How to Kill Mildew Growing in a Car Trunk
by Christopher JohnIntercept mildew before it flourishes inside the confines of your car trunk. Left alone to grow, the mildew leads to rust and also weakens the metal areas inside the trunk. Mildew often results from heavy rainstorms, when amounts of water find their way inside the trunk. The mildew not only smells bad and annoying, its appearance is unsightly on the trunk carpeting and surfaces.
Step 1
Open the car trunk. Put on rubber gloves and a respirator. Remove all the items from the trunk, and examine them for signs of mold and mildew. Discard any items that cannot be cleaned.
Step 2
Vacuum excess moisture from the carpeting inside the trunk, using a wet/dry vacuum. Remove the spare tire, which is normally stored in a compartment underneath the carpet, and vacuum any moisture from the compartment.
Step 3
Dab and wipe the trunk carpet with an absorbent rag to further remove any moisture. Wipe the underside of the carpet dry, above the spare tire compartment, using the rag.
Step 4
Add 1 tbsp. of liquid laundry detergent to 2 cups of water, in a bucket. Mix the two ingredients to create a sudsy mixture.
Step 5
Dip a nylon scrub pad into the bucket and scrub the trunk carpet and other areas affected by the mildew.
Step 6
Wipe all the scrubbed areas inside the trunk with a damp cloth, to rinse them off. Vacuum the carpet, along with other areas, with the wet/dry vacuum, to remove any moisture.
Step 7
Turn on a hair dryer and hold it over the trunk carpet to help it dry. Leave the trunk open for a period of time for the sunshine to help dry out the trunk.
References
Things You'll Need
- Rubber gloves
- Respirator
- Wet/dry vacuum
- Rag
- Detergent
- Water
- Bucket
- Nylon scrub pad
- Hair dryer
Writer Bio
Christopher John has been a freelance journalist since 2003. He has written for regional newspapers such as "The Metro Forum" and the "West Tennessee Examiner." John has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Memphis State University.
