Car floor mats are prone to becoming dirty, particularly with the dirt and debris that enters from the outside. Nevertheless, you can restore the original appearance of your car mats with a few easy cleaning techniques. This article explores how to clean car floor mats regardless of whether they are made of cloth, rubber, vinyl, or custom materials.
Car Mats
Vehicle floor mats are made to shield a car’s floor from scuffs, wear, and salt corrosion. Keeping the car looking clean is one of the main purposes of a vehicle mat. The majority of mats are simple to remove for cleaning and then to replace. Fixation points are necessary for certain objects to guarantee their fixed position. Most people believe that mats are not necessary in cars.
Rubber and carpet fabric are the two materials available for car mats; each has benefits and disadvantages. Rubber mats are more robust and long-lasting than carpet mats, which are tufted and have a rubberized anti-slip backing. Certain mats are made of rubber only, while others have commercials or brand logos on them.
Some mats fit various car models and chassis types, both universal and custom. While some mats use a pre-installed fitting system, others feature spikes for added grip.
How to Clean Car Floor Mats
1. Get Ready to Clean Your Car’s Floor Mats
Take out your car’s floor mats, both rubber and cloth, if you can. If your car has removable mats, remove them from the vehicle and open each door individually. Do not clean the mats while the car is still in motion.
To prevent interior water damage to your car, you should remove the floor mats. Additionally, you shouldn’t let products with an oily or foamy consistency come into contact with your car’s clutch, brake, or gas pedals because doing so increases the risk of your foot slipping off the pedal while you’re driving.
Make sure the outside mats are clean. The mats can be cleaned at a convenience store, at home in your garage or parking lot, or both. Car mats are typically detachable. Sometimes, though, the mats are integrated into the vehicle. You will have to clean them inside the car in those circumstances.
2. Vaccum Clean
First, vacuum the cloth floor mats. Before attempting to clean your car mats further, make sure you use a vacuum to remove all of the dust and soil particles in your car interior including the car seats.
It might be challenging to clean a wet carpet mat. By lightly scattering baking soda onto the carpet floor mat and letting it sit for ten to twenty minutes, you can use it to absorb some moisture and bad odours before vacuuming.
3. Toss the Mats Around
To remove dirt, toss the mats around. By doing this, some of the dust that has become embedded in the rubber or cloth floor mats will be shaken out. Do this outside.
o It should only take a few hits to the mat against the ground. Choose a stable place to strike the mats. You can use rubber mats or cloth in this manner.
o You may also want to use a scraper to remove any materials that have hardened so that the rubber mat is ready for cleaning.
Rubber Car Floor Mat Cleaning
Go for high-quality rubber car mats for your vehicle.
Rubber is a common material used to make car mats. Rubber matting protects your interior from moisture and dries faster than any other mat, especially in rainy and snowy weather.
o Selecting rubber mats of high quality is essential to avoid holes in them, which could allow water to seep through the mat and onto the floor, causing the interior floor to begin to rot.
o Your car will eventually start to smell awful if the interior floor begins to rot.
2. Grab a hose. Just clean the mats with a hose, making sure to only get water on the unclean side. Keep the mats dry on the underside.
o You should be able to clean the food particles or loose dirt on the rubber floor mats with the hose.
o In the absence of a hose, you could use a bucket of clean water, but the hose’s pressure is helpful.
3. Clean each mat with soap. Combine baking soda and laundry soap with water. This is going to fizz and lift dirt out. Use any kind of liquid soap in its place if you don’t have any baking soda.
o You have two options for applying the soap: a wet rag or spray soap. Rubber floor mats are easy to clean, so a solution of soap and water will usually work.
o Increase the pressure on your water hose and give the mats a thorough cleaning. Rubber floor mats can also be wiped down with baby wipes and hand sanitiser.
