Urgent - Flooded inside of car - how do I dry it out?

Loobz

So I drove into a flood on the road (wasnt chancing it, just didnt expect it). The footwells front and rear filled with water. The bulk of it is gone but the carpet is still wet. Im also sure theres more water lying under the carpet on the floor of the car. I need to get it bone dry.

I was thinking of parking the car on a slope allowing the water to gather at the driver and passenger footwell. Then leaving a big sponge in both footwells to soak up the water. At the same time leave a dehumdifier (sucks moisture from the air) turned on inside the car overnight for a few nights.

Would I need to strip out the front seats and carpet to do a better job? I want it as dry as possible.

Thanks in advance

sean1141

you will need to take up the carpets to get them really dry. the sound deadining under them will act as a big sponge and keep water soaked up in it.

Xantia

The dehumidifier will do a good job if you keep emptying the water container.

A previous car I owned had the same problem and the recommendation was to drill a hole to leave the water out!

If you are keeping the car then you will have to clean the carpets to remove the damp smell.

Slidey

Most cars have plastic plugs in the floor you can remove to drain the water out.

What make of car is it? some modern cars have control units under the seats that will need to be thoroughly dried or else you will be in bother in the future

kdevitt

sean1141 wrote: »

you will need to take up the carpets to get them really dry. the sound deadining under them will act as a big sponge and keep water soaked up in it.

+ 1

You'll need to get the carpets out. Even with the removable bungs removed, you won't get them dried properly if left in.

Dependent on the availability and price, I'd almost be inclined to replace them with new ones.

Loobz

Its an 08 vectra sri. Starting to smell a bit now. I was thinking 0f bringing it to a car valeting place. Most of them remove the seats to clean the carpet. Maybe they would be confident enough to remove the carpets aswell if I left it with them for the full day?

MadsL

Fill it with rice?

monomono

there is a hoover thats used for mobile homes that become flooded,it sucks up water ,you could hire one,its fantastic.

sean1141

rice, dehumidifer, wet vac etc are all good for small spills but you will never get it fully dry. I had a leaky door seal on a seat leon which ended up with the front footwell flodded.
The carpet was wet to touch and did not seem to bad so I tried a dehumidifer in it. No sucess. Tried drying the carpet with a heat gun, that didnt last.
In the end I took out the seats and the carpet. The underlay/sound deadining was soaked. I drained 5 liters of water from it and a further 2 from the footwell in the car. I dried the carpet in the car with a heatgun as it was only a footwell that was wet. Op will have to take it out to dry if its all wet.

The top carpet will dry as most have a splash resisant backing to stop small spills soaking to the underlay so its very hard to dry the underlay and car floor with the carpet still in place

renofan

The only option you really have is to get the carpets out. There will always be water in the spongy stuff under the carpet if you don't which will give off a smell plus it won't be good for the wiring and body work.

Just bite the bullet and get the carpets out, nothing else will do.

antodeco

I had a leaky car before. After heavy rain, there would be a nice pool right in the footwell. I drilled 2 small seperate holes in the floor (making sure there were no pipes underneath) and never had a water issue again! Obviously this doesnt apply as its not a recurring wet incident, but just thought Id share it!