Aussie family's horrific find after returning from holiday: 'It's so bad'

An Aussie family has returned home from an overseas holiday to a shocking discovery in their garage. They found their car riddled with mould with the bacteria spreading across the interior, covering the seats, steering wheel, middle console, floors and doors.

The Sunshine Coast mum said "it's so bad" alongside photos of the horror find when asking for advice on how to fix it online.

Many Aussies shared similar experiences, including some who said they weren’t sure the car could be saved.

“That’s a huge write-off,” one person wrote, while another added: “Even if you managed to get that clean, I still don’t think I would be able to trust that it is safe.”

Others advised they had had a similar thing happen to them, and their insurance had written off their car.

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Can the car be saved?

Mould removal expert of eight years Anthony Johnson from Green Mould Solutions told Yahoo News Australia that a closed-in car could be the perfect breeding ground for mould to spread rapidly, and it’s definitely not uncommon.

“This happens a lot to people, and they get a huge shock when they see it,” he said.

“A car may have a small opening, like a slightly opened window, which lets a tiny amount of water into the interior. The temperature inside can create humidity, the perfect environment for mould to grow and spread quickly.”

This moisture-rich environment lets mould thrive on organic materials, including fabric and leather car interiors, and once it starts to spread, it can be hard to get back under control.

Johnson said it only takes about 48 hours for a car interior to be completely taken over by mould. But there is hope in removing it if the correct cleaning products and equipment are used.

“Removing it is possible, but it’s not something that can be done properly yourself. A professional must be called in to use the correct cleaning solution across the different car surfaces, which will kill the mould entirely,” he says.

How can mould be removed safely?

While it can be a lengthy process that includes a specialised surface solution and the use of the Ozone Machine to remove mould spores in the air, Johnson said it can be done.

“The key is to kill the mould from the surface. You can use a machine to clear the mould in the air, but the key is treating the mould on the surface. Otherwise, it can easily grow back and begin to spread again,” he said.

“You have a lot of materials on the interior, including plastic, metal, and leather fabric, and each has to be treated properly to stop the mould spreading.”

Johnson, who books most of his work through Airtasker, said mould is a common problem people are dealing with across their homes, cars, and workplaces and that mould spores should be treated carefully to ensure they are removed safely.

“It’s very important to get someone who is professional in the field who knows how to deal with this because it is people’s health that can be at risk,” he said.

“A lot of the time, people can’t see mould spores with the naked eye. You need specialised equipment to be able to see the build-up. That’s why it’s important to have a professional come in.”

When it comes to actively preventing mould, Johnson said it was all about maintaining the environment and keeping it dry, clean and well-ventilated.

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