Mold spots on the interior?

**slvrshadow94tt** · 11-09-2003, 02:05 PM

Hey Everyone!

I`m hoping someone can give me some insight on this problem. Here are some details to consider first:

My Supra has been stored in my garage since June 1. The garage is an attached garage, it`s well insulated, but not "climate controlled". 98% of the time the car is under a car cover (one that breathes). The windows are left rolled up. The car is extremely clean inside and out. Since June 1, I have periodically done some detail work under the hood which required partially removing the car cover, opening the driver`s door and popping the hood latch. I`ve done this maybe a dozen times. Also, I have started the car and moved it out of the garage maybe three different times over the months so I could do other work in my garage. I would put it back in within a couple of hours or so and re-cover it. BTW, I .........N E V E R..........run the air conditioning inside the vehicle. In fact, the air conditioning unit has been disconnected for the last four years.

Here`s the problem:

The other day, I opened my car door for the first time in 2-3 weeks. I looked inside and was stunned at what I saw...:shocked ! My black interior was covered in dime-sized, fuzzy, mold spots. They are everywhere! On the vinyl dash, platic trim, door panels, carpeting, leather seats, in my hatchback, I mean EVERYWHERE! Can someone enlighten me as to how this could have happened so suddenly? Also, how should I go about cleaning this mess up and preventing it from happening again?!

I did "search" this topic but came up with limited results and nothing that seemed identical to my problem. ALL insight, advice, experience, enlightenment will be greatly appreciated!!

Sorry for the long post and Thanks In Advance!

**slvrshadow94tt** · 11-09-2003, 02:10 PM

One more thing guys....... this car never sees rain, never has food or drink inside, and stays meticulously clean (literally). I`ve not seen this sort of thing before and I`m completely perplexed:nixweiss

Thanks Again

**jr weeks** · 11-10-2003, 06:31 PM

Since no one has jumped in here, I`ll throw a couple of ideas at you, and you can throw out what you see fit and take the rest under consideration.

One thing you should think about doing is driving the car onto a sheet of plastic that extends a foot or 2 beyond the car`s perimeter. This will keep moisture from the floor (which i`m assuming is concrete? ) from moving up to the car. I learned this from a local restorer years ago.

Secondly, even a "breathable" car cover will trap *some* moisture, because heavy rain will still get through a bit, then evaporate afterwards. What you may be experiencing is the transition period of condensation / moisture coming up from the concrete (and what is present in the periods of damp or humid air) being a bit "held up" in the process of evaporating in an enclosed enviornment. Out in the sun and wind, any remaining moisture under the cover is quickly evaporated, not so in a garage where it`s more stifled.

Lastly, here`s a trick that you can do ; Buy some Damp Rid or equivalent, the calcium chloride granules that you would use in closets etc. and stick a couple of them in the car. You`ll have to dump them and replenish them a few times over the winter, but it should either eliminate or drastically reduce the molding you`re presently getting. It`s cheap stuff too.

Hope this helps, good luck.

P.S. Oh and, if it were me, I`d also crack the windows 1/4 inch too, to let it breath easier inside, especially since the cover will keep most of the critters out.

**slvrshadow94tt** · 11-11-2003, 01:35 PM

Thanks for the suggestions Guitarman :xyxthumbs ! I would never even have thought about the plastic on the concrete trick. About the "Damp Rid" or equivalent, will it leave behind any kind of odor inside the car?

I`m still somewhat perplexed how this even happened. I`ve never had mold pop up in any other vehicle. Has this sort of thing happened to anyone else here? I`m not referring to anyone who has had rain or spills of anykind in their vehicles.

Lastly, should I be cleaning these spots with anything other than my "normal" interior products and leather cleaners?

Thanks Again

**imported_Honda Man** · 11-11-2003, 02:48 PM

I have had good luck using a product called MicrobanÃ‚® Disinfectant Spray. It will kill the mold spores. You can inject it into problem areas if needed. There is a slight disinfectant odor for a short while. I found it a a local carpet cleaning supply distributor.

http://www.baneclene.com/catalog/microban.html

Good luck!

**jr weeks** · 11-11-2003, 04:33 PM

AFAIK-Damp Rid doesn`t leave behind any odors, because my wifus uses it in the closets in our home, and I never smell it. It picks up mold like crazy though-the granules absorb it and it liquifies over time, then you dump it and put fresh granules (calcium chloride ) in.

Good luck. Love the Supras,

**imported_Greg** · 11-11-2003, 05:17 PM

FWIW, I will throw something. I use Pinnacle Leather Conditioner. I used to apply it with a terry foam applicator and then store it in a ziplock bag. One day, I noticed, the pad had mold growing like crazy on it. What products have you used on the interior since June?

**slvrshadow94tt** · 11-11-2003, 06:47 PM

Thanks again Guitarman for advice and Supra "props"

.

Blackf150, I`ll check out that Microban :up .

Greg, I haven`t cleaned or conditioned the leather seats since March or April (haven`t needed it). The products that I`ve been using are Lexol.

Thanks

**imported_Dave Holmes** · 11-11-2003, 09:04 PM

Is Damp Rid a desecant? If so, you could buy a bunch of new shoes and use the pouches that come in the boxes. You know the ones that say "Do Not Eat"?

Kidding aside, I thought of something when I read the comment about cracking the windows a little (which, I think is a great idea). On your climate control, do you have the recirc button "off" so the fresh air vent is open? On my wife`s `88 Nissan p/u, it gets really stuffy inside when the vent is in recirc mode. I guess even the little air exchange this little vent has helps some.

Once you clean the mold off that is already there, you may want to spray some sort of fungicide (Lysol type) in the interior to kill the remaining spores. Molds can be tricky to totally eradicate because of these millions of spores that will literally be everywhere. But before you start dousing your interior with Lysol, test the product on an inconspicuous spot. I`m not sure what affect Lysol has on plastic/vinyl/leather, so you may need to look around for a safe one.

Dave