[Kasino]

Theres mold everywhere in my car, I'm talking about seats, dashboard, doors, sets belts, carpets, etc.

does anybody know the best place to get rid of the mold and will they come back after time? I plan to start parking my car indoors to avoid any future molds.

[68style]

That shit is dangerous especially if it's black mold, I hope you're not in the car without some sort of breathing mask if it's gotten that bad.

I'm not sure there's much you can do if it's really bad, but I do know from some cars at work with minor mold issues that many detailing companies offer mold removal packages and will also ozone the car afterwards.... Maybe start by asking some questions of people in that industry.

Parking indoors helps but it doesn't solve the problem. You've got a serious leak somewhere.

[evlee]

what car is it? are you capable of removing interior panels?

try to find the source of the problem. it looks like you have a water leak problem. if you have a sunroof it may leak from up top (clogged drain tubes, dirty run channels). check for damaged weather seals around doors, taill lights, sunroof, trunk, engine fire wall gromets.

if your car has been in an accident. if the damage was for example the right side quarter panel. start at the back. check the trunk lid alignment to the body if the lid is not sitting even the rubber seal has inadequate contact so water will get in, that can also apply for doors. check tail light housing rubber seal for damage, if rubber seal is in good condition reinstall and make sure the nuts are screwed in tight but dont over do it.

if you are capable of stripping your interior (this could take a while) take off front and rear seats, carpet, centre console, trunk carpet. have a friend with a water hose spraying between door jams, trunk, taillights, sunroof. while you are inside with a flashlight inspecting sections of the interior for signs of water flow. once you have found the source of the water leak fix it or replace worn gaskets.

this is going to take awhile and patience is a verchu. water leak sucks balls. once you are sure that the water leak is fixed, steam clean interior panels, seats, wipe down anything affected by the mold.

if you are not comfortable with the required steps bring it to a reputable shop to get it done, BUT prepare to pay $$$ and dont expect the problem to be fix at all. thats why i would do it yourself if its worth your time.

[GS8]

this is going to take awhile and patience is a verchu.

verchu


:suspicious:

OP: Prolonged exposure to mold can mess you up bad. Keeping the car at this point seems detrimental to your health.

You should also worry about cross-contamination between your vehicle and anywhere you set foot in (your home / job / school etc.)

[Timpo]

bleach?

[Gerbs]

How does this happen in the first place?

[flagella]

verchu.... wow. Never seen that one before.

[tegra7]

How does this happen in the first place?

Water leak.

[fliptuner]

How does this happen in the first place?

Old bread :pokerface:

verchu.....:fuckthatshit:

[Retrac]

Lol, phonetics. At least everyone understood 'virtue'. :badpokerface:

[BoostedBB6]

Mercedes-Benz 600 (W100) - this was a big one! - Professional Detailer's Studio - Detailing Bliss powered by Detailer's Domain (http://www.detailingbliss.com/topic/29713-mercedes-benz-600-w100-this-was-a-big-one/?hl=mold)

If you have real leather or any surface that is poris you are going to have a hard time. Above is a thread about mold removal from an old Mercedes. I've done a few but nothing that bad before.
Key things are mold cleaners. They actually make specific cleaner for interior of cars for this exact problem. I also used my steam cleaner A LOT to kill off the mold. It is VERY time consuming to properly rid it from the car and if its as bad as you say, its basically on ever surface of the car which means you need to treat every surface.

Without a steam cleaner I would not even bother trying to do such a job. I use a Dupray Hill Injection system but you can find far more reasonable home use ones.

If you can justify the $120 on a cheap unit that will do the job and great for around the home to, its well worth the while.
SteamFast Canister Steam Cleaner-SF-275 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/SteamFast-Canister-Steam-Cleaner-SF-275/100645493)

[Lomac]

I had a car sit over winter one year that ended up leaking and moulding the entire interior. Was actually cheaper and faster to simply tear out everything, disinfect the wiring and metal, and swap in a new interior. I don't like playing with mould, so I felt that was the safest route to go.

[Kasino]

I guess I have a much bigger problem than I think…

I have a 2007 RDX. Parked the car outdoor for 4 months and found out today that it has tons of hold on it. car had never been in an accident.

not sure what I should do at this point, I will be taking my new born baby around town with it too...

[westopher]

Did you buy the car new? I don't think a case as serious as you are talking about could be anything other than you buying a car thats been in a flood.

[CCA-Dave]

Meh, Grandpa worked with asbestos...painted with lead paint...lived to be 90. I've cleaned and restored 4 cars with mould in them. Green, white and even the dreaded black mould.

Steam cleaner, spray nine, various mould cleaners (always checked on a non-visible spot) and only soap and HOT water and/or steam cleaner on the seat belts. Everything has to be removed from the car to do it properly. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.

-Dave

[VR6GTI]

I guess I have a much bigger problem than I think…

I have a 2007 RDX. Parked the car outdoor for 4 months and found out today that it has tons of hold on it. car had never been in an accident.

not sure what I should do at this point, I will be taking my new born baby around town with it too...
Pics?
If possible you should not be taking a new baby around in a vehicle with mold.
People would be surprised but this more common than you think. A lot people don't know they have a water leak and or mold in there vehicle.