4. Let the floor mats dry. When reinstalling the mats in your car, they should be dry, but you might not have time to wait if you are washing them at a gas station.
o If so, arrange all of your mats in their proper locations, turn on the maximum heat on your air conditioner, and turn on the fan to full force.
o To achieve optimal drying speed, set the AC Location switch to feet warming. This will facilitate rapid drying of the mats.
Cloth Car Floor Mat Cleaning
1. Use baking soda to dust the carpeted vehicle floor mats. Car floor mats can benefit from the removal of dirt with baking soda.
o The baking soda will also aid in eliminating odors from food, animals, and other debris.
o An additional technique is to wet the bristles of a stiff scrub brush with baking soda and water, and then use the brush to completely clean the floor mats.
2. Use warm water with soap to clean the car mats. Use a firm brush and a solution of detergent and soapy water to scrub the floor mats clean.
o To make a mixture, add the same amount of soap to two tablespoons of washing powder. Then, put that mixture on the brush and use it to rub the floor mat of your car. You can also use this mixture to clean your car’s bumper made entirely of plastic.
o When it comes to cleaning supplies, you have a lot of options.
o Use a small hand brush with firm bristles or a deck scrubber brush to gently brush any debris away from the mat. Scrub diligently. Use fresh water to ensure all of the soap is gone.
3. Make use of a spray cleaner. You may wet the mat with carpet cleaner and walk away for half an hour. Alternatively, most auto shops sell specialized car upholstery cleaners.
o Either the carpet cleaner should have evaporated, or the mat should have absorbed it. Next, ensure that the carpet cleaner is thoroughly worked into and throughout the mat by using the hand brush.
o The car mats could be sprayed with a homemade solution that you could prepare by mixing one bottle of white vinegar with the same volume of hot water. Apply the brush to the area. You can effectively remove salt stains with this method.
o Applying peanut butter and a small amount of salt to the mats will help remove any chewing gum residue that may have become stuck.
4. Use a steam cleaner or power washer. Vacuuming the mats with steam cleaning is an additional choice. This should be just as effective on car floor mats as it is on interior carpet in your home.
o Should you be without a power washer at home, you can typically locate them at car washes, where you could use them to power clean your floor mats.
o Using your usual detergent, you can also wash car floor mats in your washing machine. Start by using a spray stain remover.
5. Give the floor mats another vacuum. This will assist in sucking up some of the water and clearing the mats of any last bits of dirt.
o Since a wet or dry vacuum is made to remove moisture, it is advised to use one. Due to their strong suction, vacuum cleaners with hose attachments are also effective.
o To increase your power, get a vacuum that has at least 680 watts of power. Next, take the mat and use a thin hose to vacuum it clean for improved suction.
6. Dry the floor mats completely. Drying methods for cloth floor mats include hanging them up and using a dryer. Floor mats develop a stinky, damp smell if they aren’t dried.
o Another choice is to use a spray to give them a bright, new smell. Let them dry outside in the sun. It will also aid in reviving the aroma.
o Using cloth floor mats in the dryer is an additional option. Next, use a razor to cut off any excess fur that is hanging off the mat; if you just shave the entire mat, the extra fur will vanish.
Mats Cleaning Do’s and Dont’s
Avoid using silicone cleaning products and abrasive cleaners when cleaning your car mats. When learning how to clean car floor mats at home, keep an eye out for the following additional issues:
Hot water or high heat: To stop fading, shrinking, or tilting, keep car mats out of the sun, hot water, and high heat sources like steam cleaners. For cleaning carpets and car mats, use lukewarm water or adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Excessive scrubbing: Although stains and dirt must be removed, avoid too much scrubbing, especially on delicate or fabric car mats. Excessive cleaning may cause the mat’s surface to become twisted, frayed, or ripped. Use a soft-bristled sponge or brush and scrub the mats gently to avoid damaging the mats.
Harsh chemicals: Refrain from cleaning your car mats with aggressive cleaners or chlorine bleach. These have the potential to weaