Piston Slap: Two Steps for Mold-Free Winter Storage
Suzanne writes:
Could you discuss cleaning off mold from leather seats? I have had to move my car from heated storage into an aluminum garage. This has resulted in mold on my leather seats. For economic reasons, I can no longer afford heated storage. Also, will a fan, dehumidifier, or something else help? This is the size of a regular-size double-car garage. I could really use some help here.
Sajeev answers:
There are several solutions to your situation, so fear not! Losing climate-controlled storage isn’t the end of the world—you only have to remove the mold and keep it from coming back with a few affordable, easily sourced products.
Step One: Spray It Away
Because mold can grow on places besides the seats, I recommend cleaning everything. This is a two-step process, and the first is using one of the many cleaning and protecting sprays available on the market. There are way too many brands out there to recommend, so I’d choose one that promises an easy way to clean off mold and then protect from future growth for months. (You will need to test the product in an inconspicuous location inside the car to ensure it doesn’t discolor the material.)
Whatever cleaning spray you buy must then be removed from the interior. You can do that with a hand towel, but there’s no better way to eliminate mold than with a steam cleaner. Steam cleaners are easy to operate, but do require a little knowledge to ensure you don’t damage the materials. Here’s a video from one of my favorite car detail YouTubers to show how it works on leather seats (and the rest of the interior).
But don’t fret if a steam cleaning machine (or service) is out of the question, as the aforementioned cleaning sprays will likely get the job done with a clean towel. I am mostly recommending steam cleaning because it is so thorough, leaving nary a streak or trace of residue on your interior. It’s a very effective solution, but it’s not mandatory.
Step Two: The Desiccants Of Modern Society
With a clean interior ready for storage, let’s now address the preventative measures needed to keep mold away. Products from DampRid (or its competition) will protect your car for at least a month, probably longer if you buy the items designed for large rooms, not closets. This is what our resident Hack Mechanic learned when addressing his storage mistakes and removing the mold that came from it.
So fixing the problem is pretty simple, if a bit time-consuming. But once it’s clean, using something like DampRid will keep it dry. You will have to check up on your DampRid, ensuring you haven’t run out of desiccant. It may not last the entire winter, depending on where you live and how much rain you get, but luckily adding desiccant is a snap.
What say you, Hagerty Community? Got a better way to remove mold and keep it from coming back?
We don’t get much snow in my parts anymore so I pretty much drive ’em year round so probably not much help. Spray Nine is pretty good at knocking down the mold and is a lot less aggressive than bleach
Unfortunately, I don’t have the benefit of storing my vehicles indoors, and I live in the hot, humid south east US. Mold and mildew can always be a problem, year round. I also use the Damp-Rid buckets and bags in my vehicles. They seem to work pretty well. I have also tried using the Arm & Hammer baking soda carpet fresheners. They seem to absorb moisture, though a good vacuum job will be needed before driving the next time. The strong smell might even deter mice…. maybe?
The directions on Damp Rid say not to use with leather interiors. Anyone have experience with doing so anyway?
I use Silica Gel Desiccant, it’s renewable. I microwave it for 4-5 mins to remove the water collected. I put the bag in a plastic tray. It’s 4 years old now and eliminated any mold build up. I buy 500 gram packs on Amazon.
I’d love to know exactly which silica gel you are buying from Amazon. I’m in South Carolina myself and my cars get the musty smell and small amounts of mildew. I’d like some microwave style. I bought the stuff in the metal canisters and have to put in the toaster oven for a long time to dry them out. Thanks!!
https://www.mdsassociates.com/catalog/p-110342/aquasorb-automotive-interior-preservation-kits
Amazon.
2 x 500 Gram [2.2 lbs] Large Silica Gel Packets,Rechargeable Silica Desiccant Packs, Moisture Absorbers for Moisture Control, Desiccant Dehumidifier for Storage Safe
https://www.amazon.com/Rechargeable-Desiccant-Moisture-Absorbers-Dehumidifier/dp/B0CQVNXRXP/ref=sr_1_5?crid=24GP81S3XWXUP&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.faq-A7EWwH7O1HGsXS8CNlUvkbtylr0A4jWBrrpbrc5ZwH-NWDG5hN1m8aAyHgNXfr2qb60QajeQnNtsY8V2yLLMmj-cHD5khKv27MLb8hCWgh5AiJcM7qPRR7FsE9kJCHS92RDUZzABzFqcdtFMhnAv4lnaW4ASkXbVjRp6ZYxp-w6I0BZU3VlCyE4Y72YpI49_-4ShM2x7ZrLVlSIva8791wUgq304RWsaZxbwlGY.c4WjGvewc_uDtgxGPR3sOK-6Jzgmq9rNwxBwtwA5VXs&dib_tag=se&keywords=lotfancy%2B500%2Bgram%2Bsilica%2Bgel%2Bdesiccant%2Bpacket&qid=1728418004&sprefix=%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-5&th=1
I have been using Damp Rid in all my cars with leather interior for years and have had no problems at all. My cars are in cold storage for a minimum of 6 months at a time. Some cars I leave the windows cracked and this year I closed all the windows on one of my cars just to see if one way is better
I have using Damp Rid for many years with a leather interior. Unlike most, my car is stored during the summer in Tampa in a metal storage building with no climate control. I think humidity was invented there! Still no problem with mold using Damp Rid and it last for months (1 large in the car, 1 large outside the car). Sadly now with hurricane Milton heading straight for it, I can only hope it survives. Mold is a small concern now!