[CCA-Dave]

Did you buy the car new? I don't think a case as serious as you are talking about could be anything other than you buying a car thats been in a flood.

BC weather is MORE than enough to cause mould in a perfect vehicle without any issues. The constant damp, temperature fluctuations and stale are inside a car not being used is enough. Every time the temp drops and goes back up, you've introduced condensation and moisture in your car...even just a tiny/tiny amount. The moulds THRIVE in the every-so-slightly-damp condition it creates.

Seriously, you don't need to even have a leak in the vehicle (though that does help it happen faster).

-Dave

[fliptuner]

Which is why I have moisture absorbers in all my cars. Not only that but it also keeps you from having to defog your windows.

[westopher]

What is a good way to deal with moisture in a car to prevent such issues? My car smells fresh as a daisy, but I know there is too much moisture inside it by how foggy it gets fast.

[CCA-Dave]

Long drive's, get it good and hot inside to dry it out. Park it inside an insulated garage, windows down and heat up the garage to 15C or better over night. Last resort, moisture absorbing products. I don't like a lot of the 'vehicle' or RV ones as they are salts-based. I much prefer the Silca type that's poisonous and harder to obtain.

-Dave

[fliptuner]

What's wrong with the salt based ones?

[entrax]

i park my mr2 outside over the winter (not by choice) and bc weather is definitely enough to cause mold (white/green) to develop by simply not driving it.

last winter:
- parked in a shaded area, never got sun
- started to grow mold around steering wheel and seatbelt. it also started on portions of the leather seat where there were creases.
- damaged leather, gained a LOT of creases. i think the mold eats into it?
- upholstery cleaner = nope, not good enough imo.
- had to get the entire interior steam cleaned, i was too scared of mold so i steam cleaned it again after a week then had the ttops/doors all open and let it bake in the sun all week
- car was fine after

so far this winter i've avoided it:
- parked where the winter sun is directly pointing at the windshield
- once a week: blasting heat WITH a/c on (dries up the interior air 10min), blasting heat without a/c (dries out the evaporator 5min), blasting medium temp without a/c (5min), blasting air, no heat without a/c (this brings the outside air into the car).

so far, no funny smells, no sign of mold anywhere (also confirms that i killed off all mold from previous winter...)

rule of thumb: if the inside of your windshield has condensation due to temp fluctuations going from day/night, it's enough to create mold. if the condensation disappears when the sun hits it during the day, you might buy yourself about 2 weeks before it develops, but if it's outside, take care of it by airing it out weekly if not more

[dared3vil0]

Small but important thing, be sure to keep all the seals moisturized with silicon lubricant to prevent cracking and shrinking- I do this every oil change and as a result my car never has ANY condensation or fogging on the interior (knock on wood...)

[Kasino]

do you guys know where I can get my car steam cleaned???
I need some place where they will do a thorough job in cleaning out mold.

I don't want buy a new car :(

ill be keeping a moisture absorber in all my cars from now on...

[CCA-Dave]

What's wrong with the salt based ones?

I drive classic cars, I'm not introducing salts into their environments if at all possible. Having said that, I have used them for very short periods and haven't seen any issues...I'm just not comfortable tossing them into a classic all winter and hoping it comes out okay on the other-side. One of those "haven't tested it, not going to risk it" cases where I could simply be ignorant to their safety.

-Dave

[entrax]

do you guys know where I can get my car steam cleaned???
I need some place where they will do a thorough job in cleaning out mold.

I don't want buy a new car :(

ill be keeping a moisture absorber in all my cars from now on...

moisture absorber was not enough for me. i bought like 4 of those things and even in a small cabin like the mr2, it slowed down condensation, but it didn't get rid of it.

i added a small fan that was plugged in 24/7 with the absorbers and it helped.

parking it facing the sun is still 100x better.

[Gerbs]

Do you have pictures of mold

[fliptuner]

I drive classic cars, I'm not introducing salts into their environments if at all possible. Having said that, I have used them for very short periods and haven't seen any issues...I'm just not comfortable tossing them into a classic all winter and hoping it comes out okay on the other-side. One of those "haven't tested it, not going to risk it" cases where I could simply be ignorant to their safety.

-Dave

Gotcha.

I've been using calcium chloride in all my cars for years (including 60's and 70's vehicles) with no adverse effects. I've even used them in projects with bare metal floors. Once the crystals have dissolved, the moisture in the bowl doesn't evaporate - it actually continues to absorb moisture - so it's not like you're letting salt air float around in the cabin. However, once I notice the crystals are dissolved and the bowl is full of liquid, I just clean it out and refill.

http://www.revscene.net/forums/653341-official-no-need-start-new-thread-thread-284.html#post8563020
http://www.revscene.net/forums/653341-official-no-need-start-new-thread-thread-284.html#post8564027

[asian_XL]

http://i.imgur.com/RQwVMp4.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Xp2XDxS.jpg
BrokeBack

[entrax]

OH wow. that's. wow. okay, maybe i'm not the one to give advice anymore. that's well beyond what i had to deal with.

