Mold removal from complete interior

[FireFox31]

I've done some research and have a plan to clean the car:
1. Vacuum the surfaces to remove dirt and loose mold.
2. Use a steam cleaner to sterilize the surfaces.
3. Spray on cleaning solution, work it in with a rotary brush, remove water with a spot cleaning vacuum.

Can anyone recommend a good steam cleaner and/or spot cleaning vacuum? The $150 units I see all seem a little cheap but worth a try for light duty use.

Step 3 will vary based on surface. I will use more gentle brushes on the seats and plastic, and may skip this entirely for the headliner. I still have to research how much I can use steam on plastic because I'd at least like it to clean the HVAC ducts. For the metal, I might steam it or use bleach; still haven't decided. For the headliner, it might be easiest to remove it from the board, wash it somehow, then glue it back on. For years, it has had a moldy spot from a sunroof leak and three loose glue spots, so this was work I planned to do anyway.

I'll start in the back, stripping and cleaning the interior, but not putting it back in until everything is done. This will let me gauge if the car smells better with the carpets/plastic out and metal cleaned, or if the smell is in places I can't reach. If steam doesn't remove the smell, I'll switch to bleach or vinegar with the rotary brush.

This process will teach me interior detailing, allowing me to clean my other cars instead of paying a detailer. That seems like a good return on climbing the learning curve and buying the equipment.

[yanga001]

I would say that you can use steam on plastics but I had an issue where the window switch plastic turned white after a lot of heat. Steam is wonderful for cleaning a lot of the interior.

In water Restorarion they usually dehumidify and then kill the mould off with ozone generators and throw out all affected drywall and other materials. In your case I would say that you do not have too much to worry about.

I would say unless the headliner has visual signs of mould then there is no reason to remove it. Cleaning it may be a pita and will likely make a large mess. I’ve heard of surface sprays to gently clean the headliner and not affect the glue.

If it was a large amount of water then it will all go down to the bottom, ie footwells. Mould needs to be warm, damp, and dark. It’s unlikely you would get a significant amount on the upper areas of the vehicle.

If you have a carpet cleaner or can rent one then I would use that for all foot wells and hit the rest with your choice of steam or disinfectant wipes.

Now if you want to super detail your car then go with the original plan.

[FireFox31]

Thanks, I'll avoid steaming any plastic that's at all soft. I was planning to only steam hard tan trim like the pillars, maybe the dash pad, but certainly the inside of the HVAC ducts.

My problem is that water came into the car and was trapped, vaporized in the heat of the day, then condensed everywhere during the cool night, repeat for up to a month because I wasn't driving it. I must suspect that the headliner, seats, dash, etc are as much affected by mold as the lowest carpet. I saw water sitting on the metal of the spare tire well but

The headliner had a problem for years that when I drove with the windows down, I would smell mold. I trust it came from the leaking sunroof causing some kind of mold in one corner where it's sagging. How sturdy is that headliner material in order to be cleaned while removed from the backer board? Throw it in the washing machine??

I read that ozone generators break down organic material which can cause some weird smells. I also read on the EPA.gov site that they don't really work.

[jsrnsis]

The headliner had a problem for years that when I drove with the windows down, I would smell mold. I trust it came from the leaking sunroof causing some kind of mold in one corner where it's sagging. How sturdy is that headliner material in order to be cleaned while removed from the backer board? Throw it in the washing machine??

Have you tried using those tubs of desiccant to try to pull some moisture out? They have reusable ones that you put in the microwave or oven to bake all the water out. The headliner material will probably be ruined if you take it off the backing material, the foam that is in between the cloth and fiberboard backing turns to dust.

I had a leaking windshield seal that I could see dripping down the A pillar after a heavy rain or trip to the car wash, and had a leaking heater core for a while, which really fogged up the interior of the car. Leaving the doors open on a sunny day with the fuse for the door markers and courtesy lights pulled seemed to do a good job of drying it out.

[FireFox31]

The only things in the car with the mold were the lovely front seats I rescued from a junkyard. I moved them to another place for storage, but that place had more moisture than the car, promoting visible mold growth on the seats. Mostly green mold but a little bit of brown. My emergency intervention was to wipe down the seats with Clorox wipes to remove the mold and hopefully hurt it a little.

The next step will be to clean the seats thoroughly with hydrogen peroxide, see how they smell after a while, then clean and seal them with vinyl upholstery products. The trick is to determine if the foam has mold, specifically the exposed underside. These seats are so nice that they must be saved.

