How to save a car, truck, automobile or RV from cross contamination

One commonly asked question is "How do I test my car for toxic mold or save my car or auto from toxic mold cross contamination?" In this article we answer all of the questions you may have as well as how to test, prevent, control, clean up and maintain a healthy mold-free vehicle.

Before considering saving a vehicle:
You must first realize
If you have "ANY" visible mold whatsoever, unfortunately the car, truck or RV must be "junked"
(It is not salvageable after a mold infestation of any size)

One of the most common issues is having mold that spreads under the padding and material in the trunk where you transport moldy contaminated items from your moldy home that contaminate the entire vehicle. Most newer cars are not sealed between the trunk and the back seat, which means the contamination is not contained to just the trunk. Shared drivers or family members must realize that they are contaminating a vehicle when they decide to place moldy items into the trunk, back seats or other storage areas of the vehicle.

Devastating toxic mold and car loans:

The real devastation comes when you have visibe mold in a newer car and carry a car payment every month and have to continue to make a payment on a car that you have to send to a junk yard :( In this case, many people have had to take $5,000- $10,000 cash from their savings accounts and buy an older car that is mold-free, very clean and runs decent. Keeping a vehicle, rv or transportation vehicle that is contaminated with toxic mold could cost you your life as continuous toxic mold exposure can lead to immune system failure, cancers and auto immune diseases.

Can you test your vehicle for mold?

Technically the answer to this is: No. The reason for this is that a vehicle of any kind whether it be a car, truck, van, RV, boat, etc. Is constantly exposed to the outside air. This means that mold, chemicals and pollutants can freely move in and out of a vehicle on a daily basis. Air testing is not a viable way of testing a vehicle simply for this reason. When a car door opens many floating particulates either leave or enter the vehicle. ERMI tests are also not designed for testing cars because an ERMI tests main purpose id to test the "Average Relative Index Overall Score" of the history of the dist of a structure to determine an overal score or probability of a sensitive persons ability to heal in that indoor space. Vehicles are not able to be remediated like homes and after water damage a vehicle is considered totalled.

MOST IMPORTANT: CHANGE YOUR CABIN AIR FILTER

Check your owners manual for the correct type of filter that you will need. Here is a link online where you can buy cabin air filters

If you don't have any visible mold here are the steps to make your car mold and mycotoxin free.
Here's what I did to my new purchased (camry).

Here are the items you'll need to purchase:

One package of "throw away" microfiber cleaning rags:
You'll be using these to wipe down certain types of finishes with different rags so make sure these are brand new cloths that you will plan on getting rid of when you are done. These rags can be purchased through Amazon here and are about $1 each.

One bottle of "white" ammonia
Make sure you are not using the lemon scented or colored ammonia. The molecular structure of ammonia changes when it is mixed with anything except H2O or (water). You might be able to find ammonia at any of the following stores: Lowe's, Home Depot, Menards, Ace Hardware, Kmart, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Big Lots, Kroger, Marianos, Jewel, Meijer, Centrella Foods and more.....I would advise calling each store and asking an associate to assist you in locating the product before you drive around town. If you are not able to locate it or you would like to make things more convenient for you, you can order here on Amazon and have it sent to your home.

2-3 gallons of "Distilled" Water
You'll need distilled water because mixing regular tap water with ammonia can cause a toxic fume. Tap water has chlorine in it and when chlorine and ammonia are mixed they create a hazardous substance that can cause brain tumors or other toxic ramifications. You can buy distilled water at any local store. Because of weight I would suggest purchasing it at a local store instead of getting it shipped.

3-Gallon capacity Car washing bucket
You will be using this to mix solution and rinsing rags out as you go through the cleaning process. It's best to get a car washing bucket that is more sturdy and made to be carried around with heavier weight as you navigate around the vehicle. (Just a tip) I have found that the cheaper dollar store buckets don't hold up to the weight as I've broken several of them trying to get the job done. If you cannot find one at your local big box or hardware store you can purchase this one here and have it delivered to your home to make it more convenient for you. You can purchase it here on Amazon.

