Mildew On Jeep Top? (Reasons & Solutions)

Most Jeeps have convertible tops, and Wranglers are well-known convertible SUVs. They have either soft tops or hardtops.

Many Jeep owners use these soft jeep tops or hard tops depending on the temperature and region, resulting in humidity and temperature, perfect for mildew growth. 

Mildew is similar to mold but in its early stage and can be dangerous to health and destroy car components.

Many car owners experience this mildew without knowing its causes and how to eliminate it, so let’s go over it.

Mildew comes in a powdery and downy form that starts with a yellow color and progresses to brown. Cool temperatures, darkness, moisture, and dirt are among the many mildew causes that grow in flat areas. Although they are not extremely toxic, they still are harmful and can cause severe damage in advanced cases.

Causes of Mildew on Jeep Soft Tops

Mildew growth is so sneaky that you might not notice them until they are fully grown and conspicuous.

However, here’s a list of the causes which encourages mildew growth on your Jeep;

#1. Moisture

Moisture is an evident cause of mildew on Jeep Soft Tops as such fungi find it convenient to grow in damp areas, and such an atmosphere with air and excess water encourages its growth.

For this reason, it is vital to dry wet areas in your car constantly.

Avoid leaving wet Jeep fabric soft tops to stay for a long time wet, especially if you park your car in dark areas like a garage with no light exposure.

The best solution for this issue is using dehumidifiers as they absorb the moisture in your car and leave them inconducive for fungi to grow.

#2. Darkness

If you’re observant, you’ll undoubtedly notice that mildews and molds grow in dark areas with zero or small exposure to the sun.

A reasonable alternative is introducing natural light into such areas as they possess antibacterial attributes capable of killing or stopping mildew growth.

However, this light exposure introduces heat which dries the moisture content in such damp areas, and you can also use UV lights as an alternative. 

#3. Stale air

Stale air is unpleasant, and you can notice it when the atmosphere gets stuffy because there is inconducive fungi build-up circulating.

Most times, constant use of the AC also increases the likelihood of stale air due to the debris build-up in the air conditioning ducts making the atmosphere uncomfortable. 

Additionally, leaving a car locked for a long time boosts the chances of this occurrence and is a perfect environment for mildew to grow and progress to its advanced level.

Airing your car from time to time, cleaning the AC ducts, and leaving windows open while driving in comfortable environments will also be helpful. 

#4. Cool temperatures

Temperature is a contributing factor to mildew growth.

Most times, you may feel that extreme temperatures can kill mildew or stop their growth, but that is only true to an extent.

In truth, temperatures over 140 Fahrenheit can stop mildew growth but only for a while as they become active again in favorable temperatures.

Extremely hot or cold weather is helpful to some degree, but eliminating all moisture content would be a perfect method.

#5. Evaporation

Evaporation is part of the moisture topic as it includes water. Letting water turn to vapor maximizes moisture.

We all understand evaporation to mean a change in liquids to vapor in the presence of sunlight.

This vapor still contains water but is in a gaseous form now in the atmosphere, which is still a perfect breeding environment for mildew development.

Dehumidifiers, as mentioned earlier, and vents help eliminate such moisture in vapor form.

#6. Sudden warmth

When temperature abruptly rises after a cold condition with dormant fungi, condensation occurs, which leaves water droplets, making it convenient for mildew growth.

For instance, a dark area that has been cold for a while is damp and has no fresh air, so any heat will cause the dampness to evaporate, leading to vapor(moisture).

This feature and other attributes play a huge role in causing mildew. 

#7. Dirt and grease

Jeeps commonly run on off-road terrains, so it’s no a surprise they’re always exposed to mud and dirt.

Leaving this dirt and debris build-up on your Jeep soft top provides an ideal food source for mildew.

How to Get Rid of Mildew On Jeep Tops?

Getting rid of mildews is no simple task considering that they are ubiquitous and cannot be completely eradicated.

Still, you can take steps to eradicate their physical growth on your Jeep tops. These steps are:

#1. Step 1

Use a water hose to spray water on your Jeep top fabric and expose it to sunlight to dry. After that, use a cleaner protection kit that includes a fabric vinyl cleaner.

This cleaner is perfect and safe as it has no adverse effects on the metallic components of your car.

Follow the cleaner protection kit guidelines to know how to use the products better. 

#2. Step 2

Wet your cleaning brush with water and the top protectant cleaner, and then scrub the mildew.

You can also use a bleach-water mixture and leave it for half a minute before washing it off. Next, dry the Jeep top fabric with a delicate, clean rag.

Ensure to use a convertible top cleaner if you own a Wrangler or any other convertible top Jeep.

#3. Step 3

Combine ammonia in water and use it on the mildewed soft top for about 30-60 seconds before washing it off with a neat fabric and water. Rinse and dry off.

#4. Step 4

Use a soft top cleaner and allow it to soak for a while; around two or four minutes will be fine.

Scrub the mildewed region with clean fabric and rinse well before drying with a soft cloth.

Remember to apply the vinyl fabric cleaner first to the mildewed area. The application duration depends on your soft top cleaner brand, so read the guidelines before use.

You should use this product regularly, and some top cleaner protectant producers advise using the products every month or three months regularly.

But this application differs depending on the weather, driving habits, and terrains. 

Rub the Jeep soft cleaner evenly across the entire area and apply it to every area you feel is exposed to mildew and mold.

Ensure to clean windows to be safe and avoid special areas like the Jeep’s zippers. Use specific products to apply the soft top cleaner on the zippers and lubricate it to extend its longevity.

Finally, remember that you don’t always need to wait for mildew before cleaning your Jeep soft top, so always have a cleaner protectant kit.

How to Prevent Mildew Growth?

The following steps can help you prevent mildews from surfacing on your Jeep;

• Ensure to measure the humidity level in your car constantly and use dehumidifiers if you have excessive moisture.
• Inspect your heaters and Air conditioning systems to ensure their ducts are neat and work perfectly to avoid mildew spore development. Dust or dirt is a good food source for mildew.
• Repair leakages immediately as mildew love damp areas and small issues advance to worse complications when left unattended.
• Always expose your car to sunlight, especially if you have soft tops and wet seats. Leaving wet seats or floor unattended breeds fungi. You can take them off and dry them before adding them back to the Jeep.

Conclusion

Generally, it is impossible to avoid mildew 100% as organisms always grow around.

But you can reduce them to a minimal level by avoiding excessive moisture and practicing sunlight exposure.

The best solution for soft-top mildew is using the cleaner protectant kit and preventive measures such as dehumidifiers.

Maintenance is crucial, so leaving the cleaning to professionals might be better if you are not proficient at such activities.