Cleaning Your Car Floor Mats
Introduction
To all car owners out there: we know that cleaning the floor mats of your car can be a chore, time-consuming and tiresome job. We also know that you probably have put off cleaning your Car Mats for as long as you can. We are here to share our not-so-secret but definitely useful guide for more efficient and easy cleaning of your car floor mats. So let’s get cracking! Before you know it, your car will be as good as brand new, enhancing your overall driving and car experience. Don’t think that this a thankless job—future you will definitely be thankful for your hard work put in to clean your car. Okay enough talk, let’s jump right in!
To start off, you have to remove the floor mats that are to be cleaned. Car floor mats can be made of different materials such as rubber, cloth, and even upholstery. Regardless of the type of material they are made of, we highly recommend removing them from your car for an easier time cleaning them. To do this, you have to open all your car doors and manually remove each mat one at a time. Although you can technically clean them inside the car, any form of cleaning that can be done would be very minimal and surface level. If you involve liquids in an attempt to deep clean them, you risk damaging your car’s interior and mechanism. Therefore, we discourage anyone from doing so, especially if they are not car experts. The only exception is mats that are entirely unremovable. Ensure that you do not let any oily or foamy substance on the gas, clutch, and brake pedals while doing so, as you may cause an accident for future you while driving.
For the actual cleaning, we recommend a strong vacuum. Vacuum the mats thoroughly, ensure that the vacuum sucks up all visible dust and dirt particles. Remember to do so for both sides as these can particles can be persistent and be hidden on the other side. You can use vacuums of any size, but we recommend a large one for the removable mats for a quicker job. For mats that cannot be detached, you will have to stick to the portable and handheld versions. It is best to do this in a brightly lit area so you can inspect the floor mats for any stray dust or dirt particles that you might have missed before you have on to the next course of action. Should your floor mats be wet for some reason, vacuuming will become quite tough. Consider sprinkling some baking soda on the damp mat. This will help to remove the moisture and foul odour if you leave it alone for about twenty minutes. After this, you can proceed to vacuum as directed above.
Up next is give them a good smack and whacking for the floor mats. This will help to get rid of the hidden dirt stuck in between the seams of the mats. You can whack it against the ground or any solid surface.
Washing Floor Mats of Rubber Materials
Use a hose with decent pressure. Wash off the dirt on the rubber mat and ensure the flipside remains dry. The pressure from the hose is going to come in handy to flush off any loose particles on the mat.
A side note that is unrelated to cleaning is to invest in quality rubber car floor mats. Sturdier and durable rubber mats are less likely to have any wear and tear even after years. We want to avoid wear and tear because any liquid that gets past your mat and to the car floor can spell trouble for your car’s floor. Once your car floor rots due to the moisture, your car will start to have a persistent bad smell that can only be gotten rid of by removing the car interior floor altogether. Another alternative is to head to your nearest car wash and pressure wash your rubber mat if you do not own a hose.
The next thing you want to do is to prepare the soap mix. Simply mix some baking soda and laundry soap with water. Apply this soap mix to your mat and rinse them off with water from the hose.
Finally, leave the rubber mat to dry. For the mats stuck in your car, turn your air condition and fan on, and toggle them to full heat and max strength respectively. To bring the drying speed up a notch, consider turning on your feet warming if your car has that option.
Washing Floor Mats of Cloth Materials
Should your upholstered car floor mats have persistent stains, you can get rid of them by rubbing baking soda on the spots affected. For tough stains, you might have to use a brush to scrub them off using the bristles. For this, you want tough and hard bristles if possible.
For cloth mats, the soap mix can be made with two tablespoons of washing powder and an equal amount of any shampoo. Wet your brush with this mixture and rub this mixture on your mat. This mixture can be used to clean other parts of your car’s interior as well. Rinse off with warm water once you are done scrubbing.
If you have a spray cleaner, you can use it and leave it to sit for half an hour. Spray cleaners can be found for sale at most auto shops. Once thirty minutes have passed, you can use a brush to make sure the spray cleaner is spread throughout the mat.
Another easy option is to toss them into a power washer or steam cleaner. Remember to apply stain removers on stains you have spotted on the mats, before throwing them into the machine with regular detergent.
At this point, you can either vacuum them again to speed up the drying process and remove any excess dirt you may have missed. Otherwise, it’s time to dry them in a well-ventilated spot. It is best to hang them to ensure they dry properly. You can choose to dry them in the dryer as well. Consider using a clean scent spray of your choice to ensure they smell nice.
Conclusion
Well, that’s it. That was not as hard as you think it’d be right? If you are still hesitant to clean your mat, just know that once you get started you’ll be done with them in no time. Happy cleaning!
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Published: 05-Feb-2021
Author: Jake Hughes
You can see a list of our current authors and short bio here