I left my sunroof open a bit and heavy thunderstorm drove rain into car and around my headliner. How can I safely prevent development of mold and mildew in our hot, humid summer weather?
wet/dry shop vacuum first to get out maximum amount. then a good ol’ blow dryer.
If you’re removing trim to access between the headliner and roof you could also use towels to soak some up that you’d change out then remove.
If you’re worried about mildew, it might help to spray the wet sections thoroughly with Lysol, which should kill any mold or mildew. (test on a small area first to make sure it doesn’t stain or discolor)
To prevent mold you have to dry the material as quickly as possible. Take it for a drive with air conditioning on full blast until the head liner is dry.
Tester
I use this method to dry the interior of a car after shampooing the carpet and seats. I crack the windows an inch or so, start the car and turn on the heater full blast.
Ed B.
Turn on the AC too. Tester is right as always. Use recirculate setting and close all windows until dry.