A couple of my cars are parked all winter in unheated garages. They're also not driven a lot even in he summer. I have noticed they build up a musty smell and one (vinyl upholstery) even has some mildew appearing fairly regularly. I clean it off with Lysol but, other than a Pine Tree air freshener, what do you guys recommend to keep this from happening?
I use this stuff. It absorbs water. https://www.walmart.com/ip/15033113...75035&wl11=online&wl12=15033113&wl13=&veh=sem Since your cars are mostly stored you could hang it from various locations and also place a cannister on you package try or on the floor. Available at any supermarket like Walmart.
Yes interior is a problem. I'd also be concerned about interior body panels. Open your car windows and keep a couple of ventilation fans on the car. Ones with an overheat safety switch. Moisture accumulates in an unheated building especially during the spring and fall when the temp reaches an average of 50 degrees and above. That's when the building temp is much different than the outside temperatures.
Other thoughts. Install a dehumidifier in your garage. Also put a box of baking soda in each of your cars along with the Damp Rid. I wonder if it would be possible and safe to suspend an electric light bulb inside each of your cars so as to heat the air in the car and evaporate the moisture. Here's a similar idea. http://www.starmarinedepot.com/davi...1310-31.html?gclid=CPu6htGJutACFU6Cfgod2a4BYQ This idea comes from the practice of storing welding rods in a warm oven to keep them usable. Here's a cat litter idea. https://www.confused.com/on-the-road/maintenance/how-to-beat-condensation-in-your-car Finally, here's what Google says about how to prevent car mildew. https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=how to prevent mildew on car interior
I have the same problem. Damp Rid in the little bucket works but be careful when you remove the bucket, don't spill that stuff on your carpet. An electric dehumidifier is your best bet.
Hello, Wherever you store your car(s), there is some moisture that is getting inside of the structure. In an old house that we used to live in that was built in 1963, someone had poured a concrete patio up against the house's weep edging. No air was able to go in and circulate. So, the inside of the closet that backed up to the wall started getting some mildew. This device solved the problem from the inside. I had to go out and clear out the concrete away from the house to let the weep edging do its job. mildew solved. But prior to this, we also used those crystals in a plastic container. That soaked up the moisture, but was a pain to empty without spilling. Davis Air-Dryr 1000 Mildew Fighter This device plugs into any outlet and is relatively trouble free. There are no moving parts and it is a low powered heating plate underneath. No fire hazard unless you store it next to stuff that will combust over time. On a concrete floor, it is best. on carpeting, you might want to place a floor tile underneath. On a friend's boat, he had one plugged into the shore power outlet and that kept the boat dry all winter. Just sitting in the dock, thin fiberglass walls weep moisture during the California winters and it runs down the side of the interior walls to the sump. Sometimes, during the winter when people are sleeping and it is cold outside, ordinary breathing moisture builds up inside the walls and runs down the walls to the sump. When this device was turned on, the moisture on the walls was not there. It also provided a slight heated cabin upon arrival the next time to go sailing. It does work. In your case, you might need at least two of them, depending on how large your garage is and how much it is exposed to the weather. Jnaki If you put one in each car, you might want to roll down the windows slightly and put a floor tile under this heating device. For the small space, it definitely will keep everything dry and no mildew smell. Also, did you check your heater/hoses for leaks under the carpet? This Davis Company makes smaller versions, but they don't put out as much drying power. YRMV
Thanks for the tips. I've been keeping them with the windows closed, opening a bit might help in the right weather. jnaki, most of the issues are in the rear seat area, so I haven't identified any leaks. There was a GIANT mouse nest when I removed the rear seat in one car to install safety belts!
If you have a concrete floor you need to seal/insulate it...As simple as plastic laid down or a cheap carpet from Job Lot or the like or even plywood scraps..
Damp rid, a big bucket for the garage, and a small bucket for the car interior. Add a box of baking soda to absorb any odors. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The "smell" is from the odor that the mold spores emit. Just like flowers have and throw a sent, so does mold- like flowers are alive, so is mold. You can't get rid of the smell unless you get rid of the mold. It's really really really hard to get rid of that shit once it starts. Bleach/water mix will kill any mold that the solution comes in contact with. Getting the solution to the mold is the destructive part. Getting the environment dry lessens the molds activity and thus the smell but it's there.
The average humidity here in southeast Missouri is around 70%. I keep a portable dehumidifier running in my garage year round. You would be surprised how much water it pulls out of the air. I may try some of that damp rid for a couple of storage rooms at my shop. Sounds like a good product.
Just followed the above google link and found out bleach does not kill the mold spores, aside from ruining just about any automotive surface color it would come in contact with. The article I read had 3 common products that could be used, the first being white vinegar.
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