Mold is a common problem in washing machines and laundry rooms. The damp, warm environment is the perfect place for mold to grow. Not only is mold smelly and unpleasant to deal with, some types of mold release spores that can cause allergic reactions or respiratory problems.
Laundry sanitizers are products designed to kill bacteria and odors in washers. But can these sanitizers also kill mold that might be lurking in your washer or laundry area? Keep reading to learn more.
What Causes Mold to Grow in Laundry?
Mold needs a few key things to proliferate – moisture, warmth, and a food source. Laundry rooms and washing machines easily provide all three of these elements.
When you run a load of laundry, heat and water create a damp environment inside the washer. Leftover bits of dirt, food, skin cells or cleaning products give mold spores food to feed on. The inner tub of the washer stays warm for hours after you finish a load, encouraging mold growth during idle periods.
Over time, mold can start to build up on the rubber gaskets, dispensers, pipes and other areas that stay moist inside a washer. Once established, mold regenerates spores that spread through the air or get on clean clothes during washing cycles.
How Sanitizers Kill Mold
Laundry sanitizers work in a few different ways to kill mold, bacteria and other microscopic organisms:
Oxidizing agents – Sanitizers may contain hydrogen peroxide, potassium peroxymonosulfate or sodium hypochlorite. These strong oxidizers break down cell walls and disrupt metabolism of mold and bacteria. Over several minutes of exposure, oxidizers damage organisms enough to kill them or prevent further growth.
Alcohols – Most sanitizers also include isopropyl or similar alcohols. The alcohol dissolves membranes around cells and causes proteins and other cell components to lose their shape. This quickly kills mold, bacteria and viruses by interfering with their metabolism.
Acids and bases – Strong acids and bases like citric acid or sodium carbonate create an environment that’s too harsh for mold or bacteria to survive. They break down cell structures through chemical reactions. Acids and bases may damage mold growth and disrupt reproduction cycles.
Fragrance oils – Many sanitizers also include strong fragrances from essential oils, phenols or plant extracts. These don’t necessarily kill microbes, but their scent covers up musty mold odors. Common fragrances added to laundry sanitizers include lemon, eucalyptus and floral notes.
By using one or more of these active ingredients, laundry sanitizers create conditions inside a washer that kill mold, bacteria and other microorganisms. The additives leave behind a residual effect on surfaces to inhibit regrowth.
How Effective Are Laundry Sanitizers Against Mold?
Killing Existing Mold
Most laundry sanitizers are very effective at killing mold that has already started to grow inside your washing machine or laundry room.
The oxidizers, alcohols, acids and fragrances overpower mold and other microbes. With enough contact time, sanitizers damage and destroy mold cells through chemical reactions or by disrupting metabolism.
However, surfaces need sufficient exposure to the active ingredients in a sanitizer for it to fully kill mold. Run an empty wash cycle with laundry sanitizer to allow it to completely penetrate and cover all areas inside the drum.
Without thorough coverage, some mold deep in crevices or under buildup might survive. You may need to repeat sanitizing cycles or use mechanical scrubbing to remove mold roots and stains.
Preventing Future Mold Growth
On top of killing existing mold, laundry sanitizers also have residual effects that prevent future regrowth.
Substances like hydrogen peroxide break down over hours or days but continue inhibiting microbial growth during that time. The same goes for some essential oil components in fragrance blends.
These additives don’t make surfaces completely resistant to mold long-term. But using laundry sanitizer periodically prevents microbial growth between cycles.
Routine sanitizing keeps levels low. Combine this practice with leaving the washer door open between loads, cleaning with vinegar or bleach periodically, and running maintenance cycles. Together these tools stop mold from taking hold again after treatment.
How To Use Laundry Sanitizer Against Mold
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
Using a laundry sanitizer is an easy, convenient way to kill mold in your washing machine, laundry sink or other areas. Here are a few tips:
- Clean surfaces first – Remove any visible mold growth by scrubbing with detergent and water before sanitizing. This allows sanitizer ingredients better contact with remaining hidden mold.
- Select an EPA-approved sanitizer – Choose an antimicrobial laundry sanitizer that specifically states approval for efficacy against mold on the label by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This means testing proves it kills common household molds.