Bissell 3624 SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner
This will be used for fabric seats and carpeting on the floorboards. Once you use this machine with ammonia DO NOT EVER USE THE MACHINE AGAIN WITH ANY OTHER CHEMICAL BESIDES AMMONIA OR WATER. Mixing chemicals with ammonia can be dangerous. So only mix water with ammonia. You can purchase it here on Amazon.

"PORTABLE" essential oil diffuser (cordless)
This will be used in the vehicle to dispense a mixture of antifungal oils that will kill mold spores and clean the air and vents in your vehicle. If you have access to a long extension cord you can use an essential oil diffuser you already own but make sure it can reach your vehicle. This particular essential diffuser is great because you don't need a power source and can completely shut the doors and windows. This is one I really "LOVE" You can purchase any "waterless/cordless" "portable" essential oil diffuser HERE

"EDENS GARDEN" (specific: Best of the Best Essential Oils Set)
This specific set will be used to formulate a blend that will be extremely antifungal towards toxic molds and also kills pathogens associated with Respiratory inflammation and also bacterias associated with vehicle cross contamination. You can purchase this kit HERE

You will use this exact recipe for the "Portable" essential oil disffuser above:
5 Drops of Cinnamon Leaf
5 Drops Tea Tree
5 Drops Eucalyptus
5 Drops Patchouli
4 Drops Lemon
3 Drops Lavender
1 Drop Rosemary

Here is the 5-Step Process

1. Go to a Car wash and completely vacuum out the entire vehicle. (It's important NOT to use your own vacuum when doing this process. You do not want to further contaminate your household vacuum with mold spores or mycotoxins.) Also do not forget to vacuum under the seats, inside glove boxes, vents, inside doors, pull down visers, get deep in cracks between seats, the back of the window, the entire trunk (even under and around the spare tire). You want to suck up as much dust, spores and dander as possible before you begin step 2.

2. Wipe the entire interior of the vehicle down (except seats and carpet) using the rags and bucket filled with a 50/50 solution of ammonia and ONLY distilled water..not another type of water. Ammonia dissipates in "20 seconds" which means you have to keep rinsing the rag over and over and over...I can't stress this enough :) (DO NOT DRENCH INTERIOR) Make sure you cover ever single inch of the car. Inside glove boxes, under car seats, seat belts, knobs, door handles, visors and more.

3. Using the Bissel Portable Cleaner clean the seats and carpeting (**DO NOT CLEAN LEATHER SEATS WITH AMMONIA. If you have leather seats, you can use a separate solution of distilled water in a bucket with one cup of Borax and wipe down leather seats. Remember Borax does not neutralize mycotoxins but it is the next best choice for controling mold spores on leather seating) For fabric seats and carpeting you will fill the empty compartment on the Bissel Portable Cleaner with 50% distilled water and 50% ammonia. Put the compartment back in and plug in the machine and begin to clean every single area well. You'll want t do this on a warmer day or at least in a garage with good ventilation.

4. Open all doors of the car and let it air out completely dry. The time it takes to dry completely might vary depending on the weather, the temperature or if there is a breeze or not. I use the "kleenex" test to make sure all of the areas of the car are dry. Press a kleenex on upholstery, carpets and ceilings to make sure there is no moisture left. **NOTE: If you do not let the car dry out completely you could have a worse problem than when you started with because moisture is the #1 cause of toxic mold infestations and growth.

5. Next is using the essential oil diffuser and essential oils kit. With this kit comes some very powerful essential oils I have scientifically studied to be the best killer and to deactivate viruses, mycotoxin and mold spores. I filled the diffuser with a special blend of the oils that are in the above recipe and let the diffuser go for about 30 minutes WHILE turning on the vents. It's important to leave the windows and doors shut during this process as well as very important to run the vents so that the essential oils can penetrate the ventilation system where a lot of mold spores will be trapped.

