Upholstery guys, need some help

[softailgarage]

OK, I'm a *******, I know. Today about 2:00, on the way home I stopped and picked up a 5lb bag o ice, set it on the back seat and went home. 30 min. ago I realized I left it on the seat, outside air temp- 91degrees 87% humidity So, now the rear bench seat that's fabric is soaked, all the way thru the foam by now I suppose. Yeah, its only water, but I'm worried about mold. I'm going at it with a heat gun, but not sure how effective it'll be as far as the foam goes. Whataya think? will mold be a problem? Is there something else I can do or am I looking at re-upholstering the seat.

 

[RVDan]

Mold is the new asbestos. I'm surprised everyone doesn't throw their bath towels, swimsuits, and umbrellas away as hazardous materials after use.

Take it out of the car, stand it on end,let it dry. Moisture has to get trapped for mold to start, air it out, let it drain, put a fan nearby.

 

[HMCFab9]

Take the seat out & prop it up in the sun. It should dry out pretty quick in the sun.

 

[HOTFR8]

Use a Hair dryer and not a heat gun as that would be better or as RVDan said take it out and put it in the sun.

 

[ford33]

You discovered this early and it is easy to fix. As the others have said, take the seat out and put it outside in the breeze and protect it from rain. If you have a fan, position it to gently flow air through the seat foam and fabric. Do not use heat as you could damage the foam.

It may take a couple to three days to dry out but it will and I don't think you will have any issues with mold. You may have some light rust appear on the seat springs and uncoated metal fasteners. It is easy to refinish these with enamel paint and a brush.

 

[softailgarage]

It's soaked pretty good, dripping off the passenger end, filling up the floorboard channel along the front passenger door. I'll yank it out later today, while the sun is up. Right in the middle of moving too, bad timing.

 

[altec876]

What about trying a shop vac to **** any excessive water out and then just leave it there to dry. I don't think you are really gonna have problems.

 

[IOWNJUNK]

If the seat will come out then remove it. Wet/dry vac everything then put seat back in when its dry. If the seat doesn't come out then keep a box fan running inside with the doors and windows open. Heat gun will require you to hold it, you have **** to do, a fan will do all the work while you do other things.

 

[Von Psycho]

Roll up the windows and put a dehumidifier in the the back seat area, it's amazing how much
moisture they will **** in.
Just another option.

 

[yeldogt]

When we clean our fleet cars everything is wet -- all the carpets and we clean the fabric of the seats. Put the car out in the sun with the windows cracked a few inches -- if you can direct the sun towards the wet side of the car.

It will dry out.

 

[Zeke]

+1 on the vac. Run by the DIY carwash if you're moving and take 5 minutes to get out what you can. Leave the windows down and don't worry about it. You ought to see how wet the detail shops get seats when shampooing.

 

[mtwaterguy]

A gallon of water weighs 8.3 lbs, so you have just a little more than half a gallon of water. If the floor and front passenger have water I doubt much has been soaked up in the seat. I don't think there's much to worry about. I'd be more concerned with the carpet.

 

[softailgarage]

I got the seat out no problem. In case anybody is wondering, 3 points for removing the rear seat on a 01 silverado 1500. #18 socket 1 left side. 1 right side. #13 socket center (remove tool bag first). Pull seat up & towards front seat (2 hooks that secure the back to the rear wall). Stood the seat on end, in the sun,all day. Its gonna take another day, considering the entire "seat"& half way up the back were soaked. I never thought about how much frickin water 5 lbs of ice consists of.

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

 

[HOTFR8]

Now you have it out it will dry faster. Please let us know how you get on.

 

[JakeKohl]

air movement will aid exponentially with the drying. Fans are your friend.