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Need help from experts here. My car was left idle for about 7 months when I was traveling abroad. Recently I came back and noticed that the leather seats is my car is completely covered with mold and it stinks really bad. I took the car to a nearby 3M car care center and they did not have a good solution other than doing some interior cleaning. However they could not remove any of the marks on leather. I am looking for advice here to find the best options I have to remove them and also get rid of the foul smell.

Edit: i did try some options such as using vinegar etc as found on the net. Nothing has worked so far.

I don't know if it "scales up," but...

Post Chennai floods, we spent week battling mould all over the house. It seemed that if you turned your back on something, it grew mould!

Yes, vinegar was our primary weapon, but I don't know that I would want to use that on car leather.

I had a leather wallet that did not get soaked, but was sitting in a drawer that the water entered, so it was pretty damp, and got that looks-like-grey-dust mould all over it. I neglected it for weeks, but, eventually gave it treatment with Bata Premium Clean'n'Care. It got rid of the mould and other surface dirt (this wallet might be thirty years old: I don't even remember buying it) and gave it a shine.

I don't know if it is the same product, but something from Bata was mentioned in this thread a few pages back, and I remembered that and bought this when I saw it.

Easy to buy and try. At first on some not very visible corner.

Oh... you need to get the inside of your car completely dried out. We used Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Powder) to absorb a l of general dampness. Again, I just don't know if you can pile it on leather.

So I got my black Fiesta treated with power shine package of 3M which includes waxing and all was good until I drove some 100kms through rain and muddy roads which resulted in car literally turning red. Tried washing off the mud with pressure hose but it appeared to be embedded in wax. As of now I have washed her with pH neutral shampoo on advice of member 'patchyboy' as nothing else was handy and car is shining again.

Is mud sticking to wax natural? And how can I get her clean when in similar situation again without damaging the wax coat. Which I am sure will happen in a day since I live in Goa and it's raining cats here. :D

I would suggest: do not use a pressure washer on mud, except in those hard-to-reach places like underneath and wheel hubs, where gloss is not a worry anyway.

Why not? Think about sandblasting! :eek:

Just a theory, but pressure washing might have forced the mud into the wax. Just a theory. Some mud is just plain sticky!

Any ideas for cleaning the exhaust smoke soot on rear bumper? Thanks n cheers

All purpose cleaner from Meguiars or any reputed brand. Second is aggressive clay.

Thanks Vid, any idea on availability of Meguiars APC on line? Checked here in Coimbatore with 3M and they said not for sale :( Cheers

I've been looking for this product myself. It's not available online.

AFAIK 3M does not sell some products to retail customers. These are 1 US gallon cans generally sold to 3M and other detailing outlets.

:OT Is that a white Hyundai you drive? I've seen this particular make of oil burning cars with sooty bumpers. Once you remove the soot, try getting rid of the problem from the root.

Best regards

I bought it from autofresh.in sometimes back and when i checked now, it is showing out of stock.
Anyway, even if you find this product, problem is, it comes in 3.79 ltr can which is too large a quantity for domestic use, considering it is in its concentrated form :Frustrati

Yes, that's what I mentioned in my previous post, that's the 1 US gallon can.

It was sold online but unfortunately not any longer. I too tried from various sources but gave up and went in for another make of APC.

No mud was already sticking to wax. Its that red sticky soil found in Goa :Frustrati
Sorry I am new to detailing and even after reading almost entire thread, a bit confused. How do you suggest I clean this mess? Car shampoo+microfibre and rinse it down? Asking since car is red again.

It's really simple. Wash off as much sticky mud as possible with a medium pressure hose. Then, with the water still running, use your hands to wipe off remaining muck. Always keep the water running at the spot are wiping clean. Follow up with a car shampoo wash using a MF mitt or sponge. Wipe dry using a MF cloth. Apply a fresh coat of wax once the car is dry.

I've done this procedure several times to my cars. Don't worry about marring the paint. As long as you are gentle of course. Modern paint finishes are hardier than we think. :)

I have protected my car before 3 months with claying followed by blackfire gloss enhancing polish and blackfire paint sealant, topped with colinite 845.
collinite was repeated every month on the existing layers.
Now as monsoon is approaching, want to reapply the blackfire sealant.
My query is if blackfire gloss enhancing polish will be sufficient to remove all existing layers or I have to do some other procedure?

You can use an alcohol wipe to remove wax and sealant