Is Mould in a Car Dangerous?

As a general rule of thumb, exposure to moulds of any kind is typically not a great thing for human health.

And while most are harmless for the most part, they can still cause breathing problems, allergies, and other minor irritations to humans, especially if it’s in your car.

How Bad is Mould in a Car for You?

When you are sitting in a car for hours on end, like many of us do to commute for work, you’re breathing in whatever is inside your vehicle. Regardless of whether or not you change your cabin air filter regularly, or if you keep your fan turned on to circulate, there are pollutants that we are exposed to everywhere around us.

The last thing you want to do is add to that is mould inside your car. So, if you have any minor leaks that you haven’t had fixed or notice that weather stripping is looking a little worn and not fitting the way it used to, you should get your vehicle checked out by a mechanic.

What Causes Mold in Cars?

One of the things we encounter a lot in older vehicles that people are scrapping is mould. Mould happens from vehicles sitting outside too long, as condensation forms inside and breeds mould and mildew.

Mould also occurs when vehicles have leaks in their weather stripping around the windows, or around the trunk. This can even happen from having cracks in the windows or windshield that was never repaired and has worsened over the years.

Ultimately, the number one cause of mould in cars is exposure to the outdoors for prolonged periods of time, as well as leaks.

If you can park your car indoors more often than not, we highly recommend this to protect your vehicle from ever getting a case of mould. Alternatively, you can use a good quality car cover that’s made to protect vehicles that are parked outside from rain and snow.

Car Mould Caused by Flooding

Although most mould comes from exposure to minor leaks, British Columbia is also famous for frequent rainfall and mass flooding (especially over the past couple of years). So, naturally, many vehicle owners who park their cars outside experienced water damage due to flooding.

Some were covered under insurance, some were not. For many owners, older vehicles were written off by ICBC because the damage caused by the water was so extensive that it cost more to repair the car than replace it.

For those situations and any like it, More Cash For Scrap was able to help. As many consumers didn’t have the proper coverage on their vehicles to cover flood damage, they were left with nothing but a pile of scrap.

Fortunately for them, More Cash For Scrap pays cash for damaged cars. Plus, we offer free towing services, same day scrap car removal, and MORE cash for cars than any other local scrap car buyers in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.

What Happens If You Get Mould in Your Car?

To the average person, breathing in mould isn’t a be all end all kind of scenario. But if you suffer from a weakened immune system, have heart conditions, suffer from asthma, COPD, or any other type of breathing disorder, prolonged exposure to mould in your car could cause some serious health problems, including cancer.

Some of the health problems you could experience from mould in your car include:

• Lung infections
• Bronchitis
• Astha
• Chronic coughing or wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Sleep apnea
• Itchy, watery eyes
• Skin irritations

Some people also have unknown allergic reactions that form as they get older. This can be the result of long-term mould exposure, or something new that has a sudden onset. Either way, being around mould for extended periods of time will only aggravate whatever allergy or irritation you’re suffering from.

How Do I Know if I Have Mould in My Car?

Mould is pretty easy to spot if you have it, but sometimes it can hide under fabrics like your vehicle’s headliner, your interior carpet, or even inside or around the bottom of your seats.

The most common place you’ll find mould in your car, however, is very close to the source of the moisture. If you know for certain that you have a crack in the upper part of your windshield, and that it’s been there for quite some time, you should look around the source for possible mould.

Usually mould in your car is black, but it can also be green, brown, white, or a sort of rust colour, depending on what kind of other chemicals or fluids it comes into contact with.

How Do I Get Rid of Mould in My Car?

For the majority of us, when we see mould starting to form inside our vehicle, we quickly grab a rag and some spray cleaner and wipe away any evidence of it. But when it comes to properly removing mould from our vehicle, is that really the best way to do it?

Step 1:

To begin with, the first thing you should do before removing mould from your car is make sure that you are properly protected. That means wearing a mask, gloves, and if you have them, goggles. This may sound a bit overkill for the simple removal of mould, but mould is more than just gross, it’s bad for your health.

