When it’s just not your day! Mishap with Cuprinol Autumn Gold spilling in the boot of my car!

WIAWSNB

GrubbyGirl_2 said:

Nothing to say of any help, sorry, but I think you've made a cracking job of cleaning up so far!  

Not surprised - the guy jet-washed the inside of his car, for pity's sakes

Slinky

Please be really careful and make sure you get the car dry asap. Someone I know had water leaking into her car during Covid when a windscreen wasn't replaced properly. She later developed a disease usually associated with inhaling mould spores from things like wet straw. It was only a chance remark from someone that she realised it was the damp carpets in her car which she'd been driving around with and the sour smell was mould. Sadly it killed her.

sujsuj

Thanks to the good weather, things are starting to dry out. I used the car jack to lift the car and remove the underside covers to check for any trapped water — so far, so good.There’s still a bit of dampness under the carpet, especially in the memory foam layer. I’ve lifted it slightly to improve airflow. The yellow Cuprinol puddle is gone now, which is a relief!

I’m trying to understand how some of the interior side panels come off — specifically:
(1) the panel below the seatbelt clip, and
(2) the panel on the side of the front seat area.

(see panels marked red)

Can these be pried off with a screwdriver? My bigger concern is how to reattach them securely afterward. Once removed, some panels might not fit as tightly again, so I’ll need to figure out a way to ensure they go back on firmly.

I’m also checking whether any water has made its way under the front seat carpet. So far, I haven’t found any dampness there.

I’ve attached some photos. Hoping to make the most of this good weather while it lasts. Thanks!

Regarding the water “sloshing” sound I heard earlier — now that the rear seat and sound barrier have been removed, I believe the noise is actually coming from the fuel tank underneath, not from any water trapped on the underside. That makes sense, considering there’s no sign of standing water  in trays under the car anymore.

bjorn_toby_wilde

There are tools for removing car internal panels. Most are plastic rather than metal to avoid damaging the panel.  Take a look online and you’ll probably find instructions or even a video of them being removed.  They sometimes have to be taken off for fitting rear cameras, audio etc

WIAWSNB

If you don't need to, and chances are you don't, then leave these panels alone.
Are your windows all misted up from the inside in the morning? If not, seriously - don't worry.
Just have all doors and hatch fully open in this hot weather.
Slinky's sad tale is the exception to t'rule, because it's exceptionally exceptional. It isn't a concern worth being concerned about, assuming you don't have very serious and chronic health issues. 

(Lol, hearing the petrol slosh around 'cos the insulation was removed!)

sujsuj

bjorn_toby_wilde said:

There are tools for removing car internal panels. Most are plastic rather than metal to avoid damaging the panel.  Take a look online and you’ll probably find instructions or even a video of them being removed.  They sometimes have to be taken off for fitting rear cameras, audio etc

Thanks . got one set form eBay, looks like similar tools are used for all model cars. Thanks

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167619235041

WIAWSNB

I predict this thread will reach 14 pages before SS gets his car back together.

chris_n

Don't just leave the doors open, force some air through it with a fan, the bigger the better. Use a dehumidifier of some sort even if it's just one of those cheap moisture removers. Something like https://www.screwfix.com/p/unibond-aero-360-moisture-absorber-0-924ltr/791xr then when you think everything is dry leave something like  https://www.screwfix.com/p/summit-sum-900-reusable-350g-dehumidifier-bag/110ye until you are completely sure it is fully dry.
When you do start using the car having the air con on cold and recirculating will help too.

sujsuj

chris_n said:

Don't just leave the doors open, force some air through it with a fan, the bigger the better. Use a dehumidifier of some sort even if it's just one of those cheap moisture removers. Something like https://www.screwfix.com/p/unibond-aero-360-moisture-absorber-0-924ltr/791xr then when you think everything is dry leave something like  https://www.screwfix.com/p/summit-sum-900-reusable-350g-dehumidifier-bag/110ye until you are completely sure it is fully dry.
When you do start using the car having the air con on cold and recirculating will help too.

Thanks for these inputs — much appreciated.

The only issue is that there’s no dampness on top of the carpets; they’re as dry as can be. However, the wetness is underneath the carpet where memory form is there, which is very difficult to reach. managed to get my hand underneath and lift carpet it slightly, but there’s still not enough space to use a fan or dehumidifier effectively.

Still, I’ll see if there’s anything I can do with the tools I have by removing some side panels etc.. Thanks again!

sujsuj

bjorn_toby_wilde said:

chris_n said:

When you do start using the car having the air con on cold and recirculating will help too.

I thought recirculating would do the opposite of what you want, i.e. it traps the air within the vehicle and recirculates it. Useful in areas of heavy pollution but not if you want to clear the moisture from the car. I rarely use the recirculate button but when I do I’m pretty sure it steams the car up.

Just to clarify — there’s no dampness at all on the surface of the carpet. It feels completely dry on top. The only dampness is underneath, where the sponge or foam layer is. That area is really hard to access, with only a very small gap to reach through. I managed to get my hand in and lift it slightly, but there’s still not enough space to properly use a fan or dehumidifier.

I’ll keep trying to find a way to improve airflow in that area. Thanks again!