washed car at a coin-op, now headliner smells like mildew!

[djm8400]

The sunroof seal on my '88 is failing at the back, and despite trying to avoid spraying the roof directly with the high pressure wand at the coin-op car wash, now the headliner smells like mildew. It's only been a day since I washed it, and I know if I had dried the car out thoroughly by letting it sit in the sun it might have been avoided, but what's done is done How do I get the smell out without spraying bleach or anything aggressive on the (original and otherwise clean) headliner??? Suggestions appreciated!

P.S. I've washed the car a hundred times with a garden hose and never had the issue. Moved to a place without a driveway, hence the reluctant use of the coin-op...

[Dave Colangelo]

try opening the roof and look for any mold or mildew growing, then with a wet soapy rag wipe it down clean, then let it dry in the sun and see if its gone. If you are keeping the car in a place where moisture does not escape or the air is stagnant try keeping some sort of a desiccant in the car to keep the moisture down. I dont know how effective it will be but it may help.

Regards
Dave

[80-911SC]

febreeze ???

[Mitch Leland]

If there is water/moisture trapped above the headliner it wouldn't hurt to lower the windows and put a fan at the window height to move air across the interior of the car. Moving air can do a lot to dry out the headliner/drywall or any other any damp environment .

[Reifle]

What Mitch said - you need to circulate the air in the interior. If you let it bake in the sun it will only get worse! Mould will grow and the smell will get even worse. Doing the seals is not a difficult DIY. Lots of instruction on the forum - maybe a couple hours total.

[timchar]

I am in the car wash business, coin-ops and express tunnels. The self serves obviously use a much higher pressure than a hose, most are 800-1000 , that being said, the volume of water is significantly less than a hose. I wash my 86 coupe with sunroof regularly at coin-op, key is don't use any high pressure around sunroof, any venting anywhere. Many washes have a low pressure spot free selection that is very low pressure you can use on top of car. If they have no low pressure just shoot from a greater distance. I also dry top of the car first. I hope things dry out for you. Tim

[mark4ton]

i would buy a couple of damp-rid closet hangers to soak out any moisture while its sitting parked. it worked very well for me.

[andyt11]

I wonder if water got in at the vents at the back of the roof.

[redturbo911]

Make sure drain in the rear are not clogged as well.

[dshepp806]

yeap,..better check those drains and anything else in that sunroof..

Doyle