How to Remove Mildew From Golf Headcovers

To remove mildew from a headcover, brush off the dry spores outdoors, treat the spots with a mix of white vinegar and water, rinse or wipe, then dry the cover completely with moving air before it goes back in the bag. Fabric and knit covers can often be laundered. Leather needs a lighter touch. The cleaning is the easy half. Fixing the damp storage that caused the mildew is what keeps it from coming back.

TL;DR

• Brush mildew off dry and outdoors first. Wet cleaning a cover covered in loose spores spreads them.
• A 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts warm water mix is a common first treatment for fabric. Test a hidden spot first.
• Leather covers get a damp cloth and a light touch, never a soak. Check the care label on knit and synthetic covers before machine washing.
• Dry fully in shade with airflow. A cover that goes back in the bag damp grows mildew again.
• Humidity, warmth and stale air cause mildew. Change how you store covers, not just how you clean them.

Table of Contents

• Why headcovers get mildew
• What to gather first
• Step by step: remove mildew from fabric and synthetic covers
• How to handle leather headcovers
• What about bleach?
• Quick guide by material
• Stop the mildew from coming back
• Our perspective
• When a replacement makes sense
• FAQ
• Sources

Why headcovers get mildew

Mildew is a surface fungus. It needs moisture, warmth and still air, and a golf bag gives it all three. The Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation Institute explains that natural-fiber textiles absorb moisture quickly and release it slowly, and that high humidity, warm temperatures and poor ventilation encourage mold growth. Leather is not exempt. The Canadian Conservation Institute notes that leather and skins are particularly susceptible to mould growth.

The usual ways a headcover ends up damp:

• A wet round, then the bag is zipped into a car trunk or garage.
• A cover pulled off a damp club head and stuffed into the pocket.
• Rain or morning dew soaked into a pom-pom knit or the lining.
• Months of off-season storage in a basement, shed or closed bag.

The first signs are a musty smell, then gray, white, green or black speckles, often at the seams, under the pom-pom, and inside the opening where the cover meets the club head.

What to gather first

You do not need a special kit. Most of this is already in the house.

• A soft-bristled brush (an old toothbrush for seams and stitching)
• White vinegar and a spray bottle
• Clean white cloths or old T-shirts, so no dye transfers
• Mild detergent, or a wool-safe detergent for wool and knit covers
• A pillowcase or mesh laundry bag for machine washing
• A dust mask and gloves if you are sensitive to mold or the mildew is heavy

If you want a routine you can repeat all season, our 5 minute headcover care kit covers the basics.

Step by step: remove mildew from fabric and synthetic covers

1. Take the cover outside and brush it dry

Do this before any water touches the cover. The University of Georgia’s textile extension advises to brush mildew off outdoors as the first step, so the spores are not released indoors. Work away from your face. Brush the seams, the stitching and inside the cover, then wipe the brush clean.

2. Spot test the vinegar mix

Mix 1 part white vinegar with 2 parts warm water. That ratio comes from a manufacturer’s care page for garments and bags, which suggests lightly brushing off surface mold, then working a one-third vinegar, two-thirds warm water mix into the fabric. Dab a hidden area, such as the inside of the cuff, and wait a few minutes. If the color does not move onto the cloth, go ahead. Embroidered logos and bright reds and blues are the usual trouble spots, so our one-minute dye transfer check is worth running first.

3. Treat the spots

Spray or dab the solution on the affected areas. Work it in with a cloth or the soft brush, using small circles along the seams. Do not saturate the cover, because the goal is to treat the mildew, not to wet the foam padding underneath. Let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse the cloth and repeat if spots remain.

4. Launder if the label allows it

For knit and fabric covers, a wash is the most thorough fix. The UGA guidance for mildewed fabrics is to apply detergent to the stain and launder. For headcovers, that means:

1. Put the cover in a pillowcase or mesh bag to protect stitching and embroidery.
2. Use a gentle cycle, cool or lukewarm water and mild detergent.
3. Skip fabric softener and high heat.
4. Take it out while still slightly damp and reshape it by hand.

If the cover has a structured foam core or leather trim, hand wash it instead. Our guide to reshaping stretched headcovers without heat helps if a wash leaves a cover loose.

5. Dry it fully

Press the cover between dry towels, then let it dry in shade with moving air. Direct sun can fade colors, and a hot dryer can shrink knits and warp foam. Turn the cover inside out once it is mostly dry so the lining can air. It should feel dry inside the opening and under the pom-pom before it goes anywhere near a bag. If fading is a concern, see our post-round habits that stop headcover fading.

How to handle leather headcovers

Leather is where most people do damage by being too aggressive. Do not soak it, scrub it hard or put it in a washer.

1. Brush off the dry spores outdoors with a soft brush.
2. Dampen a clean cloth with the diluted vinegar mix (wrung out well, not dripping) and wipe the surface gently.
3. Wipe again with a cloth dampened with plain water to remove residue.
4. Let it dry slowly, away from direct sun and heaters, stuffed loosely with a dry cloth or paper to hold its shape.
5. Once dry, check whether the leather feels stiff. If it does, a leather conditioner made for the finish can help.

