Question
Dr. Laundry, how do I remove mildew from my table cloth? It is 52% cotton and 48% polyester. Please help!
Answer
The best thing for removing mildew is Clorox Regular-Bleach. Assuming the tablecloth is white or bleachable (See Bleachability test if unsure). I would either do a short soak (¼ cup Clorox Regular Bleach in gallon of cool water for 5-10 minutes) then wash in hottest water recommended for the tablecloth using detergent plus ¾ cup Clorox Regular-Bleach. An alternative would be to use the Clorox Bleach Pen Gel if a few spots are involved. Simply rub on the mildew spots then wash in hottest water recommended for the tablecloth using detergent plus ¾ cup Clorox Regular-Bleach.
If colored, you might try wetting with cool water, applying Clorox 2 and rubbing into the mildew, waiting 5-10 minutes then wash in hottest water recommended for the tablecloth using detergent plus the recommended amount of Clorox 2. Since Clorox 2 is weaker bleach, you may have to repeat the procedure.