What began as routine cleaning turned into a troubling discovery for one Chrysler Pacifica owner. Beneath the hidden floor compartment of his vehicle—an area rarely seen and even less frequently cleaned—he found what looked like a spreading white substance, delicate yet structured, almost resembling coral or frost. It wasn’t just dirt or dust. It was something stranger.
He had lifted the floor panel to vacuum underneath the Stow and Go seats. What he saw stopped him. A strange white growth, brittle and fibrous in texture, was forming along the frame and around the carpeted seams. At first glance, it resembled mold. But the truth was more surprising and far less harmful than he initially feared.The Forgotten Spill and Its Consequences
More than a year earlier, during a long trip, he had spilled nearly half a bottle of Listerine beneath the floor panel. He cleaned up what he could and assumed the job was done. But as time passed, conditions under the floor created an environment ripe for a chemical transformation.
Listerine, a common mouthwash, contains compounds such as ethanol, eucalyptol, menthol, and methyl salicylate. These ingredients, when mixed with salt and moisture, can lead to crystallization. And in Pennsylvania, where winters coat roads with deicing salt, the probability of salt being carried into the vehicle is extremely high.
As it turns out, what the vehicle owner discovered was not mold, but a salt-based crystallized deposit. According to several online communities and individuals with backgrounds in chemistry and auto detailing, the appearance matched the formation of calcium acetate or sodium chloride crystals.
7+ Hundred Car Drink Spill Royalty-Free Images, Stock Photos & Pictures | Shutterstock
Leave a Reply