The CCI’s guidance for mouldy leather is aimed at conservators, so for valuable or very old pieces it is worth asking a professional leather restorer rather than experimenting. Our own walkthrough, 5 steps to clean leather headcovers, goes deeper on the routine.

Test first on a hidden area, because vinegar can dull some finishes. If the leather is deeply stained, cracked or the mold has grown into the stitching or lining, replacement is often the more realistic fix.

What about bleach?

Bleach is the fix people reach for, and it is the one that most often ruins a headcover. The UGA extension lists a soak in a diluted chlorine bleach solution for 10 to 15 minutes as an option for apparel fabrics, but only if the fabric is safe for it. Most headcovers are not a good candidate: it can fade colors, weaken stitching, damage coatings and strip leather. Never mix bleach with vinegar or ammonia. Use bleach only on a plain white cotton item where the care label allows it, and not on leather, knits with embroidery or colored synthetic covers.

Quick guide by material

When the care label and this table disagree, follow the label.

Stop the mildew from coming back

Cleaning only resets the clock. The cause is damp air and trapped moisture, so these habits matter more than any cleaner:

• Dry covers after wet rounds. Take every cover off, wipe the club head and the cover, and let both air out when you get home.
• Do not store covers in the bag all winter. Keep them somewhere cool, dry and ventilated, not a closed trunk or a damp garage.
• Give them airflow. A mesh bag or an open shelf beats a sealed plastic bin.
• Check mid-season. A quick sniff test catches mildew before it stains.
• Keep the clubs dry too. Moisture trapped under a cover also speeds up rust. Our posts on whether golf headcovers are really waterproof and protecting woods in wet weather rounds cover this.

If the cover is clean but still smells musty, see our guide to deodorizing golf headcovers. For the year-round view, there is also a care playbook to keep clubs tournament-ready. A mildewed hat follows the same logic, and our page on cleaning golf hats shows how.

Our perspective

Most mildew we hear about is not a cleaning failure. It is a storage failure. A headcover is built to protect a club head, which means it holds a snug, enclosed pocket of air against metal and wood. If that pocket is damp when the zipper closes, you have created the exact environment mildew likes.

We design headcovers for golfers who want both protection and personality, and we think durability includes how a cover handles real life: wet mornings, humid car trunks, off-season shelves. That is why we point golfers toward simple habits first: dry the cover, let it breathe, and keep it out of a sealed bag. A good cover that is cared for properly lasts. A good cover that is zipped away wet will not.

One more point: be gentle. The urge is to scrub hard, use something strong, and be done with it. Embroidery, coatings and leather finishes are what make a cover look the way it does, and strong chemicals take those first. A soft brush, a mild solution and patience protect the design.

— Josh

When a replacement makes sense

Some covers are not worth saving. Consider replacing one if:

• The mildew has returned more than once in the same spot.
• The foam padding inside is stained or still smells after washing and drying.
• The leather is cracked, flaking or stiff after cleaning.
• The lining is stained through, which can transfer onto the club head.

If you need a fresh start, browse our driver headcovers and fairway headcovers, or see the full range of headcovers, blade and mallet putter covers and hats on the Jaguar Golf store. We also offer personalized designs.

FAQ

Does vinegar really kill mildew on headcovers?

White vinegar is a widely used first treatment for mildew on fabric, and a diluted mix is gentle enough for most covers after a spot test. It works best after dry brushing and when the cover is dried thoroughly afterward. For heavy or repeated growth on leather, a professional leather restorer is the safer call.

Can I put a mildewed headcover in the washing machine?

Often yes for knit and fabric covers, if the care label allows it. Brush it outdoors first, place it in a pillowcase or mesh bag, and use a gentle cycle with mild detergent. Leather and structured covers should be cleaned by hand instead.

How do I get the musty smell out after the mildew is gone?

Smell usually means moisture is still trapped in the lining or foam. Dry the cover again with plenty of airflow, then repeat a light vinegar wipe if needed. Our deodorizing guide lays out a longer process.

Is it safe to handle moldy headcovers?

For a light surface spot, brushing outdoors and wearing gloves is usually enough. If you have asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system, wear a mask or ask someone else to do it. If the growth is heavy, consider throwing the cover out.

Sources

• Mold and Mildew on Textiles, Museum Conservation Institute
• Removing Mould from Leather, Canadian Conservation Institute
• Remove Stains From Mildew, Mold, University of Georgia Extension
• Mold grew on my item! How can I clean it?, Filson support

Recommended

• 5-Step Clean Leather Headcovers for Golfers, Backed by Jaguargolf
• Stop Headcover Fading With Three Post Round Habits for Golfers
• Reshape Stretched Golf Headcovers: 5 Material First Steps Without Heat
• Golfers: Deodorize Golf Headcovers in 8–12 Hours, Jaguargolf Tested