Mould prevention hacks: The surprising trick an expert says will prevent clothes getting mouldy in your wardrobe

Cluttered wardrobes result in wasted time finding clothes, wasted money buying things you forgot you had and stress knowing there’s a big mess waiting.

Unfortunately they’re not the only problems of a cluttered wardrobe because having so many tightly packed garments in the one space means less air flow, which of course leads to mould.

However, there is a simple way to help prevent clothes getting damaged by the fungi and save you a time-consuming cleaning job or having to throw away items.

READ MORE: Expert tips for keeping your wardrobe clutter free all year

According to Rebecca Samuels, lifestyle buyer at Suit Direct, all you have to do is lift a finger – literally.

“If clothes are packed too tightly, they may not have the opportunity to breathe. This can cause moisture to get trapped, creating the perfect conditions for mould and mildew to grow, especially on fabrics like cotton, wool, or linen,” she said.

“You should ideally make sure every hanger has a finger width of space between the other, giving it breathing space, additionally we should be airing out our clothing regularly – exposing our clothes to fresh air and sunlight can help kill mould spores and prevent them from settling on fabric.”

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That means decluttering and reorganising our wardrobes will not only help make more space for ventilation, with less clothes to choose from the outfits will get more wear and therefore more chances to air out in the sun.

If you do find mould on your clothes the extent of the damage and type of mould will help you decide whether to try to remove the fungi or throw the item away.

Heavily contaminated and stained clothes are best thrown away as well as anything you can’t remove the stains or smell from after trying to clean them.

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Decluttering tips and hacks to make it quick and easy

To clean mouldy items do a hot wash using either vinegar or oxygen bleach (if used together these create a toxic gas) as detergent isn’t generally effective at killing mould spores.

For things like boots and leather jackets you might need to brush off the mould first outside using a soft bristled brush or cloth that you can throw away after. A mask can be worn for this to prevent you breathing in any spores.

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Mould isn’t the only thing that can damage your clothes in a cluttered wardrobe, moths are more likely to wreak havoc on them too.

While the insect can attack even in an organised wardrobe, a cluttered one means the space hasn’t been cleaned and refreshed in a long time creating the perfect dark environment for moths.

You’ll know you have moths if you spot holes in clothes that weren’t there when you put them in the wardrobe.

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To prevent this, Samuels recommends putting prevention measures in place. These can be done at any time but after a declutter and clean out is best to ensure you’ve gotten rid of any already in the wardrobe.

“You can help to prevent pesky moths from biting into your clothes by investing in some scented wardrobe or drawer sachets. Aside from keeping your clothes smelling fresh, sachets with scents such as cedarwood, lavender, and rosemary are your best friend when it comes to moth proofing your clothes storage,” she said.

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