Pads Molded

[rweekley]

Have a question. Getting ready to detail my truck again and while looking at the pads, I noted that they have started molding some. I dried them out the best I could, then put them in zip lock bags, but didn't zip them up all the way. Will this mold affect the pad and should I just re wash the pad? Thanks!

 

[Make it shine!]

Have a question. Getting ready to detail my truck again and while looking at the pads, I noted that they have started molding some. I dried them out the best I could, then put them in zip lock bags, but didn't zip them up all the way. Will this mold affect the pad and should I just re wash the pad? Thanks!

First for what its worth the mold is from putting the pads in the bag wet and not fully dry. Mold breeds in wet dark places so leaving the bag slightly open isn't what did it. Now if I were you I'd invest in a few new pads you never know what a foreign substance (mold in this case) will do to the finish of you car. Sorry for the bad news but I'd chuck em.

 

[3Guy]

I don't know if mold will affect the pad's performance; but I put a pad away before it was completely dry and got a couple of mold spots. I cleaned the pad 2 or 3 times and that removed the mold - I'd rather be safe than sorry - some additional cleaning certainly wouldn't hurt

 

[CEE DOG]

I don't know whether or not the pads are doomed. I would brush them off, use a strong cleaner and let them soak and brush them some more and rinse. See how they look then and let them dry for 2 days. Personally I let my machine pads dry in a high clean location in my house for at least 2 days probably 3. Then I hit them real quick with the air compressor (just in case any dust specs landed up there) before storing them in plastic bins. See image below
Check out these 3 threads that deal with this issue as well. Some good info and some bad in these threads.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...tion-polishers/7133-moldy-polishing-pads.html

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/22170-pad-storage-ideas-3.html

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/13489-storing-pads.html

 

[Kurt_s]

Have a question. Getting ready to detail my truck again and while looking at the pads, I noted that they have started molding some. I dried them out the best I could, then put them in zip lock bags, but didn't zip them up all the way. Will this mold affect the pad and should I just re wash the pad? Thanks!

The mold is probably eating the left over polish residues as a food source with water allowing them to grow. I doubt if it is eating the foam but I could be wrong. If you remove the food source and water, the mold shouldn't grow. Also, mold spores are always floating around so I'm sure you have some mold spores on both your pads and your paint surface right now. At issue will be whether the mold will get into your chemicals and lower their performance.

There's a heavy duty pots and pans cleaner/degreaser that some of the guys use to clean their pads. I think that it's a bleach/surfactant-based which should kill the mold. Sorry, I can't remember the name but they get if from Walmart. I'm pretty sure I've read that molds and mildews don't like orange oil cleaners, like simple green which should also help remove chemical residues. That should do a number on the mold and help remove the polish residues that the mold may be feeding on.

Once you get them clean, try drying them with the foam facing down on some type of screen to allow air to circulate around the pad during drying. I liked Scott's suggestion to line dry them, but I'm not sure how he clips them to the line.

If you can't remove the mold stain from the foam pad or the foam pad looks like it's deteriorated, chuck it. I don't have a lot of money to throw away right now, so I'd try the cleaning steps first and evaluate the pad.

Good luck.

 

[Dubbin1]

There's a heavy duty pots and pans cleaner/degreaser that some of the guys use to clean their pads. I think that it's a bleach/surfactant-based which should kill the mold. Sorry, I can't remember the name but they get if from Walmart.

Dawn Power Dissolver

 

[Kurt_s]

Dawn Power Dissolver

You are the man!

 

[Cliffnopus]

A mild bleach/water mixture will kill any mold. Not sure what bleach would do to your pad though.

Cliff

 

[rweekley]

Dawn Power Dissolver

My Orange LC pads cleaned up fine. the White pads, still need a little more work. I'll get some of that Dawn Power Dissolver and see how it works. Thanks for the suggestions. Just preparing to clean the vehicles up before winter. Next Spring though, I am going to get new pad and go with the 5 1/2" pads and not the 6 1/2" ones like I have right now.

 

[Kurt_s]

My Orange LC pads cleaned up fine. the White pads, still need a little more work. I'll get some of that Dawn Power Dissolver and see how it works. Thanks for the suggestions. Just preparing to clean the vehicles up before winter. Next Spring though, I am going to get new pad and go with the 5 1/2" pads and not the 6 1/2" ones like I have right now.

There was a comment recently posted about bleach discoloring the white foam. Not sure why but try one before doing them all.

We use 10% bleach (dilute 1 part bleach into 9 parts water) to kill bacteria, viruses, molds, etc in the lab. It should be strong enough to kill the mold on your foam pads. Granted, the lab benches and equipment are built for it.

Be careful with working with bleach. Some chemicals will break down the bleach into chlorine gas which is poisonous.