I recently picked up a 68 toronado for parts and pulled the doorpanels/ rear side panels/ rear deck for my toronado I'm restoring. The doorpanels are pleated vinyl. While the panels are in good shape, the car sat forever, and they are very dirty and have some mildew. They smell musty and the car had some big mice nests so there's funk from that too. What can I use to clean them? Also, one of the doorpanels had a mouse nest behind it in the door, so it stained the backside a bit. What can I use on the back (pressed paperboard) to try to get ride of the smell. I would also like to reuse the visors (cloth) but they smell musty and appear to have dirt inside the small perforations in the fabric. Can I do anything about that?

 

I tell ya, I'm fond of the Clorox bleach spray cleaner in cases of mold, mildew, and animal vileness.

It WILL eliminate the offending odor, but there is always a chance that it will eliminate the underlying material in the process as well.

To me, that is a reasonable trade-off: If it's so disgusting that it's useless, then either the cleaning will fix it or ruin it, and I'm no worse off than I was when I started it it's ruined, but I have no solutions that are more subtle or less potentially damaging.

- Eric

 

A weak bleach mixture or Clorox lightly sprayed and scrubbed without getting the cardboard too wet. I use a micro towel and lemon Pledge for the vinyl, even a toothbrush to get into the fine details with the Pledge. Once the hardboard is dry I would spray a clearcoat on it to contain any smells on the back.

 

I also blew out the interior with air several times and used carpet powder to freshen the carpets. Two or three open containers of baking soda will draw a lot of the odours out as well. Once everything is clean and vacuumed they do sell carpet paint to aid in the appearance until it can be replaced.

 

Natures Miracle pet odor cleaner works well. Gentle and just a clean odor, but sounds like you need something stronger like bleach as others said.

 

Greg Godon recommended I use "Purple Power" Citrus Cleaner on my "El Malo" interior. I tried it and it really cleans the best I've seen. And it gives a nice orange/citrus smell. Mouse infested car in a barn for 28 years. You'll love it.


(I washed the panels with dish detergent originally, but the Citrus Cleaner really got the scum off and restored the original sheen. It also brightened the fake chrome overlays on the panels)



You can buy it at Advance Auto Parts.


I can't help you with the cloth visors though. Take 'em to a dry cleaner?

 

At the risk of beating a dead horse, please remember that mouse droppings can carry Hantavirus even when old and dry.
Use a dust mask and gloves and use a vacuum with a hepa bag if possible, Hantavirus is transmitted by airborne dust.

 

Noted, but it's kind of late for that. All that's left in the interior is front seat and dash.

 

If your panels are warped, you can spray some water on them, then lay them flat between two damp towels. Place in a sealed plastic garbage bag then place a 3/4" plywood on top with some heavy weights for a few days. Remove and dry thoroughly prior to clearcoating the backing to stabilize.

 

They can transmit it specifically when old and dry.

It's the dust kicked up from sweeping or blowing that can get deep into your lungs.

Wet is not a problem.

- Eric

 

Great . What are the symptoms of this condition . I cleaned out an removed old ceiling tiles at my moms that was full of mouse turds . they were there for years . I ended up with a 1ft pile of them when I was done . No mask used .

 

Fatigue, fever and muscle aches, especially in the large muscle groups—thighs, hips, back, and sometimes shoulders. There may also be headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. 4-10 days later, you develop coughing and shortness of breath, as the lungs fill with fluid. 38% die.

http://www.cdc.gov/hantavirus/index.html

- Eric

 

Thanks , I have had some of those symptoms but not after I did the work on my moms basement , so maybe I'm safe for now .

 

When I bought the '71 vert in a small Gulf Coast town it has been sitting for a LONG time and the the entire inside was moldy and nasty. I scrubbed it with 409 and all the interior panels came out looking good.