When you clean up mould with any kind of solvent, you’re spraying mould at the surface. And because mould is comprised of spores, some of those spores get spread into the air after misting.

Step 2:

Prepare your car for cleaning. This means removing any items from the seats, floor, and open console compartments. Be sure to throw away anything that has mould growth on it, or is wet from the source of the mould.

Step 3:

Fill a spray bottle with distilled vinegar or a diluted bleach solution. Both vinegar and bleach are excellent for removing mould from anything and are much less harmful than professional mould cleaning products.

Just be careful when using bleach to clean the mould out of your car because it can damage certain hard surfaces and cause discolouration of nearly every fabric.

Step 4:

Spray directly onto the surfaces and areas with mould, while fully saturating the area. Use a scrub brush with coarse bristles to scrub the affected area. Scrub until no further evidence of mould remains.

You may notice some permanent staining caused by the mould, depending on the length of time it was there. As long as you’ve neutralized the mouldy areas as much as possible with the cleaner, it should be fine going forward.

Step 5:

Dry your car out thoroughly after cleaning and removing the mould from the interior. Also, ensure that any leaks which caused the mould to form are properly repaired. Any leaky seals or weather stripping should also be replaced.

Use a fan to dry the inside of your car, but also leave your windows open slightly to help air dry all fabrics inside the car. If you park outdoors, be sure you do this on a warm sunny day. If you have a private garage, try using a space heater to help expedite the drying process.

Can I Sell My Car If it Has Mould in It that I Can’t Remove?

Yes, you absolutely can. You can sell your car to More Cash For Scrap!

We buy vehicles with extensive mould, mildew, and rust, inside and out. Any vehicle, in any condition, anywhere in the Lower Mainland. If you have a damaged car that you want to sell for cash, even if the damage is caused by mould, we’ll buy it.

Plus, we’ll offer you MORE cash for it than any other scrap car removal company in Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley.

Scrap Car Removal from Hope to Squamish

If you’ve been thinking about selling your scrap car, truck, SUV, or van in Metro Vancouver or the Fraser Valley, think More Cash For Scrap.

No one will offer you MORE cash for scrap cars than we will, and we make the process of scrapping a car for cash quick and easy.

We Always Provide:

• Free scrap car removal services
• Same day scrap car pick-up
• Eco-friendly car recycling
• Roadside vehicle removal after an accident or breakdown
• Junk car removal
• Cash for damaged vehicles
• Cash for cars with mechanical issues
• MORE cash for scrap cars
• A licensed & professional scrap car buying service

Even if you’ve lost the paperwork or keys to the vehicle you want to scrap, we’ll buy it and offer you MORE cash for it than any other scrap car removal company in Vancouver. No wheels? No problem! We’ll still buy it.

Whatever the reason, whatever the issue, we’ll buy your junk car for MORE cash than any of our competitors will offer you.

How to Scrap a Car for Cash in the Lower Mainland

Give our scrap car removal specialists a call, text, or send an email. We’ll walk you through the process over the phone. Provide us with the make, model, year, condition, and number of kilometres on your scrap car.

Then, provide us with the pick-up location. We’ll make you an instant cash offer based off all the details you’ve given us. If you accept our offer, we’ll dispatch our free towing service to come collect your car. This can be done 7 days a week, from 7:00am to 11:00pm.

Once our tow truck driver arrives, he’ll load up your vehicle, then pay you cash in hand before leaving. It’s that simple!

Contact Our Team of Scrap Car Removal Specialists Today

There’s never been a better time to scrap your car for cash. With the harsh fall and winter weather approaching fast, don’t leave your car to sit outside and lose even more value.

You might think that leaving a junk car to sit outside couldn’t do any more damage than it already has on its own, but you’d be wrong. Weather exposure, rodent infestation, and even vandalism can make your car lose more of the little value it may have left. Don’t wait to junk your car with a scrap car removal company like More Cash For Scrap. Call us today! We always pay MORE!