How to Remove Mold from Car Carpeting

Arnold asked: How do I remove mold from carpeting? Water got into the carpet in our car. It wasn’t obvious because it was under the removable rubber mats and was there until we noticed a fungus-like smell. The mold isn’t visible. There’s no obvious green, brown or black gunk. I vacuumed the water out with a wet dry vacuum and let the car air dry. The carpeting has felt totally dry for several weeks, but the smell is still there.

If you have a mold or mildew smell in your car, odds are pretty good that you still have a moisture problem. Mold will not linger without a moisture source, so the ideal solution is to get to the bottom of your issue. Until the underlying cause has been eliminated, it will not go away. The following fix is temporary,  however, it should be quite effective.

Removing Lingering Odors

This method will remove the smell of mold, however the smell will continue to be produced until the mold that is causing the smell is removed.

You Will Need:

• Innofresh Odor Eliminator
• Baking soda
• Vacuum cleaner

Steps to Remove the Smell:

1. Sprinkle a liberal amount of baking soda over the entire carpeted area of the car. If you suspect the smell is coming from the seats, treat those as well.
2. Allow the baking soda to sit for several hours.
3. Vacuum the baking soda up.
4. Repeat steps 1-3 as necessary. It may take a few applications, depending on how bad the odor is.
5. Once you’ve improved the smell, leave an Innofresh Odor Eliminator in the car. These activated carbon filters actually remove, rather than cover, odors.

Removing the Mold

Although moisture is the enemy when it comes to getting rid of mold, using a steam cleaner is a great way to kill mold and is actually a low-moisture method of cleaning since the carpet is not fully soaked. Any moisture caused by this cleaning will dry too quickly to be useful to the mold.

You Will Need:

• Carpet shampoo
• Carpet steam cleaner
• Water

Steps to Remove the Mold:

1. Fill the carpet cleaner with hot water.
2. Add the appropriate amount of carpet shampoo. Each vacuum is different. Some will use a separate compartment for the soap, and others add it directly to the water.
3. Use the upholstery attachment if necessary for small spaces.
4. Clean all of the areas that were affected by the mold.
5. Once clean, rinse the entire area with clean water and vacuum away the moisture.
6. Keep the car open and allow it to air dry completely.

Additional Tips and Advice

• Avoid using liquid odor or mold eliminators or homemade solutions with liquids. Because it will be difficult to dry the carpet completely, you will likely extend or multiply your problem.
• It’s best to wash the interior of your car on a hot, sunny day. Keep all the doors/windows open to allow maximum air flow and shorten drying times.