How to Remove Mildew Smell From a Car

Cleaning your car's upholstery can get rid of strange odors.

It has happened to almost everyone: You are cruising down the highway after a long day at work, letting the wind blow through the car and listening to your favorite music. When you get home, you forget about the car windows until you hear cracks of thunder, and before you know it your car's interior is soaking wet. If your car's interior has taken a beating from the elements, you may notice a mildew odor in your car weeks after the event. You can combat and neutralize this odor through a number of simple cleaning techniques.

Things You'll Need

• Wet/dry vacuum
• Clean shop towels
• Dish sponge
• Hair dryer
• Baking soda
• Bowl
• Air freshener

Instructions

1. Check your car carefully for mildew or mold. Look where the spare tire is stored, under your floor mats and underneath each seat. Mildew odors that persist have a source somewhere in your vehicle.

2. Turn on the air conditioner to determine whether the mold odor is originating in your A/C unit. This can be indicative of a moldy air filter, which will need to be replaced.

3. Take the floor mats out of your car and leave them to dry. Let your car sit somewhere warm for a few hours to completely dry the interior.

4. Clean up any mold you find with a clean shop towel. You can scrub stubborn mildew and mold with a dish sponge and vacuum any flakes with a wet/dry shop vacuum.

5. Dry any mildew areas thoroughly once you have cleaned them. Use a hair dryer to spot-dry, as needed, and remove the last traces of moisture from your vehicle.

6. Place a small bowl of baking soda on the center console or on the floorboard of your vehicle. This will help absorb any remnants of mildew smell.

7. Set an air freshener in your car to bring it back to its pleasant-smelling self. Air freshener cannot fix a mildew odor, but if you have cleaned thoroughly, you will not need to worry about the odor returning.

Tips & Warnings

• If you find that the mildew odor in your car persists even after cleaning, you may need to bring the car to a shop to find out if your vehicle has a moisture problem in a place that you cannot reach.

References

• Cars Direct: How to Get Rid of a Car Mildew Smell
• Autotropolis: Musty Smelling Car Interior