Mouldy convertible hood

[Sprout]

Hello. I had to leave my MM convertible outside under a cover this winter. The inside of the hood is covered in black mould spots. I need to clean it for my daughter's wedding. Any ideas please? Thanks

[philthehill]

Give it a good clean with Napisan or Milton's sterilising fluid.

[Classiccars]

We put cat litter and damp remover boxes in over winter to stop that.I normally warm the car once a week and put the heater on and window down in the garage.

[svenedin]

What is the hood material? Some are vinyl and others Double Duck (similar to canvas). My hood (black canvas) was filthy from the car standing unused in the garage for years. We took the hood off still attached to the frame and pressure washed it (carefully). Needs a lot of space to dry it though. I’d be careful with anything containing bleach to ensure it is thoroughly rinsed off. We didn’t use bleach because my hood is black and it would have ruined it.

[Myrtles Man]

A recent post about the subject on another site that I also frequent. It's certainly thought-provoking; see what you think:-



"Hope some of you may find this useful. My XKR's hood was in a gruesome state after I had to leave the car outside all winter. Green and black mould stains -- the works. The XKR is racing green and has a tan hood which shows up everything. I've always struggled to keep mould and mildew out of the roof.
Having tried EVERY automotive product going in the past, I remembered how all of 'em were next to useless but had a faint recollection that Autoglym was the best of a bad bunch. The stuff I bought from Halfords came in a see through plastic box with a separate bottle of hood protector (which I didn't want). There were also a couple of sponges. THIRTY QUID!
I followed the instructions and scrubbed away for an hour and a half. It did absolutely ZILCH. Tried it a second time -- same result.
At my wits' end, I scoured the Internet as I have done so many times before on this same issue. I came across a Mercedes forum where I vaguely recollected someone recommending a product that I was terrified to use previously. The post was still there. My hood was in such a bad way that this time I figured I might as well throw caution to the wind. The product is:
WET & FORGET PATIO CLEANER.
I checked where I could buy it and discovered a massive stack of it at my local Costco. The stuff comes in a huge canister and has to be watered down, one part Wet & Forget to five parts water. The product's website stresses it is bleach free, suitable for awnings, and that it CAN be used on cars without damaging paintwork.
So I gave it a go . . .
. . . and it is MIRACULOUS!
I mixed it slightly stronger -- one to four ratio -- and sponged it on until the hood was covered. Unlike with automotive hood cleaners where you have to scrub, there is none of this. You just leave it on. No arm-numbing antics at all. Just leave it. When the product is applied to patios it kills mould and the wind and rain does the rest for the next few weeks. Slabs are supposed to come up like new over the ensuing months.
Two days later my XKR's hood had dramatically improved. It was unreal. I decided to give it another soaking with the Wet & Forget -- and one week later after some rain, wind and sun, the hood is cleaner than it has been in years. No trace of mould or mildew whatsoever
I cannot recommend this stuff enough. It is cheap as chips, especially when compared to Autoglym and all the other nonsense I have used in the past. It is virtually EFFORTLESS to use. And unlike the supposedly specialist auto products, it actually WORKS. I'll wager that even if you have a black hood that appears OK after using normal products it will have horrible nasties still hidden in it.
Don't waste your time with anything else. I'm going to finish the hood off with protector this weekend. And guess what -- I am definitely NOT going to use the Autoglym spray that I have been lumbered with. It will be another utilitarian product -- FABSIL universal protector, which I will paint on with a brush.
So there you have it. Save a shedload of money, ditch all the backbreaking effort -- and finally get a mildew-free hood for once."

[Sprout]

Thank you for your kind replies - my problem - its the INSIDE of the roof that has black mould spots all over it - the outside is pristine. Regards

[svenedin]

Ok so it’s the inside. You could try one of the black mould removers they sell for bathrooms in supermarkets and DIY shops