How to Deal With Mold in a Vehicle

If your car isn't sealed well against weather, then you could find mold growing unseen behind door panels, beneath carpet, and so on. Mold and mildew not only smell bad, they also present a health problem. Inhaling and touching mildew or mold spores can cause allergic reactions or asthma attacks. Exposure to mold can also irritate your eyes, skin, nose, throat and lungs. Moisture is needed for spores to grow, therefore removing moisture is key to preventing mold and mildew.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mold testing kit
• Chlorine bleach or other disinfectant
• N-95 respirator
• Goggles
• Gloves

1. If you smell a musty odor in your car or know there has been water damage—but can't locate the mold—there are several types of inexpensive do-it-yourself mold test kits you can use. One provides results virtually instantly. Others require collecting samples and mailing them to a lab for analysis, with lab results back to you in a few days.

2. In most cases, the Environmental Protection Agency says do-it-yourselfers can clean up areas of less than 10 square feet. Cleaning areas with greater mold damage, as well as vehicles that have been in a flood or have suffered major water damage, should be left to a professional mold remediation service.

3. 
   Specialty cleaners are available.

   Biocides like chlorine bleach and other disinfectants can destroy living organisms, such as mold on nonporous surfaces. Wash mold off hard surfaces with it and water, then dry completely. Moldy absorbent materials like upholstery and carpets will usually have to be replaced.

4. 
   Consider using a respirator.

   While minor mold cleanup probably doesn’t require protective equipment, unless you're allergic to mold, large infestations do. Avoid breathing in airborne mold or mold spores by wearing a properly fitted N-95 respirator. Wear goggles without ventilation holes to avoid getting mold or mold spores in your eyes. Also wear long gloves to avoid touching mold or moldy items with your bare hands. Ordinary household rubber gloves will provide sufficient protection when using water and a mild detergent. A biocide such as chlorine bleach, or a strong cleaning solution, will require natural rubber, neoprene, nitrile, polyurethane or PVC gloves.

5. After cleaning up mold, make sure to correct the source of moisture, otherwise it will return. For example, repair or replace leaking gaskets in windows and doors. Also take care of leaks that can wet carpets.

Tips & Warnings

• When storing a vehicle for an extended period, make sure carpets and upholstery are clean, as well as dry. Mold feeds on organic dirt.
• If possible, keep relative humidity inside a car below 60 percent. Products like Desiccare Mold Away will keep humidity below 30 percent in confined spaces.
• Use a car cover that “breathes” and does not trap moisture.
• If the heating/ventilation/air conditioning system might be contaminated with mold, don’t run the heater or air conditioner until the problem is corrected.

Resources

• Hybrid Vehicle Info

[writetruth]

on 5/18/2008 Great information. 5 Stars ~!~