How to clear/clean mold off a 900 (power) hood ?

"I recently bought a 2nd hand 900 (1992), with a power hood. it has some mold spots on the hood, near where it meets the boot. Is there any advice on what to use to clean/get rid of these moldy spots ? My local Saab dealer just says use soap and water, but is that really good enough ?"

No "Bloke" - you are quite right to hesitate.. Your local Saab dealer is an idiot - how could ordinary soap and water be good enough for your 2nd hand

900 (with a power hood). . You should only ever use the special Saab "power hood mold remover" that came with the car. And don't forget to apply it with the special Saab power hood mold remover tool....

Any Saab enthusiast worth his salt will tell you to only use special Saab power hood mold remover. And don't forget to use the special Saab power hood mold remover tool in your toolkit.

"I recently bought a 2nd hand 900 (1992), with a power hood. it has some mold spots on the hood, near where it meets the boot. Is there any advice on what to use to clean/get rid of these moldy spots ? My local Saab dealer just says use soap and water, but is that really good enough ? All thoughts appreciated."

In article , snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.co.uk spouted forth into alt.autos.saab...

Iain, not sure of brand names, but there are refurb/cleaning products that owners swear by. Someone with a ragtop will reply. It is advertised in most of the classic mags, and in the Saab Driver magazine.

Soap and water would remove it, as long as it has time to dry properly, but it will require a decent treatment/refurb afterwards.

Ignore Nasty Bob/Bobette. Never heard of them before in this group, and it has just a hint of a troll.

Sorry couldn't recommend a brand, but I'm a tintop 900 owner, not a convert, sorry.

Yea if you take a look at the ip addresses of Nasty Bob and Bobette, the seem to be similair. Actually the same.

Personally, I think you need to "kill" the wold. On anything but a rag top I might use bleach. You need something similar without the caustic and color removal effects.

After you get it cleaned, you might want to use Renuvo rag top treatment on it. I buy mine from the link below... you probably want a OK source though. There are also other products available but most are spray - I like the brush on type since I can work them into the fabric. Reapply every 6 months.

the brush on type

Thats the stuff I meant.

Cheers Bob.

On the subject of killing it, using a steam buggy/home steam cleaner should do that shouldn't it, it should sterilise the fabric? Should be safe on the roof fabric too, as long as you keep removing the mouldy damp area with a cloth to dry it, then treat it with the renuvo.

Well, It would appear someone parked your ragtop under a tree regularly. Use warm soapy water and a regular scrub brush over the entire top. Pay particular attention to the mouldy spots. Rinse very thoroughly. Wait for a while to see if the mold reoccurs. If the mold reoccurs use a solution of white vinegar to kill off the mold. Do not get any vinegar on the bodywork. If the top is original, you will likely find the rear glass unattached to the fabric. In the U.S I would try "Shoe-Goo" to seal the glass, I'm sure there is something similar locally. After the glass is sealed, I would use tent sealer, regular silicone spray, or some other fabric waterproofing stuff. Be particularly heavy with application near the leading edge of the top. Don't get the stuff on the body work, it makes smudges that are tough to clean off, trust me on that one. In my experience tent spray lasts about

4 months or so. Regular "convertible top" sealer lasts 6 months or so, at a much greater cost. The silicone spray / sealer will keep the mold away if the top gets to dry off regularly.

dave