Have you taken your stroller out of the garage and it's covered in black spots? Fortunately, not everything is so bad and you can try to save her. How to remove mold from stroller fabric? What folk remedies will help remove fungus from all types of tissue. How to clean a stroller at home without bleach or dry cleaning.
Mold is a waste product of a microscopic fungus. Its spores are constantly present in the space around us and, once in a warm, humid environment, they begin to actively germinate, forming a mold coating on surfaces.
Mold prefers to live in damp, poorly ventilated areas, spreading to all objects that are inside. Often, a baby stroller stored in utility rooms, in the garage or on the balcony becomes the target of mold fungus.
How to remove mold on a stroller
How to remove fungus at home? Industrial household chemicals are the easiest way to remove mold from a baby stroller. It is enough just to follow the instructions for use of the drug, which are usually indicated on the label.
When choosing a mold remedy in the store, remember that mixing different products is not recommended due to a possible chemical reaction.
Antipyatin
“Antipyatin” (a series of household chemicals designed to remove difficult stains: soap, oxygen bleach, liquid stain remover).
They are usually used for soaking and washing clothes and fabric-based products.
Follow the instructions on the product label. Products from the Antipyatin series are good because they can be used for washing children’s clothes from the first days of a child’s life.
Whitening and chlorine-containing products
Chlorine-containing products and bleaches are very good at getting rid of all types of fungus and the smell of rot and mold. However, if you decide to use such products, remember that after such a fairly aggressive treatment, the removable covers will need to be washed and rinsed several times to get rid of drug residues and persistent odors.
Chlorine products can damage the color and structure of the fabric, so they can only be used on light-colored materials. They should be applied to the fabric in diluted form strictly in accordance with the instructions, without exceeding the specified dosage.
Domestos
"Domestos" is a less aggressive drug from a series of chlorine-containing products due to the softening components included in its composition. Domestos in gel form is convenient for dry cleaning. How to remove mold from a stroller using this product?
A few drops of the drug are applied directly to the fabric, thoroughly rubbed in with a sponge, left to act for 10-15 minutes, then the covers are washed in warm water. After treatment with Domestos, washing and rinsing must be done several times to get rid of product residues and corrosive odors.
When choosing chlorine-containing preparations, remember that pediatricians do not approve of their use for things of children of the first year of life. If you decide to clean the stroller with their help, make sure that there is not the slightest trace left on it from the use of these products.
Causes of fungus and unpleasant odor
You can forget forever about bad-smelling clothes and other things stored in the closet where mold lives only after it is completely eliminated. Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors that favorably influence the decline in air quality in the home. Let's give an example of those that can be really dangerous:
- High level of humidity in the room, and therefore in the closet.
- Storing wet clothes and bad-smelling items on shelves.
- Storing clothes that have been poorly washed to remove perfumes and antiperspirants.
- The special chemical composition of things.
- The cabinet is made of low-quality elements.
It is also worth noting that the correct location of the cabinet itself is of great importance:
- It is better if it is located as far as possible from the bathroom and kitchen.
- It is not recommended to install it in a corner; it is preferable to choose a more ventilated place.
How to get rid of mold on stroller fabric using folk remedies
Proven folk remedies have less of a toxic effect on a fragile child’s body than commercial chemicals, and also deal with difficult stains quite effectively.
Laundry soap
Laundry soap is an absolutely safe product for babies, an excellent disinfectant that helps deal with mold stains. How to remove mold from a stroller using laundry soap?
First you need to prepare a concentrated soap solution: grate half a bar of soap on a coarse grater and dilute with water to the consistency of a thick gel.
The prepared product should be applied to the affected areas for 1-2 hours, then rinsed thoroughly with water.
Removable covers must be soaked in soapy water and then washed in a washing machine.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a proven home remedy for fungus. With its help you can wash even stubborn black mold. 9% table vinegar can be used undiluted (vinegar essence should be diluted according to the instructions). Vinegar is good because it does not spoil the color of the fabric, and also copes well with fungus.
Moisten all areas of mold on the stroller with vinegar, leave for 30-40 minutes, then thoroughly wash the removable covers in hot water using detergent and rinse several times.
