What's the best way to treat mould on the dash, door upholstery and seats?

What's the best way to treat mould on the dash, door upholstery and seats?
Mould has likely grown because of damp conditions and a warm interior. The weather has been switching from fairly cold to mild in the last few weeks so if it got at all damp inside then when it heated up during the day, mould will have started to grow. The first thing we'd recommend is moving the car from the shade into the sun if you haven't already, but make sure you wear a dust mask - mould is no joke and can make you quite sick depending on which type it is. Open all the windows and doors to air out the car, which you need because mould can’t grow in dry conditions. Next, check anywhere else that there could be mould (carpets and flooring, in all the corners etc). If you can unzip your seat covers and check the foam inside, do so, because the mould might have grown right into them. If the mould has grown right into the seats, that's probably going to be an expensive fix. At this point, I'd look into taking it to a professional cleaner to see what they can do.

If you plan to clean it yourself, you have to be very thorough and ensure that you're wearing a mask, gloves that cover all the way up your forearms and googles at the least. You can use a toothbrush to break up the larger mould clusters and a vacuum to suck up some of the rest, but make sure you throw away the vac bag or empty the cannister immediately after. White vinegar is a good treatment for mould as it's acidic and will kill it, so mix a distilled white vinegar and water solution 70-80% vinegar) and put it in a spray bottle for the easiest application. Spray all the mouldy areas and then let it dry completely. Vacuum up what's left and ensure nothing is left damp. To prevent mould coming back, get all possible leaks repaired to stop the interior getting damp, look into getting a dehumidifier if damp is a regular issue too. You need to make sure ALL the mould spores are gone so I'd personally have it professionally cleaned if the mould was extensive but that's up to you.
Answered by Georgia Petrie on

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