Preventing and Removing Mold Inside a Vehicle

Is there a smell inside your vehicle that you’re having trouble identifying? Could it be mold? Mold smell is an unpleasant odor, something like a mix of spoiled milk and socks that haven’t been washed in almost a month.

What Is Mold?

Mold is a type of fungus. It’s what you should blame when your food spoils — for example, when you see the blue, brown, black, red, or green fuzzy stuff covering old pasta that’s been left sitting around.

Mildew, on the other hand, is another form of fungus, closely related to mold. The difference here is that its color is more distinct: it’s white.

Is Mold Harmful to Health?

Mold can negatively affect your health. Allergies seen in people who heavily inhale mold spores are a common complaint, and this condition can show up as respiratory problems. Some other symptoms pointing to harm from mold are headaches, migraines, itchy eyes, coughing, rashes, frequent sneezing, fatigue, sinus problems, and nasal congestion.

Mold can also carry serious health risks for humans and animals. Long-term exposure to toxic types can lead to neurological problems, even death.

Preventing Mold Inside the Vehicle

Mold loves warm, dark, and humid environments. Mold growth can be seen anywhere inside your vehicle that meets these conditions. Some types of leather are also known to be very prone to mold. That’s why leather car seats are also at risk of mold.

For related topics, see:
Cleaning Leather Seats / Care of Leather Seats / Removing Stains From Leather Seats

If you park your vehicle in an enclosed space, if you’ve left it unventilated for a long time, if the inside of the vehicle doesn’t get sunlight, if you left your windows slightly open while it was raining, or if you didn’t wipe up spilled juice while eating your burger in the car, there’s always a risk of mold on the vehicle’s interior components.

Getting Rid of Mold Inside the Vehicle

Wear a mask so you don’t breathe in the spores. Then open your doors, windows, trunk, and hood. Leave it like that for 30 minutes or more.

To clean moldy surfaces: put on gloves and grab a toothbrush. Gently brush from the center of the mold outward, reaching into any cracks it may be in. Do this very gently. We don’t want the spores to spread.

The Power of Vinegar for Cleaning Mold

After loosening the mold, it’s time to get rid of it. Grab a spray bottle and vinegar, and mix 1 cup of vinegar with 1 cup of water. Spray it onto the moldy surface. Let it sit for 30 minutes like this.

Then grab a paper towel and dry it off. We don’t want to leave the surfaces damp.

Borax or Baking Soda for Cleaning Mold in the Vehicle

You can also use borax to clean mold in the vehicle. This is optional, but it may provide a better cleaning solution than just using vinegar alone. Sprinkle borax onto the areas where the mold is, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, and then vacuum or brush it off.

What if you don’t have borax? Baking soda is a good alternative you might want to try. Not only does it help clean mold and mold residue, it also acts as an odor eliminator.

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