Mold in Car: How to Remove Mold in Your Car

Mold In Car: How Could This Happen?

Mold and mildew thrive in humid, warm, and dark environments. Fungi such as mold and mildew prefer conditions that help them grow. Anything that stimulates mold and mildew development is suitable for producing mold and mildew clusters in automobiles. The following factors lead to a mold problem in vehicles.

Poor Hygiene – Car owners who ignore car hygiene cleanliness risk mold and mildew formation. Mold and mildew grow in poorly maintained vehicles since these organisms require food to survive. If you miss the upkeep of your automobile’s interior, you’ll undoubtedly be the next victim of mold and mildew growth.

Non-Operational Vehicles – Mold and mildew growth is standard in cars that have been left in a dark location for months. Mold spores that have already entered the vehicle use the moisture and oxygen accumulated inside a closed vehicle to develop and multiply.

Climatic Factors – If you reside in an area that receives significant rainfall, floods, high humidity, and short sun-exposure time, your car is almost certainly to develop mold and mildew. Mold thrives on dampness. A humid environment is precisely what the mold and mildew thrive in. If you live in a hot region with a lot of rain, you will undoubtedly see mold and mildew growth on your automobile.

Why Is Car Mold A Problem?

Mold is a fungus that may grow if your vehicle has been stored for an extended period. The two most common causes of mold are high temperatures and moisture, more significant than normal levels. These create environments that are ripe for mold spores to gather and reproduce. People with lung diseases, skin issues, allergy suffers, and a poor immune system are particularly vulnerable to it. Mold might be harmful to people with these conditions. Therefore avoiding exposure is strongly advised even if you do not have any disease or robust immune system.

How To Remove Mold from the Car Interior

Attempting to eliminate mold in your car on your own is a potentially hazardous endeavor. We recommend that you hire a PuroClean professional restoration expert to mitigate any mold inside your car, especially if the affected area is large. A moldy car is a breeding ground for toxic mold spores that can present a plethora of health issues. If you do decide to clean the car’s interior on your own, be sure to have proper PPE (personal protective equipment), such as a face mask and rubber gloves. Also, be sure that you have gathered the proper materials. This is not a problem that will be solved by hanging an air freshener on the mirror. 

Removing an outbreak from your car is essential if you discover mold in your car’s interior. It’s critical to keep your automobile cool and dry, and it all starts with keeping your car clean. Cleaning your automobile is crucial for removing mildew, dirt, and other chemicals that cause mold. You’ll want to use a soap with anti-fungal effects that have been deep cleaned. Before washing, remove any loose debris using an old toothbrush on tiny cracks, seams, seatbacks, under mats, and so on. Wipe lightly but thoroughly over fabric surfaces using a clean freshwater rinse after removing grime and then air dry to remove mold from the carpeting. If you spot any on your car carpet, you should remove it immediately. It’s not just ugly; it’s also dangerous to your health. The following steps can also be helpful if you are attempting to clean your car by yourself.

Vacuum – This is the most effective approach to getting rid of floors’ mold. To ensure that you can access all nooks and crannies, use a vacuum cleaner with a hose connection. If the mold is more deeply embedded, you may need a wet-dry vacuum to remove it. 

Shampoo – You can also shampoo the carpets to remove the mold. 

Spray bottle – Use a bleach or white vinegar solution and spray it on the affected areas. Don’t forget to wipe away the residue after a few minutes.

Scrub Brush – Using a scrub pad and a mixture of soap and water will also clean carpets. Then do what they were designed to do: Use some elbow grease and scrub away!

How To Prevent Mold Growth in Your Car

Finding mold in your car is not fun and not a problem anyone wants to deal with if it can be avoided. The most effective remedy to any problem is to prevent it from happening in the first place, as with anything else. Preventing potential health problems and perhaps costly cleanups might help you avoid ever having one. Here are some things you can do to avoid mold growth in your car’s interior.

Keep your car clean – This is the number one way to avoid mold and mildew growth in your car. If you keep your car clean, there is less chance for mold and mildew to grow.

Keep it dry – Make sure that you keep your car as dry as possible by using a dehumidifier if necessary. If you spray the seat covers, floor mats, or seatbelts when cleaning, be sure they dry completely.

Park in the sun – Park your car in direct sunlight whenever possible. The bright sunlight will help to kill any mold or mildew that may be growing in your car. By contrast, keeping your car in a dark garage will lower the temperature and increase the humidity.

Use a fungicide – Spray a fungicide inside your car every few months to help avoid mold and mildew from growing. 

Ventilate – Make sure your car is well-ventilated, so it doesn’t become too moist inside, and mold spores will struggle to reproduce.

Raise the heat – Raise the heat inside your car (to a reasonable degree) so that mold and mildew will not be able to grow. 

Contact Your Local PuroClean Office For Professional Mold Removal and Remediation Services

Removing mold is not a task that should be attempted lightly. The safest and most effective way to treat an outbreak is to hire restoration professionals like PuroClean of Massapequa. The mold removal process can be dangerous if you are not properly trained or equipped with personal protective equipment. PuroClean’s experience, training, and tools make the process effective and efficient. They kill mold growth in your car or any other place an outbreak is detected. Call us 24/7 at 516-604-1200 if you require these services to get rid of mold on your property. 

Last edited on 1st of September 2022