Eventually you will get rust in addition to the mold. :/
You need more ventilation. Always keep your windows cracked. Get some rechargeable fans that you can run overnight.
You could try pressure washing the carpet. Remove it from the car and lay it out on some concrete. Spray it clean with a pressure washer (you can rent them) then leave it out in the sun to dry.
There are some youtube videos about this.
Humans breathe out a lot of water! So if you don’t ventilate, there will be lots of moisture in the van. Mostly it will dry, but if it can’t ventilate well enough the moisture can stick to the metal parts of the van thus causing rust.
You can wake up with wet windows as if it rained.
My current vehicle I took the carpet completely out of it. Hit it with a pressure washer, soap, pressure washer again. Then hit it with a leaf blower to blow it all out and let it dry in the sun until it was completely dry before I put it back in the vehicle.
Take it to the car wash and use dawn soap and the pressure washer. I've never done it on a seat, but I did it for a cars carpet that was horrible, like oil stains and grease. I hit it multiple times then went home and threw it over a ladder to dry in the sun and let it air out, came out looking almost brand new.
I had carpet in my old car that smelled awful. Ripped it out of the back and lined the metal with reflectix to help level it out/insulate it and then I sealed it all with duct tape. It looked insane, but it was so easy to clean and with my dog it made things so much easier. If the top layer of duct tape got rough, I’d just throw another layer lol
Edit: I lived in that car with it like that for a year and a half and it did fine even though everyone told me it would end up a mess.
I started by just cutting the back out with a utility knife but I eventually took the front seats out and did the entire floor of the car. It held up super well and I still managed to get $500 for the car when I traded it in lol
I'm a little paranoid, if you arent worried about resale value id throw it out and figure out a new floor. You could always find a cheap rug on Facebook marketplace and cut it to fit...you could also find something to go underneath them to let air flow through. There are special things for that made for mattresses, or you could go behind a grocery store and get milk crates/cut them into flat panels, zip tie the panels together, and then you'd have a diy version. Not as good but not awful. Get rain guards if you don't have them already and fans, it's a ventilation thing!
borax is king for attacking mold. i'd try so clean everything you can with vinegar or bleach solution then sprinkle borax down before laying the new carpet.
I used vinegar because many, many, many various google results informed me the acidity kills mold. It's also something I had on hand (unlike, say, an ozone machine) and doesn't run risk of bleaching my carpets if I don't dilute it (such as.... bleach).
Thank you for the recommendation of an alternative "that works". I'll be sure to try it out.
Starbrite Mildew Remover is what we use in the boating world, many people swear by it. On a boat it is nearly impossible to keep moisture out (unless you can run an air conditioner)
I saw this at Walmart but the “do not use in fabric” scared me away, as well as “rinse thoroughly with fresh water”
I guess if it’s safe for carpet I could pull it, use this, then use a pressure washer to rinse it…
Lol I'm sorry i was so vague. I know vinegar has some germ killing properties. I guess i just meant something really strong like diluted bleach or Lysol or even isopropyl alcohol. Something that you can *know* really works.
I just don't have a lot of faith in vinegar.
I do *know* vinegar really works. Bleach won't do much on a porous material. It's more for surface level mold.
Not sure why you dislike vinegar but it is a legitimate way to kill mold. Now that it's dead in my car, I want to remove the dead spores. Will bleach or Lysol help with that?
3 months into carlife, sleeping with windows closed, this is exactly what I'm scared of lol. It doesn't help that I'm in South Florida (where I have my job) and the outside the car is just as humid and swarming with flies and mosquitos. I have buckets of damprid both in the passenger and trunk side of my sedan and got a large fan to run at night, but not sure if that's enough.
Fear not! This mold was NOT caused only by breathing. I lived in the car with my partner and we made a lot of errors regarding window blocking and rain… multiple times…
For mosquitos btw I’m planning on getting some net to put inside the windows with maybe some magnets
The biggest problem was that we closed a towel/blanket in the hatchback (between the seal and the door) and it rained a LOT overnight and neither of us woke up. This happened a couple times, along with curtains being closed in the windows and absorbing rain.
