have you ever reached into your wardrobe to pull out a pair of shoes or a coat you haven’t worn in awhile just to find that the item has succumbed to mould? You’re not alone.

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Mould and mildew thrive in damp, dark and poorly ventilated spaces, which is why wardrobes are a common target.

By following a few simple steps, you can easily prevent mould growth in your wardrobe. Rather than ‘set and forget’ your wardrobe, the key is to store your clothing correctly and inspect it regularly to ensure mould never has a chance to set in.

Grey wardrobe with pastel coloured clothing on hangers

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4 ways to prevent mould growth in your wardrobe

Once you've emptied your wardrobe, treated the mould build-up, removed mould stains from the clothing and ensured that there's no sign of current mould, consider the following to help minimise the risk of growth:

Minimise condensation by making sure your wardrobe isn't tightly fitted against the wall.
Declutter your clothing and donate or sell any items you no longer wear. This will make sure your wardrobe isn't overflowing. Clothes jammed in your wardrobe will prevent air-flow which can create an environment that is ideal for mould growth.
Never hang damp clothes in your wardrobe. Make sure they're always dry before storing.
If you're storing clothes that you don't plan on wearing for a while, vacuum seal them to prevent moisture getting in.

Common causes of mould growth in wardrobes

Condensation

Condensation frequently occurs due to rising humidity levels in your house. Mould, a type of fungi, typically forms due to moisture. The biggest cause of rising humidity is a lack of ventilation - think an abundance of clothes in your closet or your wardrobe is pushed up tightly towards the wall. Typically, if you have clothes, accessories or shoes that haven't been worn in a while, they don't see much airing and are more susceptible to mould. Leather is a huge victim.

Damp Clothing

This is one of the biggest mistakes that people make. Often when you wash clothes, you're in a rush to put them away so you don't have loose threads floating around the house. The problem is most of your outfits are still damp and unfortunately, this leads to a build up of moisture in an area that won't see any ventilation or daylight.

Three wardrobe accessories to help keep mould at bay

Ridding your wardrobe of mould is a mammoth task that you probably don't want to experience again any time soon. Luckily there are wardrobe accessories and gadgets you can try to keep your wardrobe free from mould and mildew.

1. Mini dehumidifier(2L capacity), $99, Kogan

2. Vacplus moisture absorber 6 boxes, $86.51, Amazon

3. Cli-Mate portable, reusable dehumidifier sunsack, $24.95, Howard's Storage World

Climate moisture absorbing wardrobe sachet

You might also like:

The best dehumidifiers to use on wet and muggy days in Australia

The best mould removal products you need this (wet) summer and beyond

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Alex Pierotti

Alex has high hopes of being the next Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen. He lives for Pinterest, knows his way around a toolbox and frothed millennial pink before it was in fashion. When he's not catching up on old episodes of Better Homes and Gardens, you'll find him tending to his veggie patch or plating up a mean roast lamb (with all the trimmings).

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