You left your convertible top open, because when you parked, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. A few hours later, you look out the window, and it’s suddenly pouring! You run outside and close the roof, but the damage is done — your interior is soaked, or at the very least, water is everywhere.
You can get everything dried and back to normal, as long as you follow these easy steps.
Vacuum Up Standing Water
If you left your convertible top open long enough to really get hammered by rain — or if the storm was especially fierce — there’s a strong possibility that you’re dealing with an inch or so of standing water on the floor of your car. In this case, the single most effective way to start the drying process is to use a wet/dry vacuum cleaner to suck out as much water as you can. Yes, your car has drains designed to deal with this kind of thing, but they can be easily overwhelmed by flash storms, so the assistance of a vacuum can dramatically speed up the drying process.
Soak Up the Rest
Once the standing water is expelled, it’s time to use some towels. Take all of the floor mats out of your car so that you can access the carpet underneath, and use a series of towels to soak up the water sitting on the floorboards. You’ll also want to wipe down seats, the dash and any other surface that got wet when you left the convertible top open.
Ventilation, Ventilation, Ventilation
Towels and vacuums wont be able to get all the moisture out, so you’re going to have to rely on evaporation to take care of what’s left. There are a number of tools at your disposal to hasten the drying process. First, use one or more rotary fans to blow a current of air through your car’s cabin. Next, set up a dehumidifier if you have one, inside the vehicle, to suck out water still trapped in your upholstery. Finally, run your car’s heater, with the air conditioning system turned on, to blow warm, dry air through the ventilation ducts. When combined, this should help get things dry as quickly as possible and help curb any smells or mildew.
Check out all the tools & equipment available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on drying out your convertible, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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convertible, convertible top down in rain, dry your convertible, interior, rain, rain car, rain convertible, water, water damage, wet car, wet carpet
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Benjamin Hunting View All
Having been bitten by the car bug at a young age, I spent my formative years surrounded by Studebakers at car shows across Quebec and the northeastern United States. Over ten years of racing, restoring, and obsessing over automobiles lead me to balance science writing and automotive journalism full time. I currently contribute as an editor to several online and print automotive publications, and I also write and consult for the pharmaceutical and medical device industry.
Getting caught in the rain in a convertible with the top down is no fun at all. We've always wondered if it was possible to drive fast enough to stay dry. Drivetribe has it all figured out.
They shared their findings with us with a video posted to their YouTube channel. Mike, the host, begins by explaining the two types of airflow – laminar and turbulent. Laminar air is slow, low-pressure air, while turbulent air is fast, high-pressure air.
The layer of air that comes in contact with the body lines of a car is called the boundary layer. The top of the windshield frame, where the bodywork stops abruptly, is called the separation point. At this point, the air becomes very turbulent, and, as you go faster, the area of turbulent air above the passenger compartment increases.
Mike goes on to explain that speed at which you must drive to stay dry depends on the car's shape. Specifically, the angle of the windshield.
Cars like the Mazda Miata that have a steeper windshield can generate enough turbulence to deflect the rain at lower speeds, around 45 miles per hour or so. On the other hand, sleeker cars with windshields that are laid down nearly flat, like the Ferrari Portofino, have to go faster to achieve the same result.
Some Mercedes-Benz convertibles actually employ wind deflectors at the top of the windshield frame that resemble miniature air brakes. They work to maximize laminar air flow while keeping turbulent air flow out of the cabin. In a rain storm, they can also keep you dry.
Of course, all of this is more or less a moot point when you get to a stoplight. If you're on the highway and the rain starts falling, though, understanding air flow can help to buy you some time before you can get underneath a bridge and put the top back up.