--- title: "Watch This Disgusting Mold-Filled VW Beetle Come Back to Life After a Deep Clean" description: "After its previous owner died, this Volkswagen New Beetle sat for years, collecting mold, before its current owner bought it to restore it." date: "2022-12-13" modified: "2022-12-13" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/watch-this-disgusting-mold-filled-vw-beetle-come-back-to-life-after-a-deep-clean" categories: - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Volkswagen News" - "Watch This" --- # Watch This Disgusting Mold-Filled VW Beetle Come Back to Life After a Deep Clean ![]() When the detailer breaks out the hazmat suit, you know your car is gross. That's exactly what happened when this [Volkswagen]() New Beetle was brought to [*WD Detailing*](), after sitting for several years. Gross isn't actually the word to describe it. There was so much mold inside the [Beetle]() that it was a legitimate biohazard. Which meant both detailers needed full coveralls, gloves, and respirators to get inside and clean it. While that might seem like a lot of work for a 20-year-old beater that's probably worth less than the detail job cost, the moldy Beetle comes with some emotional baggage. The owner of the Beetle bought it after it sat for several years following the death of its previous owner. That previous owner was proud of his five-speed New Beetle and regularly brought it around to car shows and used it to engage with the community. He was a true enthusiast. When the Beetle deep-sixed its own radiator, it sat for a bit while the owner prepared to have it fixed. However, before he could have it fixed, he broke his hip, which required surgery. Unfortunately, complications with the surgery led to that owner's death. So the car sat for years before its current owner bought it with the hopes of restoring it. ![]() *Before* ![]() *After* Mechanically, the Beetle seems OK. But sitting for years caused its interior to become a habitat for various microorganisms, which required a ton of work to clean up. Much of the interior just needed to be thrown out and replaced with parts found at a pick-and-pull yard, like the carpet. Some of it was able to be cleaned, though, such as the seats. After shampooing and vacuuming the grime out of the seats, the vacuum ejected so much dark brown water that it looked like a sewage pipe burst. I'm not particularly squeamish, but the thought of sitting on seats with that much grime grossed me out. The exterior was actually in pretty decent shape, all things considered. Outside of the leaf pile and gunk that built up inside the aftermarket plastic louver on the rear window, there wasn't too much grime. After the louver was thrown out and the car was cleaned up, it looked surprisingly good. In the end, this VW New Beetle went from being a rolling petri dish to looking almost new. Prior to it sitting for years, it was loved, someone's prized possession. Now, thanks to a little elbow grease, gallons of cleaning products, and some can-do attitude, it has a second chance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdT_73zIE3Q *Got tips? Send 'em over to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()