getting mold

[96CamrySport]

So yesterday I went and picked my girl up from work, as soon as she gets in the car she says "it smells like nasty pickles". I had no idea what the hell she was talking about until I got back in the car later and was hit with the smell of mildew. Problem is, I'm a pizza boy in Montana, so every time I get back in the car with snow on the ground, it tracks into the car, about 1/2 oz. of water. on a busy night, I overflow my winter floormat halfway through my shift. so the whole driver's floorpan is wet (still, been a month), and I can't suck it out with a vacuum (it'd take days), and it's too cold to evaporate, so how do I take care of this mold problem? please help!

Raul

[Knailgun]

Originally Posted by 96CamrySport

So yesterday I went and picked my girl up from work, as soon as she gets in the car she says "it smells like nasty pickles". I had no idea what the hell she was talking about until I got back in the car later and was hit with the smell of mildew. Problem is, I'm a pizza boy in Montana, so every time I get back in the car with snow on the ground, it tracks into the car, about 1/2 oz. of water. on a busy night, I overflow my winter floormat halfway through my shift. so the whole driver's floorpan is wet (still, been a month), and I can't suck it out with a vacuum (it'd take days), and it's too cold to evaporate, so how do I take care of this mold problem? please help!

Raul

Whoah that sucks, try keeping air fresheners in the car, Secondly, clean it as often as possible. Lastly, go to your local part store and pick up some truck floor mats with his sides, so you can clean them off without the mess in the car.

[96CamrySport]

I'd rather fix the problem than have my car stop smelling, plus my girl's allergic to whatever's in the fresheners. and I have floor mats that hold a quart of water, but they get overwhelmed on a busy night - thursday - $5 pizza night in Bozeman.

[ralfp]

Air fresheners will only mask the smell and you'll let the mold problem get worse.

As per the previous suggestion, get rubber floor mats with side walls to hold the water in.

Always run your heater (and AC, if possible) full blast to the floor vents.

Use towels to soak up the water from the carpet.

If you park in a heated (or above freezing) garage, leave your windows partially open at night.

Wash the existing floor mats in a bathtub with mild detergent. You'll be disgusted by how much crap (bad choice of words?) comes out.

Maybe you can get some sort of brush to put on the door sill (is that what it's called?) to brush the snow off your shoes when you get into the car.

[woody]

there is a spray that will kill the mold, but you have to get it at a janitor supply shop. Find one and let them know what the problem is. They should be able to help you.

[dna59]

Get some rubber floor mats. That's what we gotta use here in Belize, since mats get dirty and stayed in no time. PLus with rubber mats you can clean them easily.

[Hajoca]

I have 2 suggestions for the killing of the mold in the carpet,

First try vinegar and vacuum it out then hydrogen peroxide from laundry section ( Chlorine free, colour safe bleach) and vacuum

Second Lysol.

I use spill absorbant mats (for chemical spills) that I cut and place on the seat side of my floor mat to sponge the water/ salt. Then I throw them out...same as the paper towels mentioned above.

[toyrolla]

I used a mold removal spray then later on followed with a steam cleaning.
Worked great.

[rusty88]

i had some mildew a while back, fixed the leak and smoked the car out with alot of incense and hit the actual mildew area with cleaning supplies. Smoke kills mold, and the smell of incense is gone in a couple days.