IF YOU FEEL YOU STILL REACT: Simply repeat this process if you feel like something is making you react, or you may have cross contaminated something. But always make sure not to cross contaminate first. (This means do not put any moldy items, boxes, papers, contaminated clothing or possessions into any part of your car anymore)

If you are extra-reactive to chemicals of any kind, do not use any microbial cleaners, vacuums or steamers...cleaners will create VOC allergies and cause MCS for you and vacuums will become contaminated with mycotoxins, steamers will cause more mold growth..toxic mold does not die using heat.

Alternative Method for those who are Chemically-Sensitive or have MCS

One commony asked question is "How do I test my car for toxic mold or save my car
or auto from toxic mold cross contamination?" In this article we answer all of the questions you may have as well as how to test, prevent, control, clean up and maintain a healthy mold-free vehicle.

WARNING!!! Before considering saving a vehicle:
You must first realize
If you have "ANY" visible mold whatsoever, unfortunately the car, truck or RV must be "junked"
(It is not salvageable after a mold infestation of any size)

One of the most common issues is having mold that spreads under the padding and material in the trunk where you transport moldy contaminated items from your moldy home that contaminate the entire vehicle. Most newer cars are not sealed between the trunk and the back seat which means the contamination is not contained to just the trunk. Shared drivers or family members must realize that they are contaminating a vehicle when they decide to place moldy items into the trunk, back seats or other storage areas of the vehicle.

Devastating toxic mold and car loans:

The real devastation comes when you have visibe mold in a newer car and carry a car payment every month and have to continue to make a payment on a car that you have to send to a junk yard :( In this case, many people have had to take $5,000- $10,000 cash from their savings accounts and buy an older car that is mold-free, very clean and runs decent. Keeping a vehicle, rv or transportation vehicle that is contaminated with toxic mold could cost you your life as continuous toxic mold exposure can lead to immune system failure, cancers and auto immune diseases.

Available testing options for vehicles

There is a company that will test your vehicle for toxic mold. You can visit Smart Air Technologies by visiting their website at: http://www.automoldtest.com The company is owned by a mold testing company but has a patent for a vehicle test in addition.

MOST IMPORTANT: CHANGE YOUR CABIN AIR FILTER

Check your owners manual for the correct type of filter that you will need. Here is a link online where you can buy cabin air filters

If you don't have any visible mold here are the steps to make your car mold and mycotoxin free.
Here's what I did to my new purchased (camry).

Here are the items you'll need to purchase:

One package of "throw away" microfiber cleaning rags:
You'll be using these to wipe down certain types of finishes with different rags so make sure these are brand new cloths that you will plan on getting rid of when you are done. These rags can be purchased through Amazon here and are about $1 each.

3-Gallon capacity Car washing bucket
You will be using this to mix solution and rinsing rags out as you go through the cleaning process. It's best to get a car washing bucket that is more sturdy and made to be carried around with heavier weight as you navigate around the vehicle. (Just a tip) I have found that the cheaper dollar store buckets don't hold up to the weight as I've broken several of them trying to get the job done. If you cannot find one at your local big box or hardware store you can purchase this one here and have it delivered to your home to make it more convenient for you. You can purchase it here on Amazon.

Bissell 3624 SpotClean Professional Portable Carpet Cleaner
This will be used for fabric seats and carpeting on the floorboards. Once you use this machine with ammonia DO NOT EVER USE THE MACHINE AGAIN WITH ANY OTHER CHEMICAL BESIDES AMMONIA OR WATER. Mixing chemicals with ammonia can be dangerous. So only mix water with ammonia. You can purchase it here on Amazon.

