How To Remove Mildew Stains From Vinyl With 5 Easy Steps

Maybe you own vinyl and noticed that mildew is growing on it. Now you are searching for ways on how to remove mildew stains from vinyl.

Well, you are in luck because, in this article, we will show you five easy steps on how to remove them.

how to remove mildew stains from vinyl

On cleaning mildew stains, you might need a mild, nonabrasive detergent combined with water. Gently wipe it with a cloth, and there you have it, a vinyl cleaned of mildew.

After that, rinse off the vinyl with clean water and wipe it dry. For a more in-depth guide on removing mildew stain off vinyl, continue to read the article.

 

What Is Vinyl?

Vinyl is an artificial synthetic product that contains ethylene and chlorine. When combined and processed, it’s called Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) or, as you now know, vinyl.

It was invented by a scientist back in 1920 who wanted a material that was easy to make, durable, and cheap for manufacturing everyday products. As it is a versatile plastic, vinyl has been used in many ways, such as vinyl records, vinyl siding, and even vinyl flooring.

Vinyl is pretty easy to clean, maintain, and last long enough compared to other plastics. Due to this, vinyl has become the second-largest sold and manufactured plastic resin globally.

 

How Can Mildew Grow From Vinyl?

Although vinyl is waterproof, it is still susceptible to mold or mildew. If there is stagnant water around the edges, grooves, or even under the vinyl, mildew can grow on it. 

Ensure that if you notice any leak or standing water on your vinyl, you better clean and fix the problem right away instead of letting it be and waiting for mildew to grow. If you want to know how fast does mildew grow, check out one of our articles that will surely help you.

 

5 Easy Steps To Get Rid Of Mildew On Your Vinyl

Here are five steps for you to follow on cleaning your vinyl:

 

Step #1. Mix water and nonabrasive detergent

To clean mildew stains off the vinyl, you would first need warm water, dishwashing soap, or nonabrasive detergent.

To start off, mix warm water with dishwashing soap or any nonabrasive detergent in a bucket. Make sure that the soap is diluted well with the water.

With this mixture, the mildew from the vinyl should be cleaned by now.

 

Step #2. Wipe the mixture to the vinyl

Grab a clean cloth or a sponge for this step and dip it in your soap-water mixture. With the sponge or the cloth, wipe the affected area of the vinyl.

When wiping, make sure to wipe it gently but firmly to get all those mildew off the vinyl. By now, you probably notice that some of the mildew stains are coming off.

 

Step #3. Rinse the vinyl 

Get clean tap water and rinse the vinyl you have just wiped with the soap-water mixture thoroughly. Make sure that the soap on the vinyl is completely removed and washed off.

Now grab a clean, dry cloth and use it to wipe the vinyl dry. Wipe the vinyl dry until there is no moisture left. If there is any moisture left, mildew can grow there again.

There should be no mildew stains left. If there is any left, continue following these steps.

 

Step #4. Spray it with a white vinegar mixture

For this step, you would need 2 cups of hot water, 3 tablespoons of white vinegar, a teaspoon of borax powder, and a spray bottle.

Mix the white vinegar and the borax powder to the hot water in the spray bottle and shake the mixture well. Then spray it on the affected vinyl area and leave it to sit for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, wipe off the moisture well with a dry clean cloth.

 

Step #5. Scrub it off with undiluted liquid chlorine

If there is remaining mildew after step number 4, you would need liquid chlorine and a medium-soft cleaning brush to clean it off.

Apply the undiluted liquid chlorine directly to the affected area and scrub it with the medium-soft cleaning brush. After scrubbing it clean, rinse it off with clean water and dry the vinyl to ensure mildew will not grow on it again.

 

How To Prevent Mildew Growth On Vinyl

To prevent mildew growth on your vinyl, you must remove all moisture from your vinyl and always clean the area. Maintaining cleanliness and making sure that the vinyl is dry is an effective way to prevent mildew from growing.

You can also opt for a vinyl protectant to prevent mildew from growing.

If you think that mildew is not growing on your vinyl, believe it is mold. Here is how to remove mold stains from vinyl as our guide. 

 

Conclusion

Now that you have reached this part of the article, you have learned how to remove mildew stains from vinyl. Make sure to follow the steps thoroughly to make sure that you won’t deal with the same problem again.