Mould!

mjt · 13 Apr 2014 at 17:47

I moved abroad a while ago and the car’s been pretty much standing outside since November.
My dad takes it for a drive every other week or so. Went in for its MOT last week, so I’m even more surprised nobody noticed this.

I'm back for the first time today since Christmas and immediately noticed the mould. How no one else saw it I have no idea :confused:

It was in for an MOT last week and was at BMW for 3 days last month!

Anyway, I don’t have the time/space/tools to remove the seats, wet-vac, air, dry, clean, etc the car.
I’m going to have to find a ‘detailer’ and get it professionally cleaned. What’s the damage?
Could there be more mould growing in the air vents?

There are more white spores dotted around the carpetting - not just on the mats.

unrealrocks · 13 Apr 2014 at 18:49

Urgh - I wouldn't sit in it with the windows closed for too long!

Not sure on detailer but if its just for deep cleaning the inside I wouldn't that thought *that* bad, £80?

Worth thinking about how to stop is happening again, with regards to the vents, I'd get one of those decontamination gas bomb things, I used one on my old Lexus and it really cleared up some nasty smells coming from the system. Change the pollen filter if it hasn't been done already (and has one) and possibly as its going to stand for a while get one of those chemical based dehumidifiers to stop moisture as that is the main cause of the issue.

No point cleaning it and just letting it happen again!

mjt · 13 Apr 2014 at 21:51

What is this "decontamination bomb" thing?
I suspect moisture has been getting inside and then it's just been sitting there growing mould. It's ****ing disgusting.
The seats need to be removed and the whole carpet cleaned, aired and treated..
I don't have the time or space so hopefully I can find something who'll do it for a reasonable amount.

Schizophonic · 13 Apr 2014 at 21:54

Detailer should be able to handle this. When I wash any of my friends or family car's I blast it with the jet wash and surprised how much it can pull off between the seals and winders (usually where mould builds up)

Get someone to do this for you and pay a bit more because you dont want it coming back again.

sigma · 13 Apr 2014 at 22:08

You blast the inside with a jet wash!?!?!

Housey · 13 Apr 2014 at 22:16

Add milk, create Stilton, om nom

benneh · 13 Apr 2014 at 22:17

Be glad that's all you have.. Today I spent 5 hours taking the back seats and all of the carpets/boot carpets out of my golf gti (which has been sat for a while with what I suspect is a perished/leaky door seal), cleaning/scubbing them, and letting them dry in the sun.

In short. Check all of your rubber seals. Then use a decontamination/odor bomb thingy to de-microorganism the vents/AC/Heater system etc. And be thankful that you only have a teeensy bit of mold

.

unrealrocks · 13 Apr 2014 at 22:34

Aircon bomb, ala http://www.bilthamber.com/air-con-bomb-citrus

There are plenty of them around, basically it's an aerosol can that you clip open, stick in a footwell with your car on recirculate for 20mins and it sanitises the air con system. The one I used made the car stink of chemicals for a few days but really cleared out odors well after that

Third Opinion · 14 Apr 2014 at 07:14

If I leave my cars standing for any amount of time I buy one of those cheap dehumidifiers from the £1 shop.

Keeps the car lovely and dry inside and stops the mould.

You can get scented ones too, makes them smell all fresh inside.

Banny · 14 Apr 2014 at 07:36

My audi got this but much worse, I wiped it off them used some mould spray over the top and then dehumidifier for a couple of days.
It did the trick.

King4aDay · 14 Apr 2014 at 19:33

A few years ago my brother left the sunroof open on my old Primera shortly before quite a large rainshower... I had actual mushrooms growing out of the carpets that winter.