Saturated

Shopping the other day. While in the store a brutal thunderstorm appeared
out of nowhere. The top was up, but the back window was down. I figured
I'd be OK unless the rain was horizontal from North to South. Guess what?
After the storm it was as if the car had been submerged. The only problem
was that water in the steering wheel caused the horn to keep going off. I
had to disconnect it for a couple of days, but the car runs fine otherwise.
I'm starting to smell some mildew. Any cure for that?

On 2009-10-05, Frank Berger > wrote:

> Shopping the other day. While in the store a brutal
> thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere. The top was up, but the
> back window was down. I figured I'd be OK unless the rain was
> horizontal from North to South. Guess what? After the storm
> it was as if the car had been submerged. The only problem
> was that water in the steering wheel caused the horn to keep
> going off. I had to disconnect it for a couple of days, but
> the car runs fine otherwise. I'm starting to smell some
> mildew. Any cure for that?

What I would do is first put some fans in the car for 8-12
hours (until the carpet and upholstery doesn't feel wet
anymore).

Then buy a couple gallons of silica cat litter (make sure it's
pure silica and _not_ the clay stuff) and spread that out on
the floor, seats, under the seats, etc. Keep the top and
windows up for a day or two to allow the silica to absorb water
from the air in the car and help dry it out. Scoop/vacuum up
the silica. You can bake the silica at a low temperature to
dry it out, and then it can be reused.

Repeat the silica treatment until the car no longer seems humid
inside.

Do not eat!

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Please come home with
at me ... I have Tylenol!!
visi.com

Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2009-10-05, Frank Berger > wrote:
>
>> Shopping the other day. While in the store a brutal
>> thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere. The top was up, but the
>> back window was down. I figured I'd be OK unless the rain was
>> horizontal from North to South. Guess what? After the storm
>> it was as if the car had been submerged. The only problem
>> was that water in the steering wheel caused the horn to keep
>> going off. I had to disconnect it for a couple of days, but
>> the car runs fine otherwise. I'm starting to smell some
>> mildew. Any cure for that?
>
> What I would do is first put some fans in the car for 8-12
> hours (until the carpet and upholstery doesn't feel wet
> anymore).
>
> Then buy a couple gallons of silica cat litter (make sure it's
> pure silica and _not_ the clay stuff) and spread that out on
> the floor, seats, under the seats, etc. Keep the top and
> windows up for a day or two to allow the silica to absorb water
> from the air in the car and help dry it out. Scoop/vacuum up
> the silica. You can bake the silica at a low temperature to
> dry it out, and then it can be reused.
>
> Repeat the silica treatment until the car no longer seems humid
> inside.
>
> Do not eat!

What he said.

Also, I would clean up any exposed electrical system connectors as well
as possible and put some electrical contact grease in them, especially
the wires going to the fuel pump since it took a really good soaking
through the open window.

It may be worth removing the seats and taking them inside to help dry
out and to expose the carpet to help it dry and maybe to treat it.

There is some type of anti-mildew treatment to put on the seats and
carpet, but I forget what it is called.
A carpet place should be able to help you. I have never used it but have
heard good things about it, whatever it is called.

"Carefully" running a space heater inside the car to help dry it out is
another option that has helped dry out a few wet convertibles that I
have dealt with in the past.

Are the seats leather or cloth? I would treat the steering wheel with a
leather treatment, and if you have leather seats, then I would treat
those too, though the seat backs are vinyl.

Good luck!

Pat

On 2009-10-05, pws > wrote:

> "Carefully" running a space heater inside the car to help dry it out is
> another option that has helped dry out a few wet convertibles that I
> have dealt with in the past.

A road-trip to somewhere very dry for a few days might also be
an option. The Mojave is nice this time of year.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! My mind is a potato
at field ...
visi.com

On Mon, 5 Oct 2009 10:55:33 -0500, "Frank Berger" >
wrote:

>I'm starting to smell some mildew. Any cure for that?

Clothes pin on the nose?

Sorry, couldn't resist...

-- Larry 8') / 2

Clipped from Grant;

Do not eat!

Oh man, that's why I love this newsgroup! lol, Crazy thing is that he
probably lifted that phrase directly from some part of the bag!

Chris
99BBB

remove the floor mats, lower the top, and let it dry in direct sun light.
the bottoms of the floor mats are rubber so if you leave them in there the
water under them will never dry and mold will most certainly form.
give the order some time to dissipate (days/weeks) but if it is persistent
then try any of the large number of mildew fabric cleaners on the market.
if it is really bad then check out a product called chemical guys offensive
order eliminator plus bacteria killer.

"Frank Berger" > wrote in message
...
> Shopping the other day. While in the store a brutal thunderstorm appeared
> out of nowhere. The top was up, but the back window was down. I figured
> I'd be OK unless the rain was horizontal from North to South. Guess what?
> After the storm it was as if the car had been submerged. The only problem
> was that water in the steering wheel caused the horn to keep going off. I
> had to disconnect it for a couple of days, but the car runs fine
> otherwise. I'm starting to smell some mildew. Any cure for that?
>

Christopher Muto wrote:
> remove the floor mats, lower the top, and let it dry in direct sun
> light. the bottoms of the floor mats are rubber so if you leave them
> in there the water under them will never dry and mold will most
> certainly form. give the order some time to dissipate (days/weeks) but if
> it is
> persistent then try any of the large number of mildew fabric cleaners
> on the market. if it is really bad then check out a product called
> chemical guys offensive order eliminator plus bacteria killer.
>
> "Frank Berger" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Shopping the other day. While in the store a brutal thunderstorm
>> appeared out of nowhere. The top was up, but the back window was
>> down. I figured I'd be OK unless the rain was horizontal from North
>> to South. Guess what? After the storm it was as if the car had been
>> submerged. The only problem was that water in the steering wheel
>> caused the horn to keep going off. I had to disconnect it for a
>> couple of days, but the car runs fine otherwise. I'm starting to
>> smell some mildew. Any cure for that?

Thanks for the advice.

Frank Berger wrote:
>
> I'm starting to smell some mildew. Any cure for that?

I've got an electric dehumidifier. It cost me about $150 (this one,
cheaper he http://salestores.com/frigid61.html) and requires a line
to a power outlet. This is a handy home appliance if you live in Lutz,
Florida, the damp but lovely town right next to the town called "Land
O'Lakes." I've put it in my Miata overnight on a couple of occasions
when I neglected to put the top up, and after a day or so it was
absolutely bone dry like I had parked it in Tucson with the windows
open.

Through the Florida monsoon season, to deal with the mustiness that
accumulates in the car, I switch this between under a car seat and the
trunk:

http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-Renewa...bxgy_hpc_img_b

It's a plastic box about the size of a trade paperback filled with bits
of silica, tinted with cobalt chloride which turns blue when dry, pink
when damp. There's a little window in it so you can see what color the
silica bits are. On the back is an electric plug that folds out. When
it has absorbed enough water that the silica is pink (this takes three
or four days during the rainy season), you plug it into a wall socket
for a few hours, and the 20 watt heater inside drives off the water so
the silica turns blue. Since I started using this thing, my car
interior doesn't smell like an old pair of sneakers all through May and
June and tools in the trunk don't rust.

Doesn't do anything about those g-d mosquitos. though. Tropical
Florida, sheesh! I miss snow.

yrs WDK

> when I neglected to put the top up, and after a day or so it was
> absolutely bone dry like I had parked it in Tucson with the windows
> open.

Tucson has a hi-humidity monson season too. Just so you know, next time
you're parking there.

miker