The car has been sitting sealed up and free of moisture for three months now. It doesn't smell too bad and there's no visible mold. My cleaning is going to be extreme as a precaution but it's probably a tad unnecessary. I can hopefully do the work in November.

[scot850]

Those seats are really nice. I seldom see any as nice as that, if ever. Hopefully they can be saved, if nothing else even just the covers.

Glad to hear the cleaning has gone positively!

Neil.

[jsrnsis]

Those seats look fantastic. How soft are they? I've noticed a big difference between how soft and comfortable seats are between cars. The one with 200k miles has seats that are cracked, leather worn through in a spot, but are extremely comfortable, but the one with 150k miles has seats that are feel stiffer and the leather is much harder. Both are black leather.

[MoVolvos]

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I have used Ozone generators and it helps. Be sure to have the car outdoors with all windows up except for a small crack. Set the timer for 30~60 minutes and close the doors. In order to achieve greater effectiveness have the car fan going so the Ozone is circulated through the ducts. Tender or recharge the battery as needed. The Ozone is irritating to the eyes and lungs so need to air out the car before using.
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Good Brand.
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[FireFox31]

I have used Ozone generators and it helps. Be sure to have the car outdoors with all windows up except for a small crack.

Thanks for the recommendation. I read on the EPA website that ozone generators don't work. I also read somewhere that "ozone machines break down organic materials and can cause weird smells" implying that it could damage rubber or other soft materials like the steering wheel. This info has led me away from ozone generators. I'll try cleaning with steam, hydrogen peroxide, and shampoo first, but will resort to ozone if the smell comes back.

I don't know how soft the seats are since I got them from a junkyard and haven't sat in them. One reasons seats crack is because the vinyl gets hard, "plasticized", thus brittle. Oddly, the back of every seat I've seen is soft but the front which contacts the person can get hard. Different panels may be different firmness. My goal with these (and all) seats after cleaning them is to see if there's any method for softening the vinyl so it won't get brittle. Maybe leather treatments, maybe some weird chemical treatment. But first, I have to try not to discolor them during an intense hydrogen peroxide treatment.

[MoVolvos]

I have used Ozone generators and it helps. Be sure to have the car outdoors with all windows up except for a small crack.

Thanks for the recommendation. I read on the EPA website that ozone generators don't work. I also read somewhere that "ozone machines break down organic materials and can cause weird smells" implying that it could damage rubber or other soft materials like the steering wheel. This info has led me away from ozone generators. I'll try cleaning with steam, hydrogen peroxide, and shampoo first, but will resort to ozone if the smell comes back.

I don't know how soft the seats are since I got them from a junkyard and haven't sat in them. One reasons seats crack is because the vinyl gets hard, "plasticized", thus brittle. Oddly, the back of every seat I've seen is soft but the front which contacts the person can get hard. Different panels may be different firmness. My goal with these (and all) seats after cleaning them is to see if there's any method for softening the vinyl so it won't get brittle. Maybe leather treatments, maybe some weird chemical treatment. But first, I have to try not to discolor them during an intense hydrogen peroxide treatment.

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This is not to sway you but for you to do more research on the efficacy and how to properly use. I think the first 3 paragraphs from the EPA actually does a great job describing how it does work, meaning how it functions besides the potential harmfulness when used indoors or basically everything that I mentioned. Due to fear of the public's lack of understanding and fear of safety, EPA just decided not to get involved but rather brushed it off as don't work. "Manufacturers and vendors of ozone devices often use misleading terms to describe ozone. Terms such as "energized oxygen" or "pure air" suggest that ozone is a healthy kind of oxygen.".

"In keeping with EPA's policy of insuring that the information it provides is based on sound science, only peer reviewed, scientifically supported findings and conclusions were relied upon in developing this document.". If the EPA is anything like the CDC is terms of picking and choosing their sources of information? The EPA is not immune to special interest.

"ozone machines break down organic materials and can cause weird smells" implying that it could damage rubber or other soft materials like the steering wheel. I don't see that ultra narrow connection nor implication. If the EPA was as scientific as they imply to be they should show scientifically what is taking place biologically, chemically and or mechanism of action to produce the weird smell. Everything can be broken down to the chemical level. I would also be very concerned of breathing the mist / steam that's in the air after it has lifted whatever it was in the car.

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