[fliptuner]

Lol, that's like kill it with fire territory. The air freshener is a nice touch though.

[Lomac]

Except that's an Audi. OP said it was in an Acura...

[entrax]

well hopefully op is not talking about that severity...

[asian_XL]

My S-class has similar mold problem during raining season, the steering wheel and dash will go almost the same as the first pic...need to take it to the steam cleaning shop.

Putting dehumidifier box might help a bit, if it has mold on the steering wheel, it will probably have it everywhere, like trunk and engine bay. A cheap dehumidifier is around $150, if you have a garage, then it's a good investment.

In 90% humidity days, my dehumidifier can suck 8L of water in 4hrs, pretty crazy.

[Kasino]

ill post some pics later. its not as bad as the audi.
compare to the audi, mine is minor.

can anybody recommend a place where i can get my car steam cleaned? i really hope to revive the interior, price is not an issue, assuming it shouldn't cost THAT much.

[Gh0stRider]

Ive got a bit of mold in my beater civic. Mostly on the steering wheel i think, didnt really inspect it.

That pic is just crazy, mold has taken over your car, yikes!

[tiger_handheld]

Which is why I have moisture absorbers in all my cars. Not only that but it also keeps you from having to defog your windows.

whats a moisture absorber? is this the baking soda in fridge concept?

[Bender Unit]

whats a moisture absorber?
Pretty sure he referred to Moisture Absorber in closet


https://2ecffd01e1ab3e9383f0-07db7b9624bbdf022e3b5395236d5cf8.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.c om/Product-800x800/6ebb65d6-d9c3-4ad1-b422-22476baf97fe.JPG

[Kasino]

is Show room auto spa any good?
i need to find a place that does a thorough job of cleaning out molds

Vancouver Auto Detailing & Car Wash | Downtown Vancouver, BC | Showroom Auto Spa (http://showroomautospa.com)

[underscore]

If you're getting it cleaned, don't just clean it cosmetically, be sure to have the dash removed an all the HVAC internals cleaned out as well.

[sleepywheel]

Just a thought. If a car is going to sit around for the winter, how about buying a bag of kitty litter, dispense it into a whole bunch of food takeout plastic containers and leaving them on every flat surface there is?
I've got a Yaris and a Silverado CC that sits around all winter. Last year I put a small heater in each vehicle and my electricity bill went through the roof, but no mold. I've been using the RV moisture absorbing crystals so far this year but still get condensation.
Going to get some kitty litter and try that.

[ScizzMoney]

You have a shady uncle that needs to 'borrow' a car that happens to be accident prone when it comes to lighting cigarettes? 'lend' it to him. Make sure you have insurance. :drunk:

[MTMLQCA]

Mercedes-Benz 600 (W100) - this was a big one! - Professional Detailer's Studio - Detailing Bliss powered by Detailer's Domain (http://www.detailingbliss.com/topic/29713-mercedes-benz-600-w100-this-was-a-big-one/?hl=mold)

If you have real leather or any surface that is poris you are going to have a hard time. Above is a thread about mold removal from an old Mercedes. I've done a few but nothing that bad before.
Key things are mold cleaners. They actually make specific cleaner for interior of cars for this exact problem. I also used my steam cleaner A LOT to kill off the mold. It is VERY time consuming to properly rid it from the car and if its as bad as you say, its basically on ever surface of the car which means you need to treat every surface.

Without a steam cleaner I would not even bother trying to do such a job. I use a Dupray Hill Injection system but you can find far more reasonable home use ones.

If you can justify the $120 on a cheap unit that will do the job and great for around the home to, its well worth the while.
SteamFast Canister Steam Cleaner-SF-275 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/SteamFast-Canister-Steam-Cleaner-SF-275/100645493)

I have the Tosca (http://dupray.com/steam-cleaners/tosca-steam-cleaner/) from Dupray and I love it. (really took the mold out). Less expensive than the Hill.

[BoostedBB6]

I have the Tosca (http://dupray.com/steam-cleaners/tosca-steam-cleaner/) from Dupray and I love it. (really took the mold out). Less expensive than the Hill.

Its the only way to do this kind of work IMO. Steam works the best for this, especially on leathers and thing that can absorb the mold spores and return, the steam gets in there and kills them off so it does not return.

[Timpo]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41cfNe77u4L.jpg

[BoostedBB6]

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41cfNe77u4L.jpg

Works rather well on surface issues. Harder plastics and stuff it does a fine job, but any fabric that had mold this wont work.

[Kasino]

The tosca sounds like a good idea! Im gonna do more research on it.

I contacted unique detailing and they recommended Full interior detail with vapor steam followed by chlorine dioxide. $275.

What do u guys think.

[oldsnail]

DRI-Z-AIR® DEHUMIDIFIER - MOISTURE ABSORBER - MADE IN THE USA (http://www.drizair.com/)

I put this in my car during wet months

[Kasino]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58776397@N03/albums/72157665263563391

click on the link for pics of mould.