How to Remove Mold from Backpack? Step-by-Step Guide in 2023

During the off-season, you may place your pack out of your wardrobe to make it secure or to make space for required luggage. You may place it in a corner of your basement, behind your closet, or other such places. Your beloved backpack would certainly need some special conditions and care routine.

Unfortunately, conditions are not that satisfactory on such dark sides of your house. Your rucksack may get dirty and dumped region due to awful circumstances. This damped portion may get mold on it. It’s pretty sarcastic to see your bag in such an unpleasant condition.

At first, you may think of throwing it out unwillingly. Stop! It’s not a preferable solution, you have to try your best to repair your flawless backpack. 

You might be wondering, “how to get rid of such a horrifying mold?”. Don’t worry! I’m here for you. Let’s dive into the given information without arguing further.

Mold Promoting Conditions

A mold would need certain conditions to grow. It grows very vigorously in suitable conditions. The required conditions for mold growth are stated below.

• Elevated temperature.
• Moisture in the environment.
• Spores and nutrients of mold.

In short, a humid and dirty place would promote mold growth. Therefore, make pretty sure to keep your backpack in a dry and ventilated place. It would help to keep moisture and high temperature away from your bag.

Moreover, mold spores are small enough to be invisible. Their size may range between 30-40 microns. You are unable to see them with your naked eyes. Therefore, it’s pretty hard to eradicate them from the air. As far as its nutrients are concerned, they may include all the organic materials like bread. Furthermore, mold may grow on nylon, plastic, leather, paper, wood, etc.

General Way to Remove the Mold

It might be pretty challenging for you to get rid of disastrous mold on your pack. You don’t have to worry anymore, you are just going to know a complete guide to do so. Let’s start with the most general and natural method. 

You would be able to erase that mold just by following every step with pretty enough attention and perfection.

Material Required to Remove Mold from Backpack

You may need the following stuff for eradicating the mold from your backpack.

• Soft-bristled brush
• Water
• Color-safe bleach( or lemon juice and salt)
• Laundry detergent
• Bathtub or huge container 
• Rough Sponge

Step-by-step Guide for Removing Mold

It’s time to know every step of this marvelous and super-easy method. Let’s start the utmost section of the discussion.

• First of all, empty your backpack and remove every item from your luggage.
• After you have detected mold on your pack, make sure to come out along with your backpack. All you need is to shake your backpack thoroughly in an open space, outside your home. It would help to remove mold and mold spores. Try to turn the inside of the backpack to remove further mildew. Make sure to cover up yourself to avoid any spores.
• Now, you are going to use a thick bristled brush. You have to brush down the moldy area of the pack to remove the remaining spores and mold. Make pretty sure to do so outside the home to avoid spores dispersal in your home.
• It’s time to put the affected bag in cold water. It would help to remove the already disturbed mold and spores. Make sure to cleanse the pack thoroughly to remove a maximum of the mold.
• The next step is to take plenty of warm water in a large tub and add some detergent to it. You just have to put the backpack in this container and rinse it solely. You may use a rough sponge to remove mold more deeply.
• Then thorough checking of the backpack is required, if a mold is still present then you may use color-safe bleach or lemon with salt to remove that mold with a sponge. Be clear to check the fabric of the bag and its colorfast ability before using the bleach.
• In the end, wash your backpack thoroughly with a large amount of clean water and hang it outside in the sun to let it dry for at least the next 24 hours. After drying, your backpack is ready to use again.

Alternatives to Remove the Mold from Backpack

If mold has stuck to your backpack badly and fails to be removed with the above method, you may go with some alternate options. These alternatives may include some harsh chemicals and products to remove glued mold stains. Some of them are stated down.

Borax Powder

It’s a white-colored powder, generally named sodium borate or sodium tetraborate. You may use it by forming a mixture of one cup with a gallon of water. All you need is to rub the molded area with this mixture. Let it sit for a few hours and the mold would disappear after some hours.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is usually labeled as melaleuca oil. It’s mostly known for its anti-fungal and anti-bacterial action. It would help you to remove the mold from the backpack.

All you need is to mix 1 tablespoon in a cup of water and just spray it over the molded area. Most importantly, it’s safe for humans and pets. Therefore, it wouldn’t harm you at all.

Grapefruit Seed Extract

The grapefruit seed extract is also a natural anti-fungal product and is used to remove mold and mildew. You may add ten drops to a cup of water and spray this mixture over the molded part and let it dry for a few years. Moreover, it’s odorless and safe to use.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is a pretty harsh chemical and is used to kill the fungus and mold. You may use it just by putting the 3% hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle and spraying it over the affected area of the backpack. 

Make sure to wipe clean it with a soft cloth. Avoid rubbing the color of the surface, it’s harsh and may ruin the color.

Conclusion

Your backpack may get mold during the off-season. You may think of trash the bag but it’s not appropriate. You may fix it in various ways. Now it’s up to you to choose the best way to remove mold from backpack by considering the nature of the mold.

Make sure to prevent yourself from mold spores by wearing gloves and a face mask. Follow every step carefully to get the desired results. Once you have done everything perfectly, you can use your bag again and again. 

Have fun repairing and using it for the next term!!