mold spots on window rubber?

[midnight08]

just wondering what everyone is using to combat the black spots on window rubber. I have a customers car that has randomly developed this problem. It looks like some kind of mold is growing on the rubber around the windows.

[Too Stroked]

Wow, that's certainly a new one for me - at least on window trim. I do know that we see mold on boat interiors virtually every year when boats that were shrink wrapped get opened up. Since some of them were put away wet (crummy fall weather), they had damp interiors when they were wrapped. So they develop some mold. We use a special mold killer / inerior cleaner by Star Brite. Works great.

BTW, if you don't kill all of the mold, it will be back.

[gipraw]

I use APC to clean it off, then apply a good protectant with UV protection .. it seems to do the trick.

[Rollingrock]

is mold or is it the top layer of rubber coming off?

[midnight08]

It looks like some type of fungus. but I am not 100% sure to be honest. I will take some pictures and post. shortly.

[midnight08]

Seems the drivers side is worse than the passenger side, but this is what I am working with...

[Too Stroked]

You just might be right on that being mold. Is the car stored in a damp place?

[midnight08]

Florida... its always damp. lol. I am pretty sure the vehicle is parked outside in the driveway. It looks like it has invaded the rubber. The customer hates the look of it so I am hoping I can remedy this and minimize the appearance.

[sscully]

Not sure exactly was is in the Start Brite stuff ( only found some slow and fast release stuff for enclosed areas ), but one thing that seems to work is Hydrogen Peroxide, the 12% or 35% version of it.

I have never tried it where it would touch paint, so I cannot say was would happen with over run / drips.

Maybe masking off the area under it, and use a damp sponge to work it, keeping a towel on the tape in case of drips ???

This is a motor home suggestion for killing mold and mildew.  A lot will use the pump spray Hydrogen Peroxide from Wally World that is 5% ( 4 - 6% ) for cleaning out the water tanks.

The 3% you use on your hands does not do the trick, it needs to be 12% or 35% to directly attack it.

This is just a mold / mildew suggestion, I have no clue how bad it could jack the paint up.  I don't have test panels made up yet to test with.

[Rollingrock]

anyone else catch the hard water etching on the paint near the rubber?

Wonder if there is a relation there.   Hard water spots on rubber could simply be the rubber breaking down.   


 

[midnight08]

I guess its a possibility RR. I will try to get a some other pictures tomorrow. I noticed later this afternoon that along the edge of the window rubber that is adjacent to the paint and the glass, there is the same "growth/deterioration" only more consistent and not as spotted.

[Rollingrock]

I am only suggesting that b.c that looks pretty normal to me for neglected black rubber.  I am not fungi specialist...but i'd like to see what it looks like when taken off with a white cloth.     Does it come off black?

It is possible to be mold but logic says this is FL where it also gets hot...and fungi/mold wouldn't survive in direct sun like that.   

I also don't think that is a big problem,  clean it off and see how it goes.   

In fact, pick a spot and use your finger nail and see what comes off.

[midnight08]

those are 3 different spots.

the two rounded marks (bottom left lower upper right)  on the rag are from the face of the rubber bottom left was from the most affected spot on the face.

The upper right "line" is from the crease between the paint, and the rubber. this was the worst.

All marks have a more "brownish greenish" coloring to them then a solid black that  i would associate with rubber.

There were areas that i scrubbed relatively hard where rubber did come off.

All the effected areas have a risen "bump" appearance to them.

I scratched them with my nails and didnt really get anything off the rubber that was conclusive.

[Too Stroked]

Sounding more and more like good old fashioned mold to me.

[Rollingrock]

Wow, you had me really scratching my head on this one...I'll say, its a first.

Based on the water spots this thing must sit under a sprinkler or something like that. 

New one on me for sure and thanks for the great photos. 



Tom, maybe this one is a candidate for that project you are working on.