Science: How To Remove Mould From Your Beloved Clothes

Aspergillus, a mould commonly found on starchy foods
(such as bread and potatoes), and grow in or on many plants
and trees, often mentioned in House M.D.
Image from Wikipedia

Have you ever woke up on a humid summer day in Hong Kong just to realise that your favourite clothes are covered with moulds? Well, this is what happened to me this morning when I saw my camera luggage bag all covered with horrible mould. I should have taken a photo of it but I didn't remember I could write about it. When I did remember, I have 99% fixed the mould problem, thus I can't exactly show you a photo of a mouldy luggage bag. Then again, as long as a method works perfectly, I guess nothing else matters any more.

mouldy luggage bag
Image from Locky's English Playground

Once-moulded luggage bag, now cleaned
Image from Locky's English Playground

I don't know what kind of materials or why those materials mould much easily than others. My jacket as it happened, was placed  in the same cabinet as the luggage bag and it too was all mouldy, but the my wife's cotton coat right next to it is fine. Strange indeed. The moulds seem to like my stuff more.

Regular bleach
Image from howtocleanstuff

I have tried many different methods: plain water (cannot remove the mould stains), hot water (cannot remove stains), water with bleach (get a little slimy afterwards), concentrated bleach (very slimy), water with detergent (useless), water with Dettol (smells great but cannot remove stains), etc. 

I have failed so many times that I was going to listen to my wife and take my jacket for dry cleaning. Hey! Dry cleaning! Why don't I do it by myself? 

Had I not put my Galaxy S2 into sea water, I wouldn't have thought about using the magic liquid that saved my S2!!!

Meet the Magic Liquid and the lint roller
Image from Locky's English Playground

Yes!!! It's alcohol again! What else? Think about it, what liquid is an organic solvent, kills germs and bacteria, dries up quickly by itself, leaves no trace of smell and removes stains? Alcohol!!! It is one magical potion and I really love it!

Before cleaning with alcohol, tiny bit of mould left
Image from Locky's English Playground

To do the job, it is as simple as getting a piece of cloth, pour some alcohol onto it and start rubbing the mouldy fabric, don't go cheap on the alcohol if you want your clothes to be completely mould-free (it's not like alcohol is expensive anyway).

After cleaning with alcohol
Image from Locky's English Playground

Your cloth will leave some lint on the fabric, so use a lint roller to remove them.

My favourite jacket, almost 100% cleaned and mould-free
Image from Locky's English Playground

And just like that, your clothes will be return to its best look in no time! I'm going to wear this today when I go out! Just to show off a bit!

Have a mould-free weekend!

Vocabulary:
stain -- (n)[C] a dirty mark on something that is difficult to remove:
dry cleaning -- (n) is any cleaning process for clothing and textiles using a chemical solvent other than water
slimy -- (adj) covered in slime:
trace -- (n)[C or U] a sign that something has happened or existed:
potion -- (n)[C] a liquid that is believed to have a magical effect on someone who drinks it:
lint roller -- (n)[C] or lint remover is a roll of one-sided adhesive paper on a cardboard or plastic barrel that is mounted on a central spindle, with an attached handle.
in no time -- very quickly or very soon:


Resources:
Aspergillus @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspergillus

Technology: My First Galaxy S2 Surgery -- Sea Water Damage S2 Fixed!! @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.hk/2013/02/technology-my-first-galaxy-s2-surgery.html

Dry Cleaning @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_cleaning

Lint Roller @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lint_roller

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/stain_3
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/slimy?q=slimy
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/trace_3
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/potion?q=potion+
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/time_1?q=in+no+time+