However, storing articles of clothing in your garage is definitely not advisable. According to HGTV.com, pests are attracted to a ton of different fabrics. Plus, clothes make the perfect nests for mice. The humidity and temperature changes can also cause mold and mildew to grow.
Over time, your garage's temperature, humidity, pests, and even your body heat can diminish the quality of your clothing. Make sure to set aside some closet space in the garage. Storing out-of-season garments in the garage increases the likelihood that some of those garments will be lost or damaged.
Your garage is not a good place to store clothing of any kind. Humidity and temperature changes can damage the fibers on your clothes. In addition, moths and bugs of all kinds might find your coat a little too tasty or cozy and decide to move in.
Wash and Dry Thoroughly: Ensure all clothes are clean and completely dry before storing. Dirt and oils can encourage mold growth. Avoid Storing Dirty Clothes: Never store clothes that have been worn without washing them first. Leave Space Between Items: Avoid packing clothes too tightly.
If you wash them before storage, accumulated dirt, sweat, or stains won't attract pests or discolor the fabric. As a result, thoroughly dried and clean clothes are less likely to mold and mildew, thereby maintaining their quality in storage for longer.
However, storing articles of clothing in your garage is definitely not advisable. According to HGTV.com, pests are attracted to a ton of different fabrics. Plus, clothes make the perfect nests for mice. The humidity and temperature changes can also cause mold and mildew to grow.
Most mold spores will die at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius), so cold and warm water cycles won't work. Add laundry detergent (regular detergent is fine). Add any other disinfectants, like vinegar, bleach or baking soda. Run two complete cycles on hot water.
Keep Your Garage Ventilated
If you don't have windows, or if humidity remains a problem, you may choose to keep a dehumidifier in your garage. This will help eliminate excess moisture from the air. The relative humidity in your garage should be maintained at 60% or less to protect against mould and mildew.
Vacuum-sealed bags are also an effective storage solution for bulky items like winter clothes, saving valuable shelf and drawer space. Stacking storage containers is another efficient way to maximize garage storage space. It's important to label each container clearly with its contents for easy identification later on.
Clothing, blankets, sleeping bags, upholstery, and the like should always be stored indoors. This is because the moisture that can easily seep into a shed when it rains or snows will eventually cause mold and mildew to grow on fabric—even if they're kept in plastic storage bins.
Items like antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, inflators, and extra wipers are made to withstand extreme elements, so they're perfectly safe inside your garage. If you have additional car gear like a roof or bike rack, you can safely store that in your garage, too. Our advice? Hang them on the wall!
To keep moths and other insects away, place cedar blocks or lavender sachets. For added protection before they go into storage bins, Anderson recommends putting clothes in vacuum-sealed bags before, both to save space and protect against dampness and pests, like moths or silverfish.
Storing clothing and fabrics in your garden shed can lead to several issues, primarily due to the humid conditions often found in such environments. These items can become musty, develop mould, and attract insects, all of which can damage the materials irreversibly.
A well looked after and properly engineered fabric shelter can last even more than 20 years. The steel framework lasts for a very long time and the shelter fabric cover can last over 20 years before you would need to consider replacing it (remember: you can always purchase replacement fabric covers).
It may not be feasible to save the garment if the mold was allowed to grow for a long time. With the right approach, mold can be removed from clothing. The moldy clothing should be taken outside, cleaned of any visible mold, soaked in vinegar, washed in hot water with a high-efficiency detergent, and dried in the sun.
If your clothes are damp or in a humid environment with little ventilation, this often leads to mold growth. Mold can start growing on wet clothing as soon as 24 to 48 hours. You should be able to discover mold on your clothing from the musty smell.
The ONLY way to permanently protect your collections from mold is to control the environment by keeping the temperature within 65°-70° Fahrenheit and the relative humidity within 45%-65%. Prevention is the key but if you do experience a mold outbreak there are non-chemical means for clean-up and recovery.
Most garages have ideal conditions for mold to thrive, especially unfinished garages. They tend to lack much natural light and effective ventilation and are prone to high humidity and condensation levels. Mold spores are spread by the wind, insects, animals, water, yard tools, and many other methods.
A garage or sunroom are great places to dry clothes indoors as well. You can also opt to have your indoor clothes drying rack installed near air conditioner vents.
Clothing and Fabrics
If you catch mold early and it's just a light patch, many clothes can be cleaned and saved. To clean washable items, pretreat them with non-ammonia detergent, and then wash them at the highest temperature with detergent and the appropriate bleach.
Moisture and insects are the top enemies when you're storing clothes. The best way to store clothes to avoid mold and mildew is by ensuring all items are 100 percent dry before packing up. To be safe, toss in some moisture absorbers, which you can find online or at a local store.
Leaving your clothes unattended for 24 hours is enough to build up mildew and moisture spots on your clothes. Mold is a white substance that develops on a garment sometime after it has mildew.