Water and car are not natural friends. Short circuits, rust and unsightly stains are often the result of major water damage. But even in small amounts, moisture is not conducive to a long life of the vehicle. Basically, ventilation, air conditioning and invisible drainage channels in the car body ensure that the interior of the vehicle always stays dry. However, these measures can be rendered ineffective by a blockage or defect.
In this article you will learn what you can do effectively against moisture in the vehicle interior, what possibilities there are for prevention and also the best-known home remedies against moisture in the vehicle we will present to you.
What are the causes of moisture in the interior of the vehicle?
Before you start thinking about how to get rid of the dampness in the passenger compartment, you have to ask yourself what the causes of the dampness inside the vehicle are in the first place. After all, all remedies and options are only effective in the long term if the dampness scenario does not recur shortly after all the efforts and endeavors to achieve a dry interior have been made.
There can be a variety of reasons why moisture is now spreading in the car. By the way, a damp interior does not only affect older vehicles; dampness can also form in the interior of modern vehicles in which the materials do not yet show any signs of fatigue.
Just think of cold, wet or snowy days when your shoes almost inevitably carry water into the car. Humidity in the car is not an exclusive problem that only occurs in autumn or winter. Even on hot summer days this can happen.
Possible causes of moisture in the car
- Old and porous seals: these no longer serve their purpose and allow moisture to enter the vehicle from the outside.
- Autumn leaves: these clog the drainage channels, so that moisture and wetness are no longer adequately drained away.
- Lack of ventilation: either it no longer takes place at all or is carried out incorrectly.
- Car parking: if the car is kept in a place that has a lot of moisture.
Incidentally, water can get into the interior of the vehicle unintentionally during a car wash. This can happen especially if the vehicle is cleaned with a high-pressure cleaner and the distance to the vehicle is too small. In these moments, smaller seals in the area of the taillights or headlights can be damaged. As a result, moisture penetrates the interior of the vehicle without you even knowing it.
What remedies can help against moisture in the vehicle??
Tip 1: Check the seals regularly
Old and porous seals are the weak point of a vehicle and often a gateway for moisture inside the vehicle. Keep a close eye on sunroofs, trunk lids and antenna sockets. Of course, this also applies to the seals on the windshields. If the car is wet, it is therefore advisable to first check the quality and condition of the seals on the windows. Over time, seals lose their elasticity – to this day, nothing can be done about it. In winter, use a care stick to protect the seals from the attacks of the cold. This prevents the rubber from tearing in frosty temperatures.
Tip 2: Use air conditioning – even in winter
In summer, air conditioning in the car is a wonderful thing if you don’t want to melt away like ice in the sun. But an air conditioning system is also a valuable aid against moisture in the vehicle interior. This helps to remove moisture from the inside of the vehicle. However, do not switch the air conditioning system to recirculation, as otherwise no dry air can get into the car.
Remember not to permanently block the forced air vents in the trunk with objects. This greatly impedes the ventilation of the passenger compartment. By the way, the vents are usually located on the side of the trunk.
Tip 3: get support from the professionals
If all measures fail and the moisture simply does not want to escape from the inside of the vehicle, contact the professionals at JuRS gmbh. do not take moisture in your vehicle lightly, because persistent moisture leads to the formation of mold and bacteria, which can damage the health of the vehicle occupants.
Proven home remedies against moisture in the car
Just as with a cold or other mild illness, there are also a few home remedies for dampness inside the vehicle that have been tried and tested over many years and decades. We would now like to introduce you to the three best home remedies against moisture inside the vehicle.
Tip 1: a bowl of rice inside the car
If you don’t have a dry garage where you can leave a window ajar overnight, a small bowl of rice in the interior will help to combat residual moisture in the car. By the way, salt or cat litter serve the same purpose. These agents attract moisture like a sponge.
Tip 2: coffee powder inside the vehicle
You can achieve a similar effect as with rice, salt or cat litter by placing a bowl of coffee inside the car. In addition, you can enjoy a pleasant and fresh smell of coffee every day.
Tip 3: use old newspapers as doormats
Especially in winter, old newspapers used as doormats are practical home remedies against dampness. For one thing, newsprint will absorb excess moisture in the air. On the other hand, slush and dirt from your shoes can be quickly and conveniently removed from the car.