Lemon juice and acid
Lemon juice is another safe, everyday product. However, remember that citrus fruits can cause allergies in children. Make sure that there is not the slightest residue of lemon juice left on the fabric after processing and washing. How to remove mold from a stroller using lemon juice?
Freshly squeezed juice should be applied to the areas affected by the fungus, left for 1-2 hours, then the fabric should be washed in a washing machine with the addition of washing powder and be sure to rinse several times.
Soda
Baking soda is a wonderful home remedy for all types of fungus. In order to remove mold from a baby stroller, you need to prepare a strong soda solution (mix soda with water in a 1:1 ratio).
Then use a sponge to wipe off visible dirt with soda slurry, leave to act for 1-2 hours, then wash the fabric in hot water using washing powder.
Alcohol-containing solutions
Alcohol and alcohol-containing solutions (ammonia, boric acid, etc.) are a simple and effective way to clean mold stains on a stroller. Food alcohol and a 1-3% solution of boric acid can be applied without prior dilution, but ammonia should be diluted with water in a 1:1 ratio.
Use a cotton swab or a regular cloth to moisten the fabric generously, trying to remove mold stains. Leave to act for 10-20 minutes, then wash the fabric in the washing machine with added detergent.
Borax
Borax should be used in the form of an aqueous solution. To prepare it you need to mix 100 grams. borax powder and 1 liter of warm water.
Using a sponge, thoroughly treat the stained areas and leave to act for 30-40 minutes. Then wash the stroller upholstery in the washing machine with added detergent. Be sure to thoroughly rinse any remaining product from the fabric.
Chalk (white)
Chalk is a good solution for removing small white or yellowish specks of mold. Used for dry cleaning. Finely crushed chalk should be rubbed into the dirt, and then ironed with a hot iron.
It is recommended to repeat the procedure several times until the plaque completely disappears. After dry cleaning, covers and other removable parts should be washed with soap or washing powder.
Turpentine
Turpentine is a natural vegetable solvent that copes well with stains and also does not spoil fabric . Turpentine is applied in pure form to the stain for 30 minutes, then the upholstery should be washed in hot water using detergent.
Turpentine is a concentrated mixture of coniferous oils: it can cause an allergic reaction in children. Residues of turpentine must be rinsed very carefully from the upholstery.
Old methods
Previously, when there was not a large abundance of fabrics, people looked after their clothes much more carefully than now. They removed stains from clothes by boiling things down, washing them, and using somewhat unusual methods.
For example, how to remove mold from a thing using sunflower ashes? It turns out that our grandmothers and great-grandmothers successfully used this method of cleaning clothes in the post-war years. To obtain ash, they took sunflower roots, burned them in an iron container, then put them in gauze and placed them in hot water. After a short period of time, they took out the gauze with the ashes and washed things in that water. By the way, sunflower ashes produced soap foam no worse than ordinary powder.
Mold was also removed from fabric using washing soap. To do this, take a large bar of not very fragrant soap, grind it on a grater and add it to gauze (this was done so that pieces of the product did not stick to clothes). Gauze with soap was placed in a special container, filled with 10 liters of water, and boiled. When the water was heated, dirty things were added to it and boiled. Some people still use this method today, treating old towels, diapers, and bedding this way.
By the way, the soap for digestion was prepared in a very unusual way. They took the meat and bones of a chicken (often dead), added it to water along with caustic soda, and cooked this mixture over a fire until it turned into a homogeneous mass. Afterwards, the liquid was poured onto a flat form (baking tray) and after hardening, the soap was cut using a thick thread. This product was used to wash items made from coarse materials, after which not a speck of dirt or mold remained on the products.
The remaining curdled milk after making cottage cheese was used not only in cooking. It was used to remove stains on all kinds of fabrics by pouring an acidic liquid onto the stain and leaving it there for 1-2 hours. Nowadays, curdled milk is rarely used; lemon juice or acid is used more, which have a detrimental effect on the fungus.
Mold loves moisture, dampness, and darkness. To prevent fungus from appearing on clothing fabrics or other items, you must:
- dry things thoroughly;
- store clothes in the closet on hangers;
- periodically take wardrobe items out into the sun and ventilate the closet itself (relevant for clothes that are stored in the country);
- If there is high humidity in the house, then it is necessary to dry things as often as possible.
