Interior Cleaning
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 396
Likes: 13
From: New Bern NC
Interior Cleaning
I noticed that I keep getting lite mold/mildew on the interior areas. I keep cleaning it but it coming back. Any ideas on how to get rid of it? It drives me nuts. 
Last edited by ATIS; Jun 30, 2016 at 07:23 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
A lot of it depends on how you are storing the car. If you are covering it..and it is getting moist/damp in the car...that is part of the problem....especially if it is outside with cover on it. And being inside a garage that does not 'breathe' well can do it also.
Trying to get rid of this is going to be hard...because what you need to use can effect things.
DO NOT let this get away from you...MOLD is the plague...once it gets started and migrates...it requires a total tear down to get it out ...just like in houses. AND..I have some customers whose cars I will not work on ...because when they bring them by for me to look at due to it having something that needs to be repaired....and I stick my head inside the cabin..I can smell it right away and back out if it REALLY FAST.
DUB
Trying to get rid of this is going to be hard...because what you need to use can effect things.
DO NOT let this get away from you...MOLD is the plague...once it gets started and migrates...it requires a total tear down to get it out ...just like in houses. AND..I have some customers whose cars I will not work on ...because when they bring them by for me to look at due to it having something that needs to be repaired....and I stick my head inside the cabin..I can smell it right away and back out if it REALLY FAST.
DUB
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 781
Likes: 113
First thing you must do is do your best to eradicate the mold spores and mildew.with a good thorough cleaning..Plenty of good household cleaners and sprays that will help with that..
The true issue is keeping the car in a good ambient where relative humidity is under 70% with temps under 80F and good air circulation..
There are gadgets DRIZ Z Air etc that help lower moistuure in the air as well as simple silica desicants (that need to be changed)Desicant work best in a closed environment..like a good gun safe..Not sure a well closed Corvette is tight enuf..even with great weatherstripping-seals.
Check with the local marine/marina people and pick their brains on what they have tried-used successfully..
IF your car is garaged..a good properly sized dehumidifier can reduce-control air moisture..but ya have to clean the tar out of everything interior properly and well to do your best to kill-eradicate the microscopic mold-mildew spores..Jim
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 396
Likes: 13
From: New Bern NC
Its garage kept but not climate controlled...but the shop is insulated so its cooler in the shop then outside during the summer. I dont keep the cover on her and leave the tops off year round. I will go back and clean everything again. Its mostly the steering wheel and the pillars behind the seats.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 781
Likes: 113
Its garage kept but not climate controlled...but the shop is insulated so its cooler in the shop then outside during the summer. I dont keep the cover on her and leave the tops off year round. I will go back and clean everything again. Its mostly the steering wheel and the pillars behind the seats.
Once they get a foothold..only a scorched earth serious cleaning with the right stuff will keep them from coming back given the right combination of moisture, etc.. How often do you take the car out and run 'er around..MOLDS etc can propagate insidiously in the duct work on older cars...stay with it and fire up the heater early summer and blower on high and then clean..Jim
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Wipe down with cloth and diluted bleach/water. Wear rubber gloves and with fresh air flowing. If you have mold in 'soft' items (foam in seats, carpet, etc) you have a bigger problem. If the leather on the steering wheel is moldy, you may have to replace the wheel. Using adequate amount of bleach to soak into the leather will likely ruin the leather wrapping.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Jun 30, 2016 at 09:23 PM.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 781
Likes: 113
Pollen is a nuisance but other than spores from mods in the air and such they just add to fine dust and probably feed molds and mildews.
I only use Lexol on my leather seats and steering wheel cover..Keeps things clean and helps the life of good leather..Bleach has it's place in cleaning disinfecting..but Never for leather..Jim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 781
Likes: 113
White vinegar, full strength sprayed on the area..( carpets for example) and left on for an hour or so..will kill the stuff well.Then you wash-shampoo and dry..Remember that your A/C creates some moisture /condensation when you run it..so make sure the system is functioning well..Dumb as it sounds in hot weather..not a bad idea to run the heater fan defroster for a few minutes before you shut the car off after running the A/C
Most ststems also have a dryer in them which needs attention occasionally..Jim
Most ststems also have a dryer in them which needs attention occasionally..Jim
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 781
Likes: 113
YES..Quality air movement (NOT0 blowing stuff around helps reduce humidity..
ANYONE who has ever beed into a clean room in mfg plants or in an ICU UNDERSTANDS the importance of reducing-abating airborne bad stuff..
An Oyster white leather interior such as I have in my '78 SA is unique for a car's interior..Not everyone wants that color..
IT Shows dirt, dust, stains, grime like a bloody nose shows up blatantly on a white linen dress shirt in the front pew of Church..
GOOD thing is IF YOU CAN SEE the problems you can halt the origin and clean things up promptly..before it ruins something..
Jim
ANYONE who has ever beed into a clean room in mfg plants or in an ICU UNDERSTANDS the importance of reducing-abating airborne bad stuff..
An Oyster white leather interior such as I have in my '78 SA is unique for a car's interior..Not everyone wants that color..
IT Shows dirt, dust, stains, grime like a bloody nose shows up blatantly on a white linen dress shirt in the front pew of Church..
GOOD thing is IF YOU CAN SEE the problems you can halt the origin and clean things up promptly..before it ruins something..
Jim
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 396
Likes: 13
From: New Bern NC
No a/c so good there. I like the fan idea, never thought about that except when I am working on here. All the other suggestions sound good. I will give them a try.
Thanks for the ideas!
Thanks for the ideas!
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Mike is correct. But, when you get the car dry, the mold/mildew will only be dormant...but still alive. If possible, you need to get rid of it. Otherwise, whenever humidity is present, it will revive and continue being a headache.
I'm not aware of any 'cleaner' that will eradicate mold/mildew. Chlorinated bleach will kill it; oxygenated bleach [ie, Oxy-Clean, etc.] will kill it, but with a lot more time. Chlorinated bleach will not do damage to hard parts; oxygenated bleach may be safer for 'soft' parts but will need to stay in the part much longer to be effective.
I'm not aware of any 'cleaner' that will eradicate mold/mildew. Chlorinated bleach will kill it; oxygenated bleach [ie, Oxy-Clean, etc.] will kill it, but with a lot more time. Chlorinated bleach will not do damage to hard parts; oxygenated bleach may be safer for 'soft' parts but will need to stay in the part much longer to be effective.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 396
Likes: 13
From: New Bern NC
I am a mold inspector so i know the causes, just wanted to know what everyone uses that wouldnt mess up the interior. Of course i do homes so its all moisture control there as bleach opens up the wood fibers and makes it worse.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 781
Likes: 113
A good cleaning using least stringent methods is first..then drying, deeper more stringent methods..Have to clean and remove the mold-mildew..and then address the root cause best you can.Jim
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 396
Likes: 13
From: New Bern NC
I used the simple green/magic eraser method on the pillars and seat belt covers. Cleaned up nicely. Will take look at them tomorrow to.see if they stayed clean (amd make sure I got them completely clean)
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 396
Likes: 13
From: New Bern NC
I inspect homes out there (along with most of eastern nc). Sorry to hear he has passed. Thats a nice area with lots of water access.
I have a small mildew/mold issue only on the steering wheel and the pillars so its not totally out of control but dont want to what for it to get bad.
I have a small mildew/mold issue only on the steering wheel and the pillars so its not totally out of control but dont want to what for it to get bad.