Car Molds: Why are they dangerous, how to get rid of them in 8 steps

Mold is probably the one thing you don’t want to have in the interior of your car due to numerous reasons. The presence of mold in your car will surely make you uncomfortable since it comes with a foul odor and a weird sticky feeling.

Yes, molds even build up inside your car

Aside from those factors, molds are also dangerous to your health. This type of fungus can cause skin irritations when you come in contact with it. If you inhale mold, you are likely to develop nasal congestion, lung infections, asthma, and shortness of breath.

So in short, you must remove molds in your car as soon as possible. But you might ask, “how do cars get mold in the first place?” Mold is formed whenever your interior gets wet. Some common factors include spilled drinks and food, wet shoes due to heavy rain, and titled sunroof.

When your wet interior gets exposed to warm air, then that is the time when mold is formed. So for that reason, we have listed down eight steps you can do to get mold out of your car. We also have provided some tips for you so your car will prevent mold from building up.

Preparation

Before heading out to remove the molds in your car, you will need a few essential items for cleaning. You will need a mask and gloves for protection, a mixture of water and vinegar, a wet-dry vacuum cleaner, and an old toothbrush.

Step #1: Dry out the moisture inside your car

Find a dry place with a direct sunlight setting so it can dry out the moisture inside your car. Moisture is what keeping molds stay intact in one place. Open your window (you can also open the doors if your car is in a wide parking space) and sunroof to allow heat inside your car.

Step #2: Protect yourself with gloves and mask

Wear your protective equipment such as gloves and a mask. Working with molds can be a dangerous job to do since it can cause serious health problems. With the help of gloves and a mask, you can reduce the risk of you getting sick.

Step #3: Remove the carpet

Remove the carpet so you can have access to tight spaces inside your car. By doing this, you will also see if there are molds under your car’s carpet.

Step #4: Make DIY mixture from water and vinegar

Spray the mixture of water and vinegar to areas with molds. You can decide on how the mixture of water and vinegar should be. But we recommend a 50/50 mixture for an ideal result. Leave the mixture for 15 to 20 minutes to kill off the molds. Vinegar doesn’t leave stains so it is ideal to use in killing molds.

Step #5: Wash off the molds with toothbrush

Brush off the dead molds using a toothbrush. Using a toothbrush will help you scrape off molds from tight spaces inside your car.

Step #6: Clean off your interior with wet-dry vacuum cleaner

After exposing all the dead molds, use a wet-dry vacuum cleaner to clean off your interior. You can also use a regular vacuum cleaner. However, use a bag to collect the molds so it won’t build up in your regular vacuum cleaner.

Step #7: Clean the carpets

As for your carpets, wash them with pressurized water. You can also use detergents to thoroughly clean your carpets and remove bad moldy odor. The thing you want to aim for is to kill the molds so they won’t grow once again in your car.

Step #8: Put the carpet back into your car

Once your carpets are dried out, put them back inside your car. As said earlier, molds grow in wet conditions. That said, be sure that before you put your carpet back into your car, they are thoroughly dry and cleaned.

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How to prevent mold from building up in your car

Removing molds inside your car can take a long time and can be a nauseous job. As such, it is better to prevent them from building up inside your car rather than removing them from time to time. Just like what they say, “prevention is better than the cure.”

One of the most common causes of molds is left food inside your car

One of the most common reasons why molds build up inside of your car is spilled drinks. With that being said, we recommend you to not consume beverages while inside your car. But if you trust your passengers, just make sure to drive smoothly to avoid unwanted spillages.

You should also make sure to close your windows and sunroof before leaving your car. The rain can cause your interior to get wet which results in mold forming. Make it a habit to close your car a/c, radio, headlights, and windows before turning off the engine and leaving your car.

The last tip we can give to you is to put a dehumidifier inside your car. A dehumidifier comes with many benefits including removing bad interior odor, preventing molds from building up inside your car, and promotes good air for easier breathing.

>>> Related: Tips & Tricks to get rid of bad smell in your car

Conclusion

Mold building up in your car is probably something you will experience once in your life if you aren’t careful. So the best thing you can do is to follow the said preventive measures. If molds have started building up in your car, remove them as soon as possible to avoid health problems.

You can put an air freshener inside your car after cleaning out the molds

We know that removing molds in your car can be an odd work to do. If you aren’t up for the job, you can always visit car detailing shops. They will do the work for you in a more expert manner. Moreover, you can assure that car detailing shops will remove all molds from top to bottom.

Car Molds: FAQs

Q: Do cars get molded?

Yes, even cars get molded too whenever the interior is left wet.

Q: What is the reason why molds form inside my car?

There are numerous reasons why molds form inside your car. It could because of the spilled drink that you didn’t dry or you left your windows open allowing rain to come in.

Q: What should I do to remove molds?

You can spray a mixture of water and vinegar in molded areas to remove them.

Q: Are molds dangerous to my health?

Yes, molds can cause health problems such as skin irritation, asthma, and lung diseases.

Q: Does car detailing includes the removal of molds?

Car detailing also includes the removal of molds. If you don’t want to remove the molds inside your car by yourself, you can visit a car detailing shop to do the job.

Here at Philkotse.com, we value your interest in the automotive industry. Visit our website to find out more.