The two things mold thrives on .....

I've got a friend who's got tan interior in her Boxster S and has recently noticed that mold is growing on the passenger side of her car. She's wipe it off when sh first noticed but it keeps coming back. What's the best way to get rid of it? She keeps her car in a garage and this is the first time this has ever happened. She has no idea why this is happening and why its only on the driver's side seat, door and dash. Help! She is very worried and doesn't know what chemical to use to get rid of it. Any help is greatly appreciated.
TIA,
Claro

... Are humidity and darkness, so take them both away.
First to remove the surface mold use a damp towel.
Mold is actually millions of spores that gets into the leather's surface irregularities.
Don't rinse and reuse the towel because this will only spread the spores.
When finished cleaning the affected surface throw it away.
Now subject the leather to the disinfecting UV rays of sunlight.
Put the top down and leave it in the sun for as long as possible.
When storing it it may be best to leave the windows cracked open and a small fan circulating the air in the cabin to prevent the very humid conditions from forming mold again.
Don't use any chemicals on the leather because it could damage or discolor it.
Also some leather conditioners that moisturize the leather may not be the best in this case.
Happy Boxstering
Pedro

Pedro Bonilla
1998 Boxster 986 - 311,000+ miles: [www.PedrosGarage.com]
PCA National Club Racing Scrutineer - PCA National HPDE Instructor - PCA Technical Committee (Boxster/Cayman)

---

Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar

"Racing is life. Anything before or after is just waiting" ... Steve McQueen as Michael Delaney in "LeMans"

"If you wait, all that happens is that you get older"... Mario Andretti

"Being second is to be the first of the ones who lose" ... Ayrton Senna

Only have the lamps on when the garage is unoccupied by people*, pets*, and the car. Without knowing what the specific strength of the lights' effects will be, that will be safer for all around. I'd be careful about art posters, etc. being subjected to the light also. Leave it to the sun to help take care of the car's mold, along with whatever the dehumidifier is doing. My dehumidifier setting is a good guess, as the humidity shouldn't be kept lower than that for extended periods.

*Cataracts

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2011 08:56AM by Laz. (view changes)

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

You might want to suggest that your friend try an organic mold remover. I haven't used it on car surfaces, but she can try it in a small area of the seat where discoloration won't be as noticable. She can either go to an organic grocery store or search on line for organic mold remover or organic mold killer. Most mold killers are bleached based, but the organic ones should not be.

Again, i have not tried this on leather, carpet or vinyl, so she should spot test each of those surfaces. Since many cleaners may indicate not to wipe off, she should let the spot tests dry for several hours or a day to see if over time they might damage the surface.

The likely cause is plugged drains in the engine compartment. Even though she keeps the car in the garage, if she drives in the rain, the water enters behind the seats and saturates the carpet. In addition to the cleanup tips above, be sure to check the drains to eliminate the cause. You can find the diagram here on Mike Focke's site:
Mike Focke's site: Drain Diagram

mold is very tough thing to kill. Often times it looks like it's gone but really it's still there, just not visible to naked eye. Bleach, specifically Clorox, is one of the most effective ways to get rid of mold. On roofs, concrete and decks, use a 3:1 (clorox : water) ratio and let it soak (agitate w/ brush if needed to loosen large clusters) and rinse after 30min if desired. I'm mentioning this b/c your friend's mold source may be her garage block/drywall. If so, this is how I would get rid of it and you do need to find/kill the source or it'll keep coming back.

As for in the car... I wouldn't try a 3:1 solution on the materials but after you remove the large surface chunks, you might wipe the affected surface down w/ a Clorox disinfecting wipe (obviously test in an "inconspicuous" spot first but it shouldn't be strong enough to cause any damage). Otherwise, lots of good sun exposure over time will help kill. Also, I'd throw a decent sized desiccant (Griots Garage has some) in the car for all times, especially storage... behind/under seats to help keep dry in there.

Good luck

PS - sell your $150 "spare" tire yet?

disclaimer police are making me add this...

PS - bleach fumes can be deadly so only use in well ventilated locations...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2011 03:52PM by Burg Boxster. (view changes)

As a kid I did a "science experiment" with pool cleaner and ammonia which lead to an exothermic reaction. Fortunately I was outdoors, but I brought the mixing container into my dad's tool room after I thought the reaction was over. The following weekend I heard my dad yelling from the basement, and went down to see a bunch of corroded tools above the workbench. So kids, just consider what this could do to your lungs!

Minus 40 degrees... Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

Boaters are very accustom to having to deal with mold growth on carpets, vinyl, and everything else for that matter. I use a mold remover produced for boats, and made by 3M, on my cabin interior all the time and it works pretty well. Believe me, I get a lot of opportunities to use it on my boat. Good air flow and low humidity are the ultimate solution but not always possible. They also sell a mold preventer to be used after cleaning. I'd still take the advice of others and do a test spot first, to make sure you don't get any discoloration. West Marine, and Boat US stores carry this and other mold removal products.