Fungal stains that have formed on car covers and sofa upholstery can be removed with a carpet or toilet cleaner (Vanish, Domestos, Toilet Duckling). These products will remove unpleasant odors and dark mold without spoiling the color of the fabric. It is better not to use cheap toilet bowl cleaners, as they can remove the paint along with the stains, leaving a light stain.
It is better to send an expensive item that has mold to a dry cleaner, where specialists will use professional means to return the fabric to proper condition.
Dry cleaning and professional mold removal
No matter how you try to remove ingrained mold on a baby stroller, you will not be able to completely get rid of it. It is better to entrust this matter to professionals who have a whole arsenal of anti-fungal remedies at their disposal. Contact a dry cleaner if microorganisms have penetrated deeply into the fabric, but have not yet begun to destroy it.
With the help of modern chemistry, you can remove even the most stubborn stains, while maintaining the original color and structure of the material. Professional dry cleaning is good because it leaves no traces of disinfectants on the fabric, and this is especially important when products for children are processed. In cases where the stroller cannot be disassembled, non-removable parts are disinfected using hot steam.
The video shows how to clean a baby stroller with steam.
If mold on the stroller appears in the form of single dots or small spots, you can try to remove it yourself.
Before processing, the stroller must be disassembled according to the instructions. If there are no instructions or they are lost, information on dismantling can always be found on the Internet, for example, watch the video: How to remove textile covers from a baby stroller.
Parts should be treated with the selected product and then washed in a washing machine with regular powder. Washing will cleanse the fabric of residual disinfectants and tiny fungal spores, and will also help remove the unpleasant smell of mold and dampness.
Prevention
To save yourself from such worries in the future, it is better to arrange everything in advance so that you can properly store the baby stroller:
- it in a dry, ventilated area;
- Before storing, clean the stroller from dirt and dry it;
- if you have to keep the children's transport on the balcony or in other unsuitable conditions, then you need to treat it with vinegar or soda solution and then dry it well.
Compliance with all care measures for this product will keep it in excellent condition.
Precautionary measures
- When starting to treat mold stains on a baby stroller, it is necessary to protect your hands and respiratory organs from floating mold spores and the aggressive action of antifungal agents. Be sure to use rubber gloves and a respirator (or medical mask). Carry out cleaning in the open air (or balcony) in the absence of children.
- If your child is prone to allergic reactions or has respiratory problems, use only hypoallergenic, fragrance-free products designed for washing children's clothes.
- Take care of the safety of the fabric. Do not use the product without first testing it on an inconspicuous area of upholstery. After any treatment, the covers must be washed (preferably in a washing machine) and the remaining product must be thoroughly rinsed out of the fabric. Remember that natural materials shrink when washed in hot water. Washed upholstery must be dried in the open air for 2 days.
Wash or buy a new one?
There is an opinion that a stroller covered with mold stains should not be washed, but should be thrown away immediately. It is based on the fact that inhaling mold spores is dangerous. This statement is true: spores that enter the baby’s respiratory system will undoubtedly cause harm to his health. This means that the parts need to not only be washed to remove moldy stains, but also kill the fungal infection.
That is, in this case, what is needed is not a decorative effect, but the removal of the cause of yellow or black spots. Therefore, only washing powder will not cope with the task; here you need to choose a product that can fight the fungus.
Advice
If mold has grown in the mattress from the stroller, it is better to replace it with a new one. It is very difficult to remove mold from porous materials.
Laundry soap
You can safely remove black mold stains using laundry soap. For this you will need:
- dissolve shavings of laundry soap in warm water;
- add 1 teaspoon of baking soda to the soap solution;
- apply the resulting mixture to the dirt;
- leave for an hour.
After this, you need to rinse the cleaned areas with clean water.
How to prevent the appearance of an insidious enemy?
