How to Remove Mold Odors From Inside Automobiles
Moisture trapped inside a warm car quickly invites mold or mildew growth. When this happens, the moldy odor can permeate your car's interior overnight. To remove mold odors permanently, rather than merely masking them, you must give the interior a very thorough cleaning. Fresh air and sunlight will disperse some of the odor, but not all. Air fresheners will temporarily alleviate some smell, but won't get rid of it.
Mold odor is unpleasant--the odor may even attach to your clothing as you drive in the car--and often causes allergic reactions. The faster you remove it from a vehicle, the better.
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Things You'll Need
- Hot Water
- Car upholstery cleaner
- Soft-bristled brush
- Carpet shampoo
- Vacuum
- Household disinfectant spray
- White vinegar
- Activated charcoal
Instructions
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Put on an N95 dust mask and rubber gloves. Remove floor mats and any other item inside the car that is removable. Place these items outside of the car to air out and clean later.
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Apply upholstery cleaner on seats. Use a soft-bristled brush to thoroughly scrub seats. Mold or mildew spores remaining on upholstery--whether vinyl, leather or fabric--contribute to mold odor.
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Dry upholstery with a soft towel. Leave all car doors open to provide ventilation to the car's interior.
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Vacuum the floor of the car and then apply a carpet shampoo. Scrub this in with the bristled brush to loosen soil, mold and mildew from the carpeting. Vacuum the floor again when the shampoo is dry. Or, if you own one, use a steam cleaner).
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Mix half a cup of white vinegar with half a cup of water in a bowl. Soak a clean sponge in this. Wring out the sponge and lightly brush over the head liner (ceiling) of the car. Vinegar will help sanitize and deodorize this easily, as this can be labor-intensive to clean otherwise.
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Use a dashboard cleaner to clean vinyl or other components of the dashboard. When the interior of the car has completely dried, spray it with a household disinfectant containing a fungicide--this measure helps kill remaining mold spores.
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Allow the car to air out, doors open, until nightfall. Overnight place either a bowl of undiluted white vinegar, or sachets of activated charcoal, in the vehicle with the doors and windows closed. By morning, the car should smell fresh--if mold odor lingers, ventilate the car again during the day and repeat the vinegar or charcoal process.
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Tips & Warnings
If mold is growing deep within seat cushions--below upholstery, where cleaner cannot reach it--these may need to be replaced.