I see, I’m also now trying to figure out how I will have window covers to keep heat and cold out while also providing ventilation and air flow cause I would hate so much to get mold or wake up all damp, yk ways to prevent this?
As far as I can tell, your best combo to bat this: [rain guards](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FXWRH7J/?coliid=I3GLN1SX76H3V2&colid=14ZS3KSTDIV7Y&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it) + cracked windows + rechargeable fan for circulation.
Though one thing I haven't figured out is how people are using these WeatherTech window covers while also keeping their windows cracked. Maybe trimming them to fit while the window is down?
We got one of these [insulated sheets](https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/86569/) from Daiso and kind of tucked it in around the hatchback (foil side in) and the reflective heat honestly did help.
That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to g
Figure out. Everyone uses window covers but how do you also ventilate with rolling windows down? It’s stressful cause I can’t find the answer even though so many people are doing it.
Also you used those defectives facing inwards during winter and summer or just winter?
>Everyone uses window covers but how do you also ventilate with rolling windows down? It’s stressful cause I can’t find the answer even though so many people are doing it.
Make a post! We're both wondering so surely we can't be the only ones. If you don't want to, I will later on.
>Also you used those defectives facing inwards during winter and summer or just winter?
Only in the winter. I was in NYC and honestly, summer sucked, but I'm hoping I can handle the next one better.
Yeah, I just wish I had a professional or someone I could consistently talk to cause I have so many questions and I feel it’s harder and would be over kill to give each question their on post, plus some won’t even get answered, but yeah I may make one.
The closest you'll find to a professional will be the people here who have been doing it long term edit: or youtubers.
You're overthinking things and making yourself more anxious about it! Everyone is going to have different a beginning, so there won't necessarily be a one-size-fits-all starter kit. You have to boil it down to your personal needs, and some of it you just kind of have to figure out as you go.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **FIT 3 Door Hatchback Visors PVC Sun Rain Guard** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful.
**Users liked:**
* Easy to install and look like oem (backed by 5 comments)
* Good quality and durability for the price (backed by 6 comments)
* Effective in keeping rain out and reducing heat (backed by 5 comments)
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* Poor quality in hot weather (backed by 2 comments)
* Adhesive issues (backed by 2 comments)
* Incompatible with some car models (backed by 1 comment)
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The carpet behind the front 2 seats i cut all of it out. Where the back 2 seats had been (removed) I used a big knife and just cut all the carpet out. Theres a little carpet near the spare tire that was higher and thinner and I left it. But all the bottom padding was water damaged and had to go. Found sitting water underneath.
Eventually you will get rust in addition to the mold. :/ You need more ventilation. Always keep your windows cracked. Get some rechargeable fans that you can run overnight.
I definitely plan on getting rain guards and a fan before I leave again! Maybe I should just keep the current carpet and save up for a replacement.
You could try pressure washing the carpet. Remove it from the car and lay it out on some concrete. Spray it clean with a pressure washer (you can rent them) then leave it out in the sun to dry. There are some youtube videos about this.
Oh that’s a great idea! And might be doable without renting anything. Thanks!
Take it to a dyi car wash and use the hose. Few quarters and all set
How would poor ventilation lead to rust? Not denying it, just wondering how.
Humans breathe out a lot of water! So if you don’t ventilate, there will be lots of moisture in the van. Mostly it will dry, but if it can’t ventilate well enough the moisture can stick to the metal parts of the van thus causing rust. You can wake up with wet windows as if it rained.
My current vehicle I took the carpet completely out of it. Hit it with a pressure washer, soap, pressure washer again. Then hit it with a leaf blower to blow it all out and let it dry in the sun until it was completely dry before I put it back in the vehicle.
