08 Aug How to Remove Mold from Your Car
You may be aware that mold can grow in your home, but did you know it can also infest your vehicle? Mold in your car can expose you and your family to serious health problems. The longer that mold in your vehicle goes unchecked, the more dangerous it becomes.
However, mold removal in cars is not always simple. Pure Maintenance of New England provides fast and effective mold inspection and remediation services. Our team is here to help you learn more about how to remove mold from your car.
Can Black Mold Grow in Your Car?
Black mold thrives in humid conditions. A bit of moisture in your car from a spilled beverage, a leaky sunroof, or an open window, paired with hot summer weather can create the ideal environment for mold growth.
You might be surprised that mold can grow in a car, but the carpeting and upholstery can easily get infested. The presence of mold in a car is dangerous. Black mold in particular can cause serious health risks, especially to individuals who are immunocompromised.
Signs of Mold in Your Car
The top two signs that mold is growing in your car are color and smell. Discolored seats, carpets, or other soft surfaces may be the result of mold. You can also typically smell a mold infestation—if your car has a constant musty odor, or a sour one like spoiled milk, you might have mold.
Another sign of mold exposure is mold allergy symptoms. These may include itchy or watery eyes, a runny nose, or constant sneezing. If your symptoms go away when you’re not using your vehicle, you might have mold in your car.
Four Tips for Mold Removal in Cars
If you have mold in your car, the best way to get rid of it for good is to call in the experts. The team of professionals at Pure Maintenance NE can remove black mold from your car quickly, safely, and efficiently.
If you do decide to tackle the mold removal yourself, make sure you park your vehicle in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors. When you clean mold, you may stir up more spores than usual, so you’ll need to take steps to protect yourself from exposure. The chemicals used to clean mold are often dangerous as well, so take proper precautions by wearing a mask and goggles.
You can prevent mold growth in your car by cleaning up spills immediately and regularly checking for signs of mold. If you do find signs of mold in your car, here’s a few tips from our experts on how to get rid of it.
1. Clean Out the Interior
In order to thoroughly remove mold from your car, first you need to remove everything inside, including important vehicle paperwork, snacks, personal items, and trash. You should also vacuum any soft surfaces like seats and carpeting.
2. Inspect Your Car for Moisture
Any broken seals, leaks, or damage that allow moisture into your vehicle are simply inviting mold to grow. Finding and repairing these culprits will help keep your car mold-free.
3. Spray and Scrub
A spray bottle with distilled white vinegar is the safest way to begin mold removal in your car. You can also use bleach to kill mold, but this method can be risky. Bleach irritates the skin and improper use can result in further damage to your health and your vehicle.
Spray the distilled white vinegar, bleach, or cleaner on any areas affected by mold. Then, scrub the spots with a brush to work the cleaning solution into the carpeting, seats, or any other mold-infested surface.
4. Let Everything Dry
When the cleaning process is finished, leave the windows down and let your car dry out completely. Mold thrives in dark, damp areas, so eliminating moisture is the key to keeping fungus out of your car.
Car Mold Removal in New England
Black mold in your car is not a problem you can ignore. Pure Maintenance NE offers mold testing and removal all across the state of Massachusetts. For a free, on-site consultation or expert mold removal services, call our team at 401-205-3825 or contact us online today!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (8/8/2022). Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
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