How do I get mildew out of my closet/drawers?

bleach, bleach, more bleach. Spray bottle, mix one part bleach five parts water, and mist lightly every day for a week. Works for me.

Put the drawers out in the sun after you wash them out with bleach.

Take everything out of the closet and wash the entire thing with bleach, then spray with Tilex to destroy the mold. Leave the doors open for several days, and perhaps use a fan to help.

the previous suggestions were both good. However as a form of prevention I would suggest keeping a container of silica or baking soda in there to absorb the moisture that would facilitate the mildew growth.

Keep it dry and you’ll avoid this problem in the future.

Fire, just light a match and walk away.

I agree with @Dr_C after a good scrubbing, put an old sock filled with rice and some baking soda to help control odor and moisture.

Also, when you’ve taken everything out of the closet, look to find out what’s causing the moisture in the closet. Old running shoes? Wet towel? Leak in a pipe or the roof that’s creating black mold in the walls?

Please track down the source of the smell before you go spraying a bleach mixture on wood and walls.

Could it possibly be caused by some clothes that were still damp when put way? That’s the only thing I can think of that would cause the same smell in both a drawer and closet. Or have any of the belongings in the closet been moved to the drawer? Is the smell limited to one drawer or all of them? Is the dresser against a wall adjacent to the closet?

Put the drawers in direct sunlight, and remember to turn over the bureau and do the same (a sunlamp will work as well).
And for gosh sakes, don’t let the mil play in there anymore.

Tilex is amazing stuff. If you spray it on the area and leave it for 15–20 minutes, you can just wipe off the mold and mildew. But I agree that finding the soruce of the problem is a good idea.

Damp Rid has some great products http://www.damprid.com/