A flood damaged car comes with some risks, but, don’t let the wet past overpower the decision of saving dollars by purchasing a salvage vehicle. Flood damaged cars for sale are good options for students and individuals looking for an affordable vehicle for short-term use. These vehicles are also popular among car enthusiasts who buy damaged cars at cheap prices to rebuild and sell them for profit. A common problem with flood-damaged cars that many owners complain about is the presence of mildew and moldy smell. The post discusses DIY steps that car owners might follow to get rid of the problem:

Inspecting the Interiors

Check the interiors of the car thoroughly including the hidden areas, seats and floor mats. Don’t forget to examine the upholstery on the seats and touch them to see if they are free of mold and moisture. Ensure that you inspect the air conditioning system because it attracts a lot of dust, germs, spores and pollens, which form fungi and cause mildew smell.

Removing the Odor

Step 1 - Roll down the windows of the car and let it dry out properly. Brush away the loose mold from the upholstery and use an odor remover spray for treating the air conditioning system of the car. Individuals may use a vacuum to remove the moisture lying deep within the fabric.

Step 2- Use anhydrous calcium chloride, a white granules chemical that absorbs the moisture in huge quantity to treat the problem of mildew and moldy smell. Make holes in a waxed cardboard container, put the granules of anhydrous calcium chloride inside and keep the container over a pot so that the chemical that turns into does not wet the upholstery. Leave the pot inside till the time all the chemical turns into water.

Step 3 – Spray air freshener on all the spots of mildew and molds at frequent intervals so that the fragrance settles on the area where the smell is present. The method is effective in removing mold odor inside the car for a long time.

Alternate Procedure

Car owners may sprinkle baking soda at the areas where moisture and mold growth is present. Let it sit there for two hours and vacuum the excess amount with the help of a vacuum cleaner.

Cleaning the Floor and Mats

Use a shampoo or laundry detergent to clean the floor and mats to remove stains, molds and other things causing an unpleasant smell. After you apply the cleaning solution on the affected areas, let it settle for a few minutes and blot up the area by padding with a clean cloth. The remaining moisture can be soaked up with a vacuum cleaner.

A flood damaged car might come with smelly interiors, but, it is definitely not heavy on the pocket of the buyer. Online auction sites usually give a lot of discount on such cars, therefore, if someone who just needs a car for local use comes across a flood-damaged vehicle, should, at least, consider inspecting it once before moving on to other options.

Summary

Mold and mildew smell is one of the common problems with flood damaged cars. The post talks about ways to clean the car and get rid of the problem.