- Run empty sanitizing cycles – Pour the sanitizer directly into your washing machine drum. Run a wash cycle on the hottest setting your machine offers with no clothes. Stop midway and let it soak if your model allows. This gives maximum exposure time.
- Repeat weekly – Pour about half the sanitizer bottle into the drum once a week to inhibit any new mold growth. Increase frequency if you notice musty smells starting again.
- Supplement other methods – Use laundry sanitizer along with periodically cleaning with vinegar or bleach, leaving the door open between loads and running maintenance cycles.
Other Ways To Kill Laundry Mold
Laundry sanitizer provides an easy, hands-off way to kill most mold and prevent it recurring. But you can also use a few other DIY methods:
- Bleach – Liquid chlorine bleach is an established disinfectant. Let a dilute bleach solution soak on moldy surfaces for 10+ minutes before rinsing. Never mix bleach with vinegar, ammonia, rubbing alcohol or acids since toxic gases can result! Open windows and avoid breathing fumes.
- Vinegar – White distilled vinegar kills about 82% of mold species. Spray full strength vinegar on mold then scrub off growth after 10-20 minutes. It leaves no toxic residues but may need repeated applications. Beware vinegar’s strong odor!
- Tea tree oil – Research shows tea tree oil kills up to 80% of mold varieties at full concentration. Mix with a small amount of mild detergent, spray on mold and let sit overnight before rinsing and drying completely. May need repeat applications and doesn’t work as quickly as commercial sanitizers.
- Sunlight – Where possible, expose moldy sections of a washer or laundry room to direct sunlight for 6-8 hours. The UV radiation in sunlight kills mold and dries out surfaces to discourage regrowth. This won’t work for interior washer components but helps external rubber seals, hoses, laundry sinks, etc if you can move the appliance.
Can You Prevent All Laundry Mold Growth?
Unfortunately mold spores exist all around us so it’s impossible to prevent all mold growth forever. But you can take steps to minimize how much takes hold and reduce any harmful health effects:
- Keep surfaces clean – Use your washer’s self-clean cycle monthly or scrub inside the drum manually with an old toothbrush and detergent. This removes hidden buildup mold feeds on.
- Dry everything thoroughly – Don’t let wet clothes or internal washer parts sit wet for hours. Leave the door open between loads so air circulation can dry it out.
- Check hoses and seals – Inspect rubber gaskets and water inlet hoses regularly for slime buildup or black mold colonies. Replace any overly moldy parts.
- Improve ventilation – Make sure your laundry room has a working exhaust fan, dehumidifier or ventilation windows. Keep air constantly circulating to inhibit unseen moisture mold thrives on.
Stay vigilant with these preventative habits plus using sanitizers or disinfectants. Together they offer the best protection against out-of-control laundry mold issues.
The Takeaway
Mold loves the dark, damp environment inside washing machines, laundry tubs and laundry rooms. Once established, mold self-replicates rapidly and sends spores into the air leading to ugly stains and potentially harmful health issues.
Thankfully laundry sanitizers provide an easy, convenient solution proven highly effective against laundry mold. Their antimicrobial ingredients reliably kill existing mold and prevent regrowth for a period of time when used properly.
While not foolproof, making laundry sanitizers part of your cleaning regimen keeps mold under control better than anything else. Combine sanitizing with extra scrubbing, ventilation and prevention habits for the cleanest, mold-free laundry possible!
References
Environmental Protection Agency. 2022. What Kills Mold? Does Bleach Kill Mold?. [online] Available at: https://www.epa.gov/mold/what-kills-mold-does-bleach-kill-mold [Accessed 16 January 2024].
Palmer, L. 2022. Do Natural Cleaners Kill Mold?. [online] The Spruce. Available at: https://www.thespruce.com/do-natural-cleaners-kill-mold-4126322 [Accessed 18 January 2024].
Sehulster, L., Chinn, R.Y.W., Arduino, M.J. and Carpenter, J., 2022. Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities: recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC). [online] cdc.gov. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/infectioncontrol/guidelines/environmental/background/laundry.html [Accessed 16 January 2024].
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.