Please also protect against rodents, much worse damage than mold!!
Please update us on how Milton affected you!
I have used it for years in my house and in my seldom driven 1953 Chevy Hot Rod Show Truck and it has never failed to keep my tuck mold free and selling fresh. I also use electronic pest control plug in units to keep mice out. Both of these items are a must in my unheated and un-AC garage.
I’ve also been using Damp-Rid with leather interiors with no problem at all. I will warn you not to allow the resulting accumulated liquid to spill on fabrics or leather. Even on plastic interior parts, it does not seem to clean up easily by just wiping.
I have been using damp rid in my stored cars for years with great success.
Pontiac with leather, BMW’s with leather. Etc.
I put one 10.5 oz pail on the floor mat of each seat with a fabric softener sheet under the pail. This setup has worked great for me in keeping everything dry.
Cars are garaged, kept very clean interior and exterior and under breathable covers.
Desiccant, a dry storage space and a fan running 24-7 to move air.
In Minnesota I don’t worry about mold but I do worry about mice. I buy the peppermint scented mouse resistant packs and use about (6) in my ’79 bug. I usually change them out once in mid-winter.
I haven’t had problems with mold but rather a mouse. He got into the trunk of my Lotus Esprit. He didn’t do any damage to the interior of the car but did make a nest in a towel that was in there and left lots of droppings. I put mouse bate and a trap in the trunk, no luck. A friend told me about a product made by Safer called Critter Ridder. I sprinkled a small amount in the trunk and never saw the mouse again. It’s dry, so easy to vacuum out, no smell to humans. I now put it in the corners and along the edges of the garage.
I use electronic pest control plug ins from Amazon. they work in my house, attic and truck.
If you have kids in the house, they’ll go crazy from the sound. Mine avoid houses that have them outside when walking around our neighborhood. If you’re older than 35 of so, you probably can’t hear it.
I store my car in an unheated garage in a CarJacket – no mold, no mice.
DampRid has worked well for me
First–consult a leather specialist–what’s on the leather which prompts mold to grow. Dust/oils from hands/etc./what? Mold needs nourishment! Keep your car clean–everywhere–inside and out. NO dirt, no food crumbs, no empty food, etc. containers–nothing! Study upon what surfaces molds like to grow–they likely are not going to grow on metal surfaces–they want cloth, leather, plastics and the like. The above suggestion of the use of desiccants is good! I’d also advise the thorough cleaning of the garage in which the car is to be stored. If it is dirty, etc., consider even the renting of cleaning equipment to thoroughly clean the premises. If therein are stored dusty boxes, etc. which can also be the “home” of molds–they need to go. Molds usually need moisture–so control by eliminating any possibility of a leaking roof, etc.
Regarding HOW the mold develops is important. Mold requires food to get it started, and one of the best foods for mold is the old Armor All. I found this out after storing my freshly-cleaned and Armor-All-ed Jeep over the winter in one of those assemble-it-yourself backyard garages, made of pipe and tarp. When I checked on it in early spring my beige interior had become fuzzy black-grey. I tried to clean it but gave up and took it to a professional who somehow managed to get it all gone without ruining the plastic.
What Sanjeev stated with steam is right on the money.
Do follow up with a leather cleaner that is PH balanced and clean the leather with it. This will remove the rest of any left over mold. Then put on the leather conditioner.
Do the wheel seats and armrest if leather. this will help protect them. You want the car dry but do not dry out the leather or you will crack or damage it.
I use Lexol cleaner and conditioner. Also I use Meguires. They used to have a squeeze bottle of conditioner but it appears to be gone. They do use a spray now.
Even in a heated garage in a damp climate you are still at risk with temp changes like in the spring.
I installed what is called a https://humidex.com/en/ humidex system. This is a fan that is mounted near the floor and it cycles the air in the garage to continue to flow and keep moisture from happening. It worked in heated and unheated spaces.
Even with a heater if I had the temps down and the air warmed outside with snow I would get moisture on the engine and even my tools. I could turn up the heat but this fan alone removed the moisture.
It was designed for homes in Canada that have heated garage floors to keep the ice from building up. It helps dry the space.
Also the Lexol works great on my Snake Skin Boots as well my A2 Bomber Jacket. It is a good product to keep around. Shoes recliners etc.
I used it on my C5 seats when I got it. They were just starting to show crack lines but with the infusion of conditioner it restored them back to like new condition. They were not that far gone.
Steering wheels are most at risk due to the crap on your hands.
A Car Capsule or Car Capsule Showcase will fix your issues. They keep dust and moisture away from your vehicle, and last indefinitely. I’ve had a couple for many years, and would recommend them to anyone with a car they cherish. They also keep rodents out!
We call em car condoms lol!
I put my toys each in an inflatable protective cover which is pressurised by small fans powered by the car’s battery which is maintained by a charging tender included in the cover system. The fans draw air through filters and the car(s) remain dry and dust free while stored. It is a system called CARCOON and it is very satisfactory, it gives me protection against rodents and mould.
I use a quality leather cleaner and follow up with a leather conditioner at storage time in November. Lexol or Zymol. In April when its time to wake the car up I clean and condition the leather again. Never had a mold problem. Of course we don’t have a winter humidity problem in New Hampshire. Also use a soft breathable car cover. Seems to work. Mice are another issue. I seal off the exhaust with a tennis ball and use a mouse killer at the four corners. Doesn’t always work. Started the car up a few years ago and mouse pieces and nests blew out the exhaust pipe all over the back of the garage. I guess that’s one way of delivering an effective eviction notice.