So you have mold in your car...

However when a car is used on a daily basis we open windows, clean out the car and remove items. So moisture often doesn’t have time to stick around too long to settle and grow mold. When a car is left sitting, closed up and is driven less often mold has room to grow. 

Again do not worry, there is a way to remove and prevent mold. What do we personally do? We start by using an ozone generator. Ozone is a highly reactive gas that kills living organisms like bacteria and fungus, which includes mold. For the ozone treatment we prop up all mats and circulate the air in the car, for this the car may have to be running for the duration of he treatment. We run the ozone machine in the closed car for at least 30 mins to kill all mold seen and unseen. When done we air out the car to prevent harm to ourselves as ozone is harmful to breathe in directly. 

Once safe we start with the clean up. We clean all surfaces with alcohol. Rubbing alcohol is able to penetrate the cellular membrane of the fungus that causes mold. This allows the alcohol to destroy the cells of the mold causing fungus. It is also safer on cars than bleach. We especially focus on the moldy spots using a microfiber to properly pick up all the spores. We never reuse microfibers or paper towels to ensure no cross contamination, everything is thrown away. 

The initial clean up is done. Now all the visible mold should be gone. Next we start with the detail. This is to simply get the car looking clean as a whole. For this we follow our steps for a Full Interior Detail.  We deep clean all the seats to remove stains the mold might have left or any other stain the seats may have. The carpet is shampooed, and all mats are cleaned as well. The dashboard, cupholders, console, doors, trim and buttons are all thoroughly cleaned and protected. The trunk and widows are also thoroughly cleaned. Why do we do a Full Detail? This helps the car look as clean as can be since cars that have mold tend to be abandoned for some time and are due for a good cleaning. This especially helps to make sure we investigate every part of the car for hidden mold and find where the moisture is coming from. It also ensures it is cleaned up quickly. Mold often leaves stains and a thorough cleaning is important in removing the stains along with the mold. 

Once clean we run the ozone machine for at least another 30 mins, with the mats and car circulating air as the first time. Should we miss something or mold is hidden in unseen places the last ozone treatment will stop its growth and kill it. 

Following these steps will help you have a clean and mold free car once again! If you are planning on scheduling an appointment with us be sure that we will do everything we can to ensure we help you get rid of this problem and feel free to ask any questions. If you would like to save some money and do it yourself we offer ozone rental services. Always wear a mask and use gloves when cleaning up mold. We encourage you to follow the directions for best results. Also see our other articles to learn how to clean your car properly.