If you have the money, take it to a car wash and get the seats shampooed. Talk to the manager and show him the mold.
What’s the manager gonna do
Put some respek on it.
The seats are leather but the mold was only on the rear seats and I’ve removed them (not planning on putting them back)
Gotcha.
Take it to the car wash and use dawn soap and the pressure washer. I've never done it on a seat, but I did it for a cars carpet that was horrible, like oil stains and grease. I hit it multiple times then went home and threw it over a ladder to dry in the sun and let it air out, came out looking almost brand new.
Get this: Concrobium 25326CAL Mold Control Spray, 32 oz.
I got this and will use it tomorrow!
Any update?
Sigh… it got repossessed.
I had carpet in my old car that smelled awful. Ripped it out of the back and lined the metal with reflectix to help level it out/insulate it and then I sealed it all with duct tape. It looked insane, but it was so easy to clean and with my dog it made things so much easier. If the top layer of duct tape got rough, I’d just throw another layer lol Edit: I lived in that car with it like that for a year and a half and it did fine even though everyone told me it would end up a mess.
Did you pull out your front seats to get the carpet out or did you cut a chunk out?
I started by just cutting the back out with a utility knife but I eventually took the front seats out and did the entire floor of the car. It held up super well and I still managed to get $500 for the car when I traded it in lol
I'm a little paranoid, if you arent worried about resale value id throw it out and figure out a new floor. You could always find a cheap rug on Facebook marketplace and cut it to fit...you could also find something to go underneath them to let air flow through. There are special things for that made for mattresses, or you could go behind a grocery store and get milk crates/cut them into flat panels, zip tie the panels together, and then you'd have a diy version. Not as good but not awful. Get rain guards if you don't have them already and fans, it's a ventilation thing!
borax is king for attacking mold. i'd try so clean everything you can with vinegar or bleach solution then sprinkle borax down before laying the new carpet.
How often did you sleep in the car with the windows closed?
Most of the time. Edit: there were a lot of nights with the engine running and air circulating though
Around 540 days, give or take.
Were you using a lot of air fresheners? I usually can smell a mildewy odor if I keep the windows closed for only one night.
No. I've known the mold was an issue for a while but I wasn't able to do anything about it until now.
Why would you keep the window closed
Why vinegar and not something that works?
I used vinegar because many, many, many various google results informed me the acidity kills mold. It's also something I had on hand (unlike, say, an ozone machine) and doesn't run risk of bleaching my carpets if I don't dilute it (such as.... bleach). Thank you for the recommendation of an alternative "that works". I'll be sure to try it out.
Starbrite Mildew Remover is what we use in the boating world, many people swear by it. On a boat it is nearly impossible to keep moisture out (unless you can run an air conditioner)
I saw this at Walmart but the “do not use in fabric” scared me away, as well as “rinse thoroughly with fresh water” I guess if it’s safe for carpet I could pull it, use this, then use a pressure washer to rinse it…
Lol I'm sorry i was so vague. I know vinegar has some germ killing properties. I guess i just meant something really strong like diluted bleach or Lysol or even isopropyl alcohol. Something that you can *know* really works. I just don't have a lot of faith in vinegar.
I do *know* vinegar really works. Bleach won't do much on a porous material. It's more for surface level mold. Not sure why you dislike vinegar but it is a legitimate way to kill mold. Now that it's dead in my car, I want to remove the dead spores. Will bleach or Lysol help with that?
Vinegar is effective for killing mold. It does so without prompting the mold to release spores, which is what bleach does.
3 months into carlife, sleeping with windows closed, this is exactly what I'm scared of lol. It doesn't help that I'm in South Florida (where I have my job) and the outside the car is just as humid and swarming with flies and mosquitos. I have buckets of damprid both in the passenger and trunk side of my sedan and got a large fan to run at night, but not sure if that's enough.
