MOLD EVERYWHERE

  • opened up the XJ after its long winters nap and the interior is covered in mold. its unreal how bad the steering wheel looks like a fuzzy green wheel cover. mildew on all the seats and seat belts, green fuzzy stuff on the gear shift steering wheel and random plastics. any suggestions on how i mitigate this natural disaster?

  • Any good cleaner for mold, like Lysol, should work. From the sound of it you'll need to take up the carpet. Big question is why did it grow? It needs dampness to get that bad. Where is the air leak coming from?


    Once you get the carpet out and clean the inside the best you can, put some charcoal briquettes into a few buckets and spread the buckets at different parts inside. Keep the vehicle closed up the best you can for a few weeks. That should take care of any residual moisture.


    Baking soda can also be used to absorb odors


    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • i'm assuming there is a door seal leaking somewhere. if i find the leak and nip that. there should no longer be any moisture in the vehicle. but i'm more concerned with mold and mildew coming back after i clean it. could the mold be behind door panels and dash etc. ? should i go as far as stripping the interior?

  • I can't say how far you should go. If it is bad as you describe, I'd pull the carpet and seats out, scrub them real good and get them dry before putting them back in.


    You could try to just clean it all in place and let it air dry with the windows open for a few days. Maybe get some fans in there to promote air circulation.


    Still wouldn't be a bad idea to keep some charcoal in it for a while to keep a dry atmosphere when closed up


    Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

    Member since 2000

    Jeeps Owned'79 CJ5:

    Specs-

    - 258 I6

    - '93 Cherokee fuel injection and HO head,

    - bored 30 over

    - with 4x4 cam

    T18 tranny with granny low / Dana 18 t-case

    Dana 44 front and back from late '70s Wagoneer, both locked and loaded with 4.88 gears

    SOA on modified YJ springs with shackle reversa

    Fiberglass tub with 6 point cage mounted to the frame


    2015 Grand Cherokee Limited
    Spec-

    Quadratec Floor mats

  • I agree you have to get all of the fabrics out and dried then cleaned. Then you have to find the source of water and fix it. If the mold is as bad as you're describing I'd trash everything that is fabric and buy new. But mold spores make me feel sick so I have to be careful.

  • i'm assuming there is a door seal leaking somewhere. if i find the leak and nip that. there should no longer be any moisture in the vehicle. but i'm more concerned with mold and mildew coming back after i clean it. could the mold be behind door panels and dash etc. ? should i go as far as stripping the interior?

    If you clean everything well, and address any source of moisture, the mold shouldn't return unless the moisture does. Where was it stored? If it were somewhere humid or damp (or even outside given the relatively mid winter), it might not have been a leak but rather just humid conditions. If it were a leak, there would likely be a spot or areas where the mold is much worse.


    And I wouldn't suggest any fancy cleaners, and don't get sucked in by claims related to mold, just stick to the basics. Watered down bleach where you can (1 cup bleach to 1 gallon water) and look at using baking soda and vinegar on fabrics and other soft surfaces.


    Good luck. That smell is terrible to get rid of sometimes.

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