How to dehumidify your car

During the winter months, we track snow into the car with our shoes and outer garments. When the snow melts, the moisture gets trapped in the car's interior. We primarily notice this when the windows fog up, leading to ice forming on them. It can also take longer to warm up the cabin, and the seats become damp and cold.

Some cars have fabric floor mats to add a touch of luxury to the cabin, but these can trap unwanted moisture. Replace them with rubber mats that you can easily remove and shake off. This is especially true during the winter months.

Another thing to consider is that dirty windows attract moisture and fog more easily. In other words, cleaning the car's windows internally will mean fewer fogging and moisture problems in the long run.

When you give your car's interior a thorough spring clean, you might also find that moisture problems increase. Washing car upholstery naturally means you're introducing moisture into the car's interior. Since car interiors are well-sealed, it's often difficult for moisture to leave the car.

It's therefore a good idea to always drive the car with the heater on full blast, with the window rolled down a few centimeters, after an interior wash.

Many people don't realize that a leaking heater core or low coolant levels can also be a cause of moisture in the car, so if you find that your car's windows often fog up, it might be worth checking to make sure everything is in order. A sticky steering wheel and frequently needing to top up coolant are clear indications that something is not right.

If you have a classic car or a more luxurious model that you prefer to keep garaged during the winter months, even the best garage conditions can still lead to moisture problems for your car.

When warm air cools down, it releases moisture when it encounters cold surfaces. This means that even if your car is in a dry and solid garage, moisture problems can still arise when the season changes from cold to warm and vice versa.

When the relative humidity in a garage becomes too high, it creates conditions for serious moisture problems such as:

• Rust and corrosion on metal parts
• Wood panels swelling and developing rot damage
• Unpleasant odors in the passenger compartment
• Reduced engine performance

As a rule, older cars tend to be more severely affected by these problems.

In other words, you should throw a couple of Pingi bags or dehumidifier boxes into the car, even if you store it in a garage over the winter. If you have a valuable car, it may also be a good idea to have an electric dehumidifier in the garage, preferably with a humidity sensor that starts the dehumidifier if the relative humidity gets too high.

If you have a well-insulated garage with heating, you can choose a condensation dehumidifier, which draws in the moist air and heats it up so that the water vapor disappears, and then releases dry air into the space.

Older car models often have luxurious details in chrome, wood, and leather. These materials are sensitive to moisture. If you have a classic car you want to store under the very best conditions, then electric dehumidification of the space is a given. This will provide the car with optimal conditions during storage.

Many times, our old cars start to smell a bit musty precisely because they have begun to absorb moisture into the car's interior. A bad smell can also be an indication that mold has gotten into the car.

If you intend to store your car under a winter cover, you must first ensure that there is no residual moisture on the car before the cover is pulled on. Otherwise, there is a risk that you will instead trap moisture with the car. Also, remember that moisture can accumulate under the car tires, so roll the car forward a few centimeters after a day in the garage.

Perhaps you've heard of various tricks to fix moisture problems, such as cat litter and rice. In theory, they might work. Both rice and cat litter are good at absorbing moisture, but for them to be truly effective in a car, you would need such large quantities that it would become practically unmanageable.

Another problem with these methods is that they specifically bind moisture. There's a risk that these methods could instead cause greater problems on the surfaces where the rice or cat litter is used.

Make sure to keep your car dry and free from moisture. This creates better conditions for both the car's exterior and the engine's performance. Remember that a clean car retains less moisture than a dirty one.

Humid air can also be purely detrimental to your and your family's health if inhaled. In humid air, mold spores, dust mites, and other things you should avoid inhaling are activated. A clean and dry car is also much more pleasant to travel in – for all parties involved.