Preventing moisture in the vehicle, but please do it properly
There are various measures that can be easily implemented to combat dampness inside the vehicle. This keeps the wetness where it belongs: outside the vehicle.
Functionality test of the vents
Ventilation is very important against moisture inside the vehicle. You can perform a quick functionality test with a simple trick. To do this, cut several small strips of paper and attach them to the ventilation outlets. Then set the blower to its highest setting. If the ventilation works sufficiently, the strips will flutter in the air at that moment. If this is not the case, it is best to visit a workshop to get to the bottom of the technical fault.
Seals as a weak point
Good and intact seals perform an important task on the vehicle. They serve as a buffer between the influences of the outside world and the interior of the car. As long as the material of the seals is intact, the gaps are sealed optimally. This means that moisture and dirt can hardly get into the vehicle interior. Due to the effects of the weather, however, sooner or later seals burst and are no longer able to fulfill their tasks. Therefore, do not skimp on the care of rubber seals. A wide variety of preparations are available in specialized stores.
In any case, it is important that the product is compatible with rubber. Experts generally recommend substances such as silicone, talcum, glycerin and vaseline. In the winter months, rubber seals can burst when they freeze solid. In summer, however, they dry out quickly. For this reason, you should use care products at all times of the year and on a regular basis.
Before applying the products, it is important to remove any existing moisture and dirt. Only then will the respective care product also adhere to the rubber seals. Dry the rubber buffers after each car wash and treat them with care products. It is advisable to use care products for the seals at least once a month.
If nothing else helps and the seals have given up the ghost, then have the old seals replaced with new ones at a garage.
Remove wet leaves
Especially in autumn, blockages caused by wet leaves are a big problem. If you have to park your car outside, you cannot prevent it from being exposed to the weather conditions. One possible cause of moisture in the car can be leaves clogging the drainage paths. Regularly fogged windows, rust, musty odors and even electronic failures can be the result.
Don’t take lightly the many leaves that stick to your car in the autumn months. therefore, remove excess leaves from your vehicle regularly – ideally before every journey – so as not to obstruct water drainage. This is easily done with a whisk or a small hand brush, which you can keep in your trunk.
Once leaves get into the intake openings of the ventilation system, they can clog the drainage holes. The leaves will then rot in hard-to-reach places, leading to accumulations of water in the heater as well as in the air-cushioning box. Sooner or later the wetness will reach the interior of the vehicle. Remove leaves from the engine compartment, for example, during regular engine oil checks.
Make sure the garage is dry
Even a garage alone is no guarantee of a dry vehicle interior. make sure that the parking space itself does not get damp, as the dampness can quickly spread to the vehicle as well. Of course, an absolutely dry garage is essential during the autumn and winter months. Winter a little utopia. However, there are some measures that can help to reduce excess moisture in the garage to a minimum level. Ideally, the parking area for your vehicle should be cross-ventilated; this means that openings on the garage door and the back wall of the building provide a draft.
If you mean well and want to heat the garage, this is rather counterproductive. A rapid change from minus temperatures to temperatures above 20 degrees can lead to stresses in the materials of the vehicle, which can result in corresponding damage.
Cheaper alternative: dry granules
Electronically operated dehumidifiers, on the other hand, are very efficient in keeping the garage dry. However, this can sometimes be a rather costly solution. A dehumidifier alone will cost around 50 euros for electricity for one month’s continuous operation. Simple dehumidifiers such as dry granules are a cheaper alternative. These work against moisture in the car as well as in the garage.
The all-clear is given in this respect for owners of modern cars. You don’t have to panic if there’s a little moisture in the garage. Modern vehicles are often very well protected against moisture, so they will not be damaged in a parking space that is not absolutely dry.
Older vehicles that are not parked in permanently damp places for several days are not in immediate danger either. A little moisture overnight will not immediately cause corrosion. When the vehicle is used the next day, the airflow ensures that the moisture on the vehicle dries quickly.
Conclusion: there are some preventive measures to avoid moisture in the vehicle in the first place. If these are applied consistently and regularly, there is little need to worry about a damp vehicle interior. If it does happen, there are various remedies, some of which are easy to implement.
even with simple home remedies you can achieve success against moisture inside the vehicle. If none of this helps, contact the professionals at JuRS gmbh. We will be happy to help you dry out your vehicle again, so that you don’t have to worry about mold and co. Have to.
