Removing Water in Car Door: How and When to Do It

Water from rain, melted snow, or car washes can collect inside the car door, and you must remove it as soon as possible. Otherwise, the water could cause damage to the door frame and other components in or near it.

What some car owners might not know is how simple it is to drain the built-up water.

How to Drain Water Out of Your Car Door

Removing water from your car door is usually as easy as using its drain hole. If the drain hole has a rubber cover, removing it should do the trick.

Open the Drain Hole

Car doors usually have a drain hole at their panel’s bottom left to let trapped water out. It could get clogged due to the dirt and debris that come with water but don’t worry. It’s easy to unblock.

How to Fix Clogged Drain Holes

To unclog the drain hole, find a small and pointy object and poke the hole free. You can use wire hangers, pens, pencils, and anything that fits. Keep digging through the hole until the water comes out.

Some car doors have two drain holes. If yours has two, unclog both for efficient drainage.

You can also use a high-pressure hose to get rid of the debris blocking the holes. Jetting the hole should open it up and make room for the water to come out.

Remove the Rubber Covers

Some drain holes have rubber covers that you must remove to release the water. They’re snugly fitted onto the drains, but removing them usually doesn’t require much effort. Return the covers once all the water is gone.

Another rubber cover you can remove is the one on the car door frame. The frames of your door are where water builds, so removing the cover would drain the excess. Replace the cover with new ones after the frame dries to avoid corrosion.

When Should You Drain Water Out of Your Car Door?

Two signs it’s time to drain water out of your door are when the carpet is wet and when you hear a sloshing sound coming from the door frame when driving.

Wet Carpet

If you start noticing your cabin carpets are damp, there might be water in the door frame. It could be due to leaks from the rubber covers on the frame. These rubbers keep the car door flexible and protect you from the elements, such as rain.

Also known as weather stripping, the rubber can deteriorate over time. Once it’s dried up or damaged, it forms crevices for the water to seep into.

You can visually check if the rubber is causing the wet carpet. If it is, it’s best to replace the weather stripping as soon as you can.

Sloshing Sound

You may also notice an audible sloshing sound when driving because of the built-up water inside the frame. The noise is more noticeable after heavy rain storms when more water enters the frame.

Why Drain Water Out of Your Car Door?

Water inside the door frame can be harmful to the door itself and other related components. Some issues that could develop when there’s water in the car door are mold and mildew buildup, corrosion problems, and damaged electrical parts.

Prevent Mold and Mildew Buildup

Wet car carpet is not only annoying to deal with but also a health hazard. The dampness could result in an unpleasant mildew smell that makes rides less enjoyable.

Plus, if you leave the carpet soaked for prolonged periods, it could develop mold. Exposure to mold spores could cause different allergic symptoms, such as watery eyes, sneezing, itching, coughing, and difficulty breathing.

If your carpet has mold, it’s best to remove and replace it with a new one. You can also clean it (by yourself or let professionals handle the job), but getting new carpets is usually better because it ensures there are no longer lingering toxins.

Prevent Corrosion

The built-up water could also corrode the door frame, which is usually steel. The corrosion starts from the bottom because it’s where the water collects before spreading to other areas.

Rust damages steel. It could ruin the door frame and leave noticeable holes in the process. It could also diminish your vehicle’s value because the interior won’t look clean.

Depending on the damage, you can use abrasives to clean off the corroded area. Once you’re done, you can repaint the car to make it look good as new.

Protect the Door’s Electrical Parts

The interior of car doors has switches and accessories that control various components, such as the door lock and the window. Water could damage these electrical parts, causing them to short-circuit.

As such, it’s crucial to drain the water before it collects. Otherwise, you might have trouble locking the door or rolling down the windows.