Mold growths, or colonies, can start to grow on a damp surface within 24 to 48 hours. They reproduce by spores - tiny, lightweight “seeds”- that travel through the air.
Generally, mold can grow significantly within 24 to 48 hours after water damage. Mold can take hold of your home and grow rapidly within 12 days if it has the ideal conditions it needs to thrive.
It can take as little as 8 hours (and up to 12 hours) to develop. If you notice wet clothes starting to smell it's likely that mildew has begun to take hold, so you should run another wash with an extra rinse cycle.
It won't hurt to leave your clothes in the washer for up to 12 hours. However, according to Mold Busters, bacteria, mildew, and visible mold can grow on clothes in as little as 24 to 48 hours. When bacteria and mold grow unchecked, they create the distinct musty laundry odor we've all come to recognize.
A good rule of thumb is to avoid leaving clothes in the washer for more than 8 to 12 hours. However, Murphy says there's more to think about than just timing to prevent your clothes from smelling and mildewing, especially if you're prone to letting your laundry sit for hours at a time.
Wash With Hot Water and Baking Soda
If your towels still smell mildewy after washing them with vinegar and hot water, try baking soda. Baking soda is a natural cleaner, whitener, and deodorizer that works wonders on foul odors like mildew. Use a cup of baking soda only and wash your towels on the hot water cycle.
Hang 'em High and Dry
A balled-up towel won't dry properly, meaning its more prone to developing mildew. To keep your towels fresher, hang them flat after each use.
mildew and mold will develop within 24-48 hours of water exposure. Even worse, it will continue to grow until steps are taken to eliminate the source of moisture, and effectively deal with the mold problem.
In most cases, washing as usual with a quality heavy-duty detergent will remove the mildew smell. You can also add 5 cups of vinegar directly to the drum with your laundry detergent, but Zinna says this is more effective for removing smells than it is for removing stains.
Mildew likes a little warmth, but usually can't survive a very hot wash. Check your garment care label to find out what the maximum wash temperature is, and then pop it in the machine with a high-quality stain-removing detergent, like Persil liquid. Line dry.
Bleach. A very strong chemical, bleach can be very effective at killing mould and removing mildew stains. However, it will also fade any colours, so use bleach only on whites, or test your garment first on an inconspicuous part of your clothing (such as the inside hem).
The good news is you don't have to throw your clothes away. With some persistence and quick action, you can rid those clothes of mold so they're safe to wear again.
Is Mold on Clothes Toxic? Mold can produce toxic substances known as mycotoxins. These mycotoxins can bring many health conditions, such as allergies, skin rashes, and respiratory problems. It can be challenging to remove mold from clothing, and the longer it goes untreated, the more damaging it may become.
Mildew grows and spreads just as quickly as other molds, though the damage caused by it is usually cosmetic and can be treated without much trouble (more on how to treat mildew below). Sight and smell are still the two easiest ways to identify whether mildew is growing in your home.
Mildew refers to certain kinds of mold or fungus. The term mildew is often used generically to refer to mold growth, usually with a flat growth habit. Molds include all species of microscopic fungi that grow in the form of multicellular filaments, called hyphae.
What Happens to Mold When It Dries Out? Dried mold will become temporarily inactive like a colony in hibernation. They can remain dormant for years and won't easily go away. But once the airborne spores land on damp surfaces, they will grow and spread more rapidly.
Mildew: The Lesser of Two Evils
Typically found in wet areas, mildew looks grayish-white and may turn brown. It's flat and powdery and it's an easier fungus to clean because it lives only on the surface of a material (such as bathroom tile).
Mildew tends to cause less permanent damage than mold. As a surface fungus, it's often easy enough to eliminate with a simple cleaning solution. Still, it's important to tackle mildew when you see it in the home.
Mildew has a gray, white or light brown color and generally rests flat on the surface of a moist area. It has a powdery appearance that may have a distinct, foul odor. Mold has a fuzzy, raised appearance and in unaired areas has a strong, musty smell.
Exposure to mold can cause health effects in some people. Mold spores are always found in the air we breathe, but extensive mold contamination may cause health problems. Breathing mold can cause allergic and respiratory symptoms.
Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin.
Temperature: Most molds cannot grow below 40° F. This is why food is typically refrigerated at 39° F. Mold grows best between 77° F and 86° F, especially if the air is humid. Water: Molds thrive in damp, humid, and wet conditions.
And when you fold your laundry, you might put it away with other clothes, leaving it slightly damp. This dampness becomes a ground that harbours mildew. Too Much Fabric Softener or Detergent: A build-up of fabric softener or laundry detergent can also cause your towels to get mildew on them.
The longer your damp towels wait for a wash cycle, the worse the mildew smell will become. If you can't do laundry right away, avoid balling up musty towels in the laundry basket or in the washing machine. Instead, lay them flat or hang them up to start the air circulation process.
Musty towel smell is the same issue that happens when mop heads or cleaning sponges don't dry thoroughly between uses. A warm, moist environment is conducive to fungal and bacterial growth. And all it can take is leaving a damp towel balled up in a laundry basket or on the floor of the bathroom.