7 Secrets for Preventing Mold Growth in Your Closets

Chad Maag • May 13, 2022

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and nowhere is this more apt when it comes to preventing mold in your custom closets.

It’s actually quite easy for mold to show up inside your closet. And once it gets there, it can and will continue to spread until you deal with the root cause. When it comes to handling mold growth, the best defense is a good offense.

If you want to stop mold in its tracks, follow these seven secrets:

Inspect and toss moldy clothes.
Use distilled white vinegar on affected walls.
Only store dry items.
Use a dehumidifier.
Allow for proper airflow.
Remove the hamper from your closet.
Do regular light cleaning.

Are you ready to stop your mold problem at the source and make sure it doesn’t spread within your closet? Let’s go in depth on every one of these secrets!

Inspect and Toss Moldy Clothes

Mold spreads best in places that are damp and dark. Because of this, closets often harbor and spread mold. One of the best ways to keep mold from appearing is to regularly inspect all of your clothing for mold or mold spores. Once spores have taken hold, you’ll have a lot of difficulty removing them. If you find mold on any of your clothes, remove and toss the items before the mold can spread.

Use Distilled White Vinegar on Affected Walls

It’s all too easy to panic once you see mold taking root in the walls of your closet. Don't worry; it’s relatively easy to remove mold. One of the most effective solutions is to use distilled white vinegar. Clean My Space recommends taking a spare spray bottle, filling it up with some DSV, and spraying the solution onto any mold on your closet walls. Once that’s done, simply wait a half-hour and use a brush to scrub the vinegar and mold off of the surface. Then all you need to do is rinse the wall with water, allow it to dry, and enjoy your new mold-free wall.

Only Store Dry Items

You might assume this is a common-sense point, but you’d be surprised by how easy it is to accidentally put damp clothing items in your closet, especially if you live in a humid climate or already have humidity issues in your home. One surprisingly effective solution is to invest in a box of silica gel packs. You can also use an anti-humidity product like DampRid to remove moisture from your closet entirely.

Use a Dehumidifier

If the products we just mentioned don’t help, you can and should turn to a dehumidifier. You can find plenty of sizes and styles at most big box stores, or you could even have one delivered if you’d rather shop online. Dehumidifiers are an effective, non-toxic solution for an overly humid closet.

Allow for Proper Airflow

Mold cannot exist, let alone thrive, in a well-ventilated environment. If you regularly open your closet and allow air to circulate, you should see a noticeable difference in the mold growth there. Don’t forget about other areas of your closet, though. Be sure to open any dry cleaning bag you may have, and avoid clumping clothes into piles.

Remove the Hamper From Your Closet

If your house already has a laundry room, you should keep any dirty clothes in there. If you don’t have a laundry room and absolutely need to keep your clothes hamper in the closet, just ensure that none of the clothes are wet or even slightly damp.

Do Regular Light Cleaning

Out of all of the secrets on this list, regular light cleaning of your closet is probably the best long-term solution. In a static environment, mold can grow unchecked. Try to block out some time on your calendar to check for mold in your closet, remove clothing that you haven’t used in a while, and clean out every wall and surface. All it takes is a few passes with a vacuum and a quick wipe-down to stop mold right in its tracks.

Conclusion

While it's easy for mold to take root and spread in a closet, it’s also really simple to clean out mold and stop the problem from ever recurring. If you follow each of these secrets and stay vigilant, you’ll have no issues keeping your closet fresh, clean, and completely free of mold!