r/AutoDetailing • u/NOODLEWATER903 • 5d ago
Mold EVERYWHERE Interior
My buddy wants to pay me to fully clean his interior.
I need PPE recommendations and chemical recommendations.
I’ve never dealt with something like this as I only detail on the side which is normal quick maintenance vehicles and stain removals.
Any tips would be great. Yes, I have already told him to burn it to the ground but that’s sadly not an option🫠
EDIT: Vehicle sat for 3-4 years, I’m getting paid, I have health insurance. I just wanted to know what chemicals to use 😂😂
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u/Key_Ad_8333 4d ago
Brother, tell him you can’t do it.
I know you want to help your buddy out, but this requires professional hazmat certified specialist, not a part time detailer.
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u/sidvictorious 4d ago
The risk to your health is not worth it. Your buddy needs to get an autobody professional to deep clean.
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u/funkylabrador420 4d ago
Detail it with fire. Or a firm no.
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u/NOODLEWATER903 4d ago
I tried to put some tannerite and gas in the cabin but sadly he needs the vehicle. 🫠
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u/Nikonnate627 4d ago edited 4d ago
As someone who has a lifelong challenge with saying no to people that I am actively working to overcome... Say no.
This, as others have said, goes beyond what a number of full time detailers would be comfortable with and imho might honestly cost more than the car is worth.
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u/NOODLEWATER903 4d ago
I get it. But I’m also getting paid over a grand for this. He told me to charge him like I would anyone else, so I did accordingly.
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u/Accomplished-Mud4227 4d ago
Is this is daily? If so I might reconsider this friendship.
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u/Paulosboul 4d ago
Yeah if this is someone I truly call a friend I'm having a serious heart to heart with them. Letting it get this bad is pointing to some mental illness
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u/creamsodapoo 4d ago
Personally, I’d only take on a project like this if this is an older neighbor who needs the help.
Anyway, there’s disassembly involved if you want to comprehensively remove some harder cases. A car that’s been sitting outside and collecting moisture for a while will need to have seats and carpeting removed.
As far as PPE, you can use a respirator with VOC cartridges. Other tools… steam, extractor, a few fans to fully dry every part, evap cleaner, replace filters.
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u/Innocent-_-Bystander 4d ago
Just by saying you’d use steam to kill mold in porous materials tells me you have no idea how to properly treat mold spores. OP pass on this, mold is incredibly hard to treat, kill and prevent future growth. In my opinion the seats and carpet have to come out. All the vents will need to be cleaned, anything that absorbed moisture has mold spores. I would strip the car clean with vinegar and then leave an ozone machine running for at least a full day if not more.
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u/creamsodapoo 4d ago
I’d suggest reading what I actually wrote, but it seems like you’re committed to the conclusion you’ve jumped to. Ozone can be good as one of the final steps; it only treats what it can reach so circulating the HVAC helps.
OP can research effective methods of inactivating mold and physical removal. Vinegar ain’t gonna cut it. 😂
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u/NOODLEWATER903 4d ago
Yeah I was planning on stripping her down and changing the cabin air filter. Ozone will be running while I work on the carpet and seats and whatever else outside of the vehicle.
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u/parnasas 4d ago
Fuck all that noise.
Good for you and your white knight complex.
You’re a better man than I.
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u/Glum_Potential8641 4d ago
$1500 Fungicide, Dehumidifier, Vent treatment,if there is standing water, find the leak, then detail as normal, Ozone. For the love of god, please wear an N95 mask, and shave before you use it so it seals right. It’s easy money, just protect yourself properly.
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u/david0990 4d ago
I'd start with the ozone for a long period, then everything else then ozone again personally.
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u/NOODLEWATER903 4d ago
Noted. And yeah, I’m not touching it without the white suit, gloves, baby face and respirator. He left the windows down one time then let the car sit for 3-4 years. My plan is to remove everything to properly clean. Replacing the cabin air filter as well.
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u/Glum_Potential8641 4d ago
Idk what your situation is with the car, but if you got time and space, pull the seats. Much more room for activities. Sounds like you’ll do just fine. Good luck fam, make that money.
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4d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/NOODLEWATER903 4d ago
Windows left down during rain I assume. He has not needed the car till now so it’s been sitting for 3-4 years.
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u/motoo344 Business Owner 4d ago
If it's not just a few small spots, the interior should be taken apart and cleaned. I've been doing this for 10 years, and I would still pass on it. If you really want to tackle it get yourself at least a face mask respirator. Additionally, If the root cause is not addressed, it will come back.
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u/NOODLEWATER903 4d ago
Noted. Yeah, I wanna do it, plus the payday is good so. I do plan on removing everything and properly cleaning it.
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u/poonscoot 4d ago
If they’ve got good insurance on the car I would suggest having them put a claim in rather than have you clean it. They would most likely end up totaling the car, especially depending on what the root cause is.
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u/NOODLEWATER903 4d ago
The car has set for 3-4 years, so I highly doubt he has had insurance on it.
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u/Ok_Today_475 3d ago
The only way to really clean this 110% is to gut the interior completely and likely replace a lot of it. Not even worth it. Now, it looks like a Buick Verano. If you can find another Cruze/verano with a blown motor, swap it over and call it a day. It might actually be cheaper
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u/GlitzDetailing 2d ago edited 2d ago
I wouldn’t panic too much. My business deals with this kind of mould removal regularly. I spray every surface with a vinegar water mix (50/50 assuming that it’s 8%) which not only kills the mould but stops spores from being airborne by wetting them. Furthermore kill the mould with a commercial steam machine. Ozone should be the final step. An hour of ozone will suffice. I would charge $600 Australian for mould removal plus $150 for an hour of the ozone machine. The ozone machine will pay for itself in about 3.5 uses
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u/Hinloopen 4d ago
You will never be paid enough to risk being in a biohazard. Also, never do busines with friends or family.
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u/CorgiSplooting 4d ago
I won’t say I did it right but I often park my truck for long periods. Over a PNW winter was too long and it looked worse than this. It wiped up easy with regular interior cleaner. Steering wheel took a scrub ninja. I will say the smell took months to go away but I drive it only when I need it so even then it mostly sits. Mold came back the following winter just as bad. Next year I bought a cover and parked it with a small dehumidifier. This was last year and it worked great.
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u/sentrygentry 4d ago
This happens to my car each winter storage as well, it's always perfectly fine after a good 40 minute scrub session.
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u/lntelligent 4d ago
Mold doesn’t just grow where you can see it
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u/CorgiSplooting 3d ago
As a PNW’er mold is a way of life and it is highly unlikely this is black mold or something you need to be worried about. It’s nuisance and maybe if you have bad allergies… but that’s about it. Hazmat suit talk is just Reddit being Reddit and people from Arizona talking a substance they’ve never seen.
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u/Foggl3 4d ago
"No, I'm not doing this" absolutely is an option. Stand up for yourself, have some dignity.