Will Vinegar Remove Mold From Curtains?

Mold can be a big problem for many homeowners. Often, mold is found on curtains and other fabric items that are hung in the home.

Mold must be removed as soon as possible since it releases allergens into your home and increases the risk of respiratory problems.

Will vinegar remove mold from curtains? Absolutely! With a few simple tricks for application, you can easily use vinegar to refresh and disinfect your window dressings.

Eco-friendly natural cleaners baking soda, lemon and cloth on wooden table windows background,

In this blog post, we will talk about how you can use vinegar to safely and effectively remove mold from your curtains – read on for all of the details!

Will Vinegar Remove Mold From Curtains?

You may have tried to clean mold from your curtains with bleach or other chemicals, but those methods will not work as well as vinegar.

Vinegar is a natural cleaner that can remove mold from any surface and it won’t leave behind a strong chemical smell like some of the other cleaners you might be using.

Some benefits of using vinegar to remove mold include:

  • Non-toxic
  • All-natural
  • Safe for pets and kids
  • Deodorizes fabrics
  • Will not bleach or lighten your curtains
  • Safe for the environment
  • Can be used on any surface

If you have expensive or high-quality curtains that you want to last for a long time, vinegar is the perfect combination of an effective cleaner with gentle enough properties that won’t damage the fabric itself.

The process is simple, mix 1 part vinegar with 3 parts water in a spray bottle then spritz the mixture on your curtain and allow it to dry completely before hanging them back up again.

For tougher stains, you can apply a full concentration of vinegar to the area and use a toothbrush or other small cleaning brush to get in between the fibers and break up any residue.

Be careful not to scrub too hard since this could damage the fabric.

You can also soak your curtains in a solution made of one gallon of water and one cup of white distilled vinegar.

Don’t leave your curtains in this solution for longer than an hour or you risk damaging the fabric.

You can add a cup or two of vinegar to a washing machine and run your curtains on the gentle cycle if they are washable.

If your curtains can withstand a higher temperature, warm or hot water will help accelerate the process and kill even more bacteria and mold spores.

Does Vinegar Kill Mold Permanently?

a bottle of vinegar and a round container showing some mold inside it

Vinegar is a great cleaner, but it will not kill mold permanently. This study shows that vinegar is effective at killing certain strains of mold but is much less effective for others.

This is because vinegar works by disrupting the cell membrane of mold, but other types do not have this same type of structure.

You should expect to have to repeat the process once every few months if you find that your curtains are constantly getting wet or are in areas with high humidity such as the bathroom.

How Long Does It Take for Vinegar to Kill Mold?

Some mold strains will instantly die from exposure to vinegar, but others may take up to an hour.

It may also take several washing cycles and treatments to get the mold out of your curtains if they have not been cleaned in a very long time and have an excessive amount of mold.

Does White Vinegar Kill Black Mold?

White vinegar can kill black mold on both porous and non-porous surfaces or fabrics.

Distilled white vinegar is the strongest type of vinegar and has a high level of acidity, which is why it is so effective at killing mold. Make sure to wear a mask when removing large amounts of black mold to prevent respiratory issues.

Is Hydrogen Peroxide or Vinegar Better to Kill Mold?

Image of a bottle of vinegar being push away by black silhouette person from a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a bottle of bleach that are pushed away by black silhouette person

Hydrogen peroxide is another popular disinfectant and a popular alternative to bleach. While it is an effective and relatively safe way to kill mold, vinegar is the best choice for use with curtains and other fabrics.

This is because vinegar is less likely to affect the colors of your curtains or bleach them, which happens with hydrogen peroxide.

Vinegar also has a lower risk of negative side effects and is not considered flammable, so it is the best choice for homeowners concerned about using chemicals in their home or have pets or children that they need to protect from exposure to bleach and other harsh cleaning products.

Never mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide together. This will create a substance known as peracetic acid, which is toxic and can cause a wide range of negative health effects including irritated skin and respiratory issues.

Can You Mix Vinegar and Bleach to Kill Mold?

It’s unsafe to mix vinegar and bleach together as mold treatment. When the bleach comes into contact with the vinegar, it can create chlorine gas. This can be very unsafe in large doses, or if you’re in a small or unventilated room.

Many people make the mistake of thinking that mixing these two substances together will double the cleaning power of one of them. This is a myth, and the scientific community has widely debunked it.

If you want to increase the strength of vinegar when cleaning your curtains or any other surfaces in your home, mix it with baking soda instead.

Baking soda and vinegar are a popular combination for cleaning, and there are many recipes for DIY cleaners that can be made with these two ingredients.

Final Thoughts

Will vinegar remove mold from curtains? Absolutely! It’s one of the best cleaners for curtains and other fabrics.

Vinegar is a great way to combat mold in your home without using harsh chemicals or bleach, which can cause damage to both you and the environment.

Make sure you have vinegar in your pantry so you’re ready to remove any household mold before it becomes a bigger problem. You can discover more uses for white vinegar here.

Photo of a dirty curtain and a white bottle of vinigar with text overlays that read Will Vinegar Remove Mold From Curtains

About Emma

Hey there! I'm Emma. When I'm not wrangling kids I like to walk aimlessly around hardware stores and watch HGTV for hours on end.

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