To ensure that such stains and unpleasant odors do not bother you anymore, you should think about ways to protect the room and dressing room
To do this, it is important to follow the following rules:
- mold “loves” humidity and heat, and therefore things should be put in the chest of drawers only when thoroughly dried, even if after ironing the laundry becomes damp, you need to dry it and only then put it away;
- on the market for household materials there are special moisture-absorbing bags that are worth transferring things for long-term storage;
- in the warm season, you need to ventilate wardrobes, take out all things, and do general cleaning inside the chest of drawers;
- Perhaps there is no need to remind you that storing dirty and clean clothes together is prohibited;
- and also do not lean the cabinet very close to the wall, especially if it is exposed to moisture in the winter.
Milk serum
Another safe method of getting rid of mold is using whey.
Algorithm:
- the affected areas should be moistened with whey;
- wait for the fabric to dry;
- treat the surface with hot steam using a steamer or an iron with a steam function;
- Rinse the area with clean water and wipe the product dry.
This method is one of the most gentle.
Home remedies
Traditional cleaners are less aggressive, but no less effective. Experienced housewives can wash off mold on a stroller using a 10% ammonia solution, laundry soap, potassium permanganate, soda, turpentine, acetic acid, etc. This process is longer, but the advantage is that the woven remains contain a minimum of harmful substances to health child of substances that may remain after unfair washing.
Laundry soap
This product will help to carefully remove mold stains and leave no chance for its further appearance. Before cleaning the stroller, you need to grate the soap on a coarse grater, add a teaspoon of soda and a little liquid to the resulting shavings. Apply the resulting paste to the fungal colonies and leave for 60 minutes. After the time has passed, wash the dried mixture under running water and wash.
Ammonia
This pharmaceutical product will help you get rid of unwanted marks forever.
An aqueous solution of ammonium hydroxide can revive not only a person, but also restore an attractive appearance to a children's vehicle. The technology of use consists of the following steps:
- Take a piece of cotton cloth and soak it generously in alcohol;
- Use a cloth swab to clean the marks and leave the product for an hour;
- Wash the baby stroller and dry it well.
Potassium permangantsovka
Potassium permanganate disinfects well, so its use on children's things is safe. To treat mold outbreaks, prepare a solution based on water and a couple of manganese granules. The water emulsion should be slightly pinkish in color, which can then be used to wash off the mold. The product is first left on the fabric, and then the covers are washed completely.
Soda and turpentine
These products have long proven themselves in many areas of everyday life, so they will also be indispensable assistants in the fight against fungus. Cleansing components are used both individually and in combination. If we talk about the first ingredient, then a solution is prepared on its basis in the proportion of a teaspoon of soda to a glass of water, and then applied to the dirt. After an hour, do a normal wash.
Turpentine oil will gently clean the fabric of children's transport.
Turpentine is used for a more delicate fight against fungal manifestations. To do this, soak a cotton swab with liquid and wipe away traces of mold. The cleaned area is covered with a cloth and ironed. To finally get rid of the harmful colony, you need to wash the baby stroller with washing powder. Baking soda and turpentine will help in tandem to remove old mold from the stroller. First, the covers are treated with turpentine oil and allowed to dry, and then sodium bicarbonate is rubbed in with a damp washcloth. Then they wipe it with a mixture of water and washing powder. At the end of the procedure, wash the textiles.
Table ocet and borax
Vinegar will get rid of traces of fungus and eliminate all spores that are located deeper. The instructions are very simple: fill the mold areas with a 6% vinegar solution and after 2-3 hours treat with a stiff brush. Then rinse the stroller upholstery in running water and dry in the fresh air. To completely remove mold, the procedure is repeated.
Sodium salt of boric acid is also a safe product and does not produce toxic compounds. Borax is used as follows:
- Dilute 100 g of sodium tetraborate in a liter of water at room temperature.
- Clean contaminated areas and leave for 2 hours.
- Treat with a brush and wipe with a dry cloth.
Essential oils and whey
This type of cleaning is carried out using oil extracts of tea tree, lavender, grapefruit and anise on strollers that have recently suffered from black spots. A solution is prepared from 2 teaspoons of oil, 2 tablespoons of 96% alcohol and 300 ml of water, which is used to wash away traces of the fungus. After 1-1.5 hours, the affected areas are washed with running water and dried. Using buttermilk to remove mold is considered the safest and most gentle method. Use the serum to wipe off mold areas and allow the fabric to dry completely. At the final stage, the covers are treated with hot steam, rinsed in clean water and dried well.
