There is nothing in the world quite like that new car smell. A fresh smell sends a message of all your new car's possibilities. However, there is another car smell that sends an entirely different message.
It is a musty, intense, unpleasant, and potentially dangerous smell. That is the smell of mildew.
If your once good-smelling car has started to smell like a mildew nightmare, then you want to fix that. However, you can only fix your car's new awful smell by knowing the cause.
Here we will discuss what causes the mildew smell in cars, how to get rid of it, and how to prevent it.
Why Does My Car Smell Like Mildew, Anyway?
Old Food
There is no shame in not being a necessarily tidy car owner. People are busier today than ever, which sometimes means practically living out of one's car. It only stands to reason that people eat in their cars too.
However, when you leave old food in your car, you leave food for mildew to thrive and grow.
This is a potential source of the mildew smell in your car.
Dirty Clothes
As previously stated, people are busier today than ever before. Not everybody has a washer and dryer at home, so sometimes one has to travel to the laundromat. Sometimes, one may forget their dirty clothes in the back seat of their car and fail to do that particular errand for days at a time.
However, wet clothes are a breeding ground for mildew and mold, especially if some dirty clothes are damp.
Spilled Liquids
If you have a drink in your car and spill that drink, you may quickly block up the drink from your car's upholstery and move on.
However, if you do not go back and thoroughly clean the spill's site, you leave your car vulnerable to mildew.
This is because your drink offers the moisture and nutrients that mildew requires to grow and thrive.
Broken or Leaky Window
If your car has cracked, damaged, or completely broken windows, they let in many outside particulates and moisture, such as rainwater. Eliminating vehicle fungi effectively is your best next step. If you have excessive or have recently had excessive moisture in your vehicle, it could be full-blown mold, and it could be throughout the car. You need to know how to deal with that.
This creates the perfect conditions in which mildew and mold can run rampant in a car.
Dirty Air Conditioner
Your car's air conditioning system is the source of much of the comfort in your car. However, if you have not bothered to clean the event system in some time, there is a good chance that unpleasant odors such as the ones caused by mildew will come about.
Clogged AC Evaporator
Maybe you're wondering what your car's AC evaporator even is. Know that it is a component with the essential function of absorbing heat and removing humidity from the air inside your car.
If there is a clog, it needs to be taken care of quickly because the reintroduced humidity in your car will eventually create condensation, which mold loves to use to spread.
Your Car Has Been Flooded
One of the worst causes of The moldy smell in your car could be flood water. Not only is a flooded car an expensive problem to deal with but getting the mildew smell out of a car that has been flooded can be laborious and expensive.
How to Clean Mold Out of a Car
If you have a mildew smell in your car, you will want to eliminate it. You can clean the smell out of your car by yourself. However, you must understand that taking on this job alone can be quite time-consuming. Here is what you need to do.
Clean the Carpet and Upholstery
If any part of your car will retain the mildew smell, it will be the carpet and upholstery in your vehicle. Any spills, stains, or particulates that invite mildew growth will likely reside in the carpet and upholstery.
You want to use a small carpet cleaning machine, such as a Bissell Little Green Pro, and dedicated automotive carpet shampoo. This will help eliminate the mildew smell in your vehicle's upholstery and refresh the smell of your carpet and upholstery.
While using the carpet cleaning machine, ensure you are thorough and hit every conceivable spot. If you must remove seats from your vehicle to be completely thorough, then so be it.
Use a Dedicated Deodorizer and Disinfectant in the Air Conditioner
If you have gotten all of the potential causes of the mildew smell out of your vehicle, but there is still a slight lingering mildew smell, then there is a chance that the smell is still lingering in your car's air conditioning system.
To eliminate that smell, disinfect your vehicle's air conditioning system and use a deodorizer.
You can typically find these products at your local automotive store. Just be sure to use them exactly as written in the instructions.
Prevent Future Mildew Growth
Use a Car Moisture Absorber
Over the years, moisture absorbers or dehumidifier bags have become increasingly popular to curb car mildew growth. These cool little products absorb the excess moisture inside a car, especially during the more humid months. These can be powerful tools to prevent mold growth in your car.
Use a Car Dehumidifier
As with the moisture absorbers, you can use a car dehumidifier to combat the humidity that often occurs inside a car. You can set the levels to your specifications.
Change the Car's Air Filter
You must change out your car's air filter at regular intervals. You should change your car's air filter once every 12,000 to 15,000 miles. This is especially true if you drive in particularly dusty or dirty conditions.
A dirty air filter could provide the nutrients, mold, and mildew needed to grow and spread throughout your vehicle. And yes, there are major differences between mold and mildew.
Clean the Air Conditioning System Once a Year
One of the best things you can do for your vehicle, not just to curb mold and mildew growth, but for the overall air quality, is to clean your air conditioning system once a year. There are kits that you can use to do this.
However, if you can afford it, a professional service is recommended to ensure the job is thoroughly done.
Running Ozone Generator as a Last Resort
An ozone generator, which I lovingly call cutting-edge mildew destruction technology, will certainly handle future mold growth problems. However, you may not want to do this option as ozone exposure can also be dangerous if you are not careful. Most detailers offer ozone treatment for odors in cars. It's safe when you follow simple safety steps and following the process.
Their big business is removing cigarette smoke odors in used cars for dealerships, but they kill all offensive organic material, including mold and mildew. There are ozone generators specifically for automotive use.
Use Crash Wrap for Broken Windows
Everyone has, at some point or another, seen a vehicle with a broken window that used a trash bag and some duct tape to cover where a window used to be. However, this will not help you to keep moisture out of your vehicle.
The best thing you can do is utilize crash wrap, designed specifically for this purpose.
When to Seek Professional Help
If your vehicle has been flooded, or the mildew smell will not go away no matter what you do, you may need an expert's help. An auto detailing expert can use the proper tools, cleaners, and experience to get your car mold and mildew-free.