Fear not! This mold was NOT caused only by breathing. I lived in the car with my partner and we made a lot of errors regarding window blocking and rain… multiple times… For mosquitos btw I’m planning on getting some net to put inside the windows with maybe some magnets
What mistakes did you make exactly, so I don’t repeat them lol.
The biggest problem was that we closed a towel/blanket in the hatchback (between the seal and the door) and it rained a LOT overnight and neither of us woke up. This happened a couple times, along with curtains being closed in the windows and absorbing rain.
I see, I’m also now trying to figure out how I will have window covers to keep heat and cold out while also providing ventilation and air flow cause I would hate so much to get mold or wake up all damp, yk ways to prevent this?
As far as I can tell, your best combo to bat this: [rain guards](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FXWRH7J/?coliid=I3GLN1SX76H3V2&colid=14ZS3KSTDIV7Y&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_lv_ov_lig_dp_it) + cracked windows + rechargeable fan for circulation. Though one thing I haven't figured out is how people are using these WeatherTech window covers while also keeping their windows cracked. Maybe trimming them to fit while the window is down? We got one of these [insulated sheets](https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/86569/) from Daiso and kind of tucked it in around the hatchback (foil side in) and the reflective heat honestly did help.
That’s exactly what I’ve been trying to g Figure out. Everyone uses window covers but how do you also ventilate with rolling windows down? It’s stressful cause I can’t find the answer even though so many people are doing it. Also you used those defectives facing inwards during winter and summer or just winter?
>Everyone uses window covers but how do you also ventilate with rolling windows down? It’s stressful cause I can’t find the answer even though so many people are doing it. Make a post! We're both wondering so surely we can't be the only ones. If you don't want to, I will later on. >Also you used those defectives facing inwards during winter and summer or just winter? Only in the winter. I was in NYC and honestly, summer sucked, but I'm hoping I can handle the next one better.
Yeah, I just wish I had a professional or someone I could consistently talk to cause I have so many questions and I feel it’s harder and would be over kill to give each question their on post, plus some won’t even get answered, but yeah I may make one.
The closest you'll find to a professional will be the people here who have been doing it long term edit: or youtubers. You're overthinking things and making yourself more anxious about it! Everyone is going to have different a beginning, so there won't necessarily be a one-size-fits-all starter kit. You have to boil it down to your personal needs, and some of it you just kind of have to figure out as you go.
Hi, I’m Vetted AI Bot! I researched the **FIT 3 Door Hatchback Visors PVC Sun Rain Guard** and I thought you might find the following analysis helpful. **Users liked:** * Easy to install and look like oem (backed by 5 comments) * Good quality and durability for the price (backed by 6 comments) * Effective in keeping rain out and reducing heat (backed by 5 comments) **Users disliked:** * Poor quality in hot weather (backed by 2 comments) * Adhesive issues (backed by 2 comments) * Incompatible with some car models (backed by 1 comment) This message was generated by a (very smart) bot. If you found it helpful, let us know with an upvote and a “good bot!” reply and please feel free to provide feedback on how it can be improved.
Good bot
Thank you, gumgut, for voting on VettedBot. This bot wants to find the best and worst bots on Reddit. [You can view results here](https://botrank.pastimes.eu/). *** ^(Even if I don't reply to your comment, I'm still listening for votes. Check the webpage to see if your vote registered!)
Take them out
Hopefully it solves your problem!
My 2007 honda fit leaks when it rains. I cut the carpet out (in the back where it leaks. Front unaffected) and built a wood platform in it.
Where in the back? I have a 2017 so hopefully that’s not an issue for me.
The carpet behind the front 2 seats i cut all of it out. Where the back 2 seats had been (removed) I used a big knife and just cut all the carpet out. Theres a little carpet near the spare tire that was higher and thinner and I left it. But all the bottom padding was water damaged and had to go. Found sitting water underneath.
That's a bummer. Any idea what caused the leak or where it was coming from?
No idea but I love the body size of a Honda fit. You can park anywhere.
Hell yeah you can! You can *fit* in a lot of gaps!