People go the extra mile to keep their cars clean. This includes cleaning both the interior and exterior of the car. Dust and debris are the most common contaminants of a car’s interior, however, mold is also something that can be found, especially in older cars that aren’t driven very often. If you notice mold in your car, you need to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Mold can be a real problem for your car’s interior, and mold removal from your car’s interior is essential if you want to keep your car safe and looking great.
In this article, you’ll learn how to identify mold in your car’s interior, how to prepare your car for cleaning, and lastly, how to get rid of the mold in your car.
Signs That You Have Mold in Your Car
Recognizing mold is of the essence if you want to keep your car safe and clean. Excessive moisture in the air will cause mold to develop on your car’s interior. This can happen in hard-to-reach places and places you usually can’t see such as the inside of the air vents or under the seats.
There are a couple of signs that point to mold in a car.
The first and most obvious sign your car has mold is discoloration. You’ll notice stain-like patches across the car’s seats or carpet. The color will be white, green, or grayish. The second sign is an odor that resembles sour milk. It can be traced to the moldy part of the fabric, or more commonly, the air vent system. Either way, it’s a smell you can’t just mask with air fresheners, and you’ll need to remove the mold in order to eliminate the smell.
Why It’s Important to Remove the Mold From Your Car?
Aside from aesthetic reasons, there are a lot of health-related issues mold can cause. Although mold doesn’t affect driving and handling directly, it can lead to severe headaches and a few other symptoms that may affect the way a person is driving. People with allergies can also flare up, especially if they’re exposed to mold for a more extended period of time.
Aside from this, removing mold will make your car look fresh, and you’ll eliminate the godawful smell that can be a side effect of mold in your car.
Lastly, if you want to sell your car, removing all the mold, and cleaning your car interior properly will increase the resale value significantly.
Deep Clean Your Car
This is the most crucial step in removing mold from your car’s interior. To do this, it’s recommended to remove the seats from the car so you’ll have more space to work. This will require you to have a few basic tools.
When the interior is removed, discard all the trash from the car, and save all the things you need in a separate box. If you’ve ever watched any detailing video, you’ve noticed just how many unnecessary things can be found in a car.
The next step is vacuuming the entire car. This includes the front and back seating areas, as well as the trunk area. This will possibly remove the surface mold, but in order to completely get rid of it, you’ll need to use a specialized vacuum cleaner combined with a carpet and upholstery cleaner. You can also use a detailing drill brush to help agitate all the dirt and debris from the carpet. Having a disinfectant is also a good idea, so all the bacteria from the mold will end up being killed in the process. You can get either a specialized product for mold or something for cleaning upholstery and car carpets.
A steam cleaner is a great tool to have for cleaning the plastics in your car. The hot steam will eliminate all the bacteria from the surface and reach all the nooks and crannies you wouldn’t be able to reach with a brush.
Wipe Everything Down with a Damp Cloth
Once you’ve disinfected the car and removed the mold, you can use an all-purpose cleaner on the plastic parts of the interior. A soft bristle brush can be used to agitate debris, and all you’ll need to do is wipe everything down with a clean microfiber towel.
Dry Out the Interior and Prevent Future Issues
Moisture and a damp environment are ideal for mold, so to avoid having the same issue again, you’ll need to completely dry out the interior and fix the issue that caused the mold in the first place.
Check all the seams on the car, and if there are any leaks coming from the doors or roof. This can be done by spraying the car with water, but going from one corner at a time. This way, you’ll see if any water is coming through to the interior. If you notice any cracks in the rubber seals around the doors, replace them with new ones to prevent water from reaching the carpets and interior components.
If possible, park your car in a garage where you know it’s dry and warm. If you don’t have a garage, you can also cover your car, and make sure all the windows are closed.
Don’t Forget to Maintain Your Car
If you love to keep your car smelling good, you should regularly vacuum it and make sure everything is as clean as possible. This will not only make your car more appealing to drive, but it will prevent mold from appearing again.
You don’t need to detail it fully, but keep in mind that just vacuuming your car and wiping down dust will leave a small portion of the impurities on the surface. Full detail is recommended every six months or so, depending on how often you drive your car, and in what conditions.
Final Thought
There you have it. Mold can be removed from your car with a few simple tools and products. Prevention and maintenance are key to preventing mold from appearing in your car. Not only will the interior of your car be cleaner, but it will smell better and you’ll enjoy every moment behind the wheel.