One bottle of "PureBiotics" Auto & Truck AutoBiotics (YOU CAN BUY IT HERE: 25% OFF any PureBiotics Purchase ONLY through Surviving Toxic Mold - https://purebioticsusa.com/discount/SURVIVINGTOXICMOLD

One Propolis Machine - from (BEE HEALTHY FARMS)
This will be used Clean and sanitize the air in your vehicle with Propolis Vaporizer / Diffuser, Model A1. It's a natural disinfectant derived from the substance produced by bees. Bees use propolis to naturally prevent fungus and bacteria from invading their hives. Propolis properties destroy fungal, viral and bacterial microbes, air pollution, even cigarette smoke!

One package of ORGANIC propolis air cartridges
https://beehealthyfarms.com/propolair-diffusers-vaporizers/46-organic-propolair-refill-cartridges-bio.html

Here is the 5-Step Process to Decontaminating a Vehicle, Boat or RV for (CHEMICALLY-SENSITIVE) Individuals

Go to a Car wash and completely vacuum out the entire vehicle. (It's important NOT to use your own vacuum when doing this process. You do not want to further contaminate your household vacuum with mold spores or mycotoxins.) Also do not forget to vacuum under the seats, inside glove boxes, vents, inside doors, pull down visers, get deep in cracks between seats, the back of the window, the entire trunk (even under and around the spare tire). You want to suck up as much dust, spores and dander as possible before you begin step 2.

2. Wipe the entire interior of the vehicle down (except seats and carpet) using the rags and bucket filled with the "DILUTED PUREBIOTIC" (Follow the dilution instructions on the PureBiotics bottle). (DO NOT DRENCH INTERIOR OR POUR WATER ALL OVER THE VEHICLE) Make sure you cover ever single inch of the car. Inside glove boxes, under car seats, seat belts, knobs, door handles, visors and more. PureBiotics works for up to 5 days to kill fungus, kill bacteria, kill viruses and neutralizes mycotoxin.

3. Using the Bissel Portable Cleaner to clean ALL areas that are "FABRIC" includingg seats and carpeting If you have leather seats, you can use the same Purebiotic solution in your bucket and wipe down leather seats with your microfiber cloth. For fabric seats and carpeting you will fill the empty compartment on the Bissel Portable Cleaner with the correct "DILUTED" amount of PureBiotics for the size of the tank. Put the compartment back in and plug in the machine and begin to clean every single area well. You'll want t do this on a warmer day to get the best air flow to make sure the car or vehicle can dry out effectively.

4. Open all doors of the car and let it air out completely dry. The time it takes to dry completely might vary depending on the weather, the temperature or if there is a breeze or not. I use the "kleenex" test to make sure all of the areas of the car are dry. Press a kleenex on upholstery, carpets and ceilings to make sure there is no moisture left. **NOTE: If you do not let the car dry out completely you could have a worse problem than when you started with because moisture is the #1 cause of toxic mold infestations and growth.

5. Once the car is completely vacuumed and cleaned thoroughly with the PureBiotic method insert the Propolis capsules into the Propolis machine. According the instructions reset your machine. Using an extension cord, plus the propolis machine into the extension cord and bring the machine over to the vehicle. Turn on the propolis machine and let the machine run for up to 3 hours. DO NOT DO THIS STEP UNTIL YOU HAVE REPLACED YOUR CABIN AIR FILTER FIRST then......run the machine for up to 3 hours and turn on your vents that have the new cabine air filter installed.

IF YOU FEEL YOU STILL REACT: Simply repeat this process if you feel like something is making you react or you may have cross contaminated something. But always make sure not to cross contaminate first. (This means do not put any moldy items, boxes, papers, contaminated clothing or possessions into any part of your car anymore)

WHAT NOT TO DO!!!!!

Do not

use any microbial cleaners with chemicals: cleaners will create VOC allergies and cause MCS for you
home vacuums: vacuums will become contaminated with mycotoxins
DO NOT use steamers or steam cleaners: steamers will cause more mold growth..toxic mold does not die using heat.
DO NOT USE ANY KIND OF OZONE! : EVER!!! See our warnings about Ozone here: