Steam cleaner
 

Any body have any experience with Steam cleaners for the car ?

I am looking at a few around the $30 - $80, the wife's car has a bit of mold going on the seat belts from winter.



has anybody used it on their car interior? I think personally id stick to the carpets not sure if I would use it on the leather seats or dash

I have looked into using a steam cleaner on the carpet, from my research, it shouldn't be a problem. Just use the right kind of fluid, and test it on a small area first. I will probably be doing this in the spring.

I would absolutely not go anywhere near the leather/dash/etc with a steamer.

Should probably replace the seat belt.

In addition to the cleaning, if you're having a problem like that, you may want to store the car during the winter with a few containers of something like damp rid or the like. That helps absorb any excess moisture in the car. If there is mold on the seat belts, I would be somewhat concerned about mold in the hvac and the problems that you could have health wise if that's the case. Mold grows everywhere, not just on the seat belt so carpets would definitely have to be suspected.

I don't think something in that price range is going to generate enough heat. I've had a couple they just don't have the wattage. Recently I have used a handheld steamer from Amazon (the one that looks like a blue ball) which I think cost about that much but you can't really use it for more than five minutes at a time before you have to put more water in it. It might be able to do the job, or it might just make a big soggy mess. The professional detailers use this thing called the Tornado Cleaning Gun. It has an articulating cable that pushes against the carpet fibers and separates all the dirt and muck. It would make quick work of any mold. I would see if there is a high end detailer in your area that uses one of these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJUzRyIa7qo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJa3bMIvHSU

when I got my car the carpets looked great....but
 

when I pulled them,
they dripped, before squeezing them...
smelled like carpet cleaning solution...

not advised with carpets fully in car. DEF NOT WITH alarm unit un protected...

maybe by removing the seats, bagging the alarm box, and lifting the edges of the carpet to expose the underside...

the foam in mine (under the carpet) was like a big sponge...
FYI

made worse by cold pans I bet.
 

steam hitting cold pans would condense to water and be trapped forever under there....

van isle. stand still for more than 10 minutes and you grow mold. I lived in ucluelet for two years. actually bought my boxster in Nanaimo.

haha I have never had a problem before but where I moved just off Uplands Rd. We have a bunch of stupid tree's that block the sun, so her honda has no chance to heat up.

my boxster is nice and safe in the garage haha

I hear bissel spot cleaner works well. I may pick one up to clean our mini van carpet. Kids destroy car interiors. Of course I'll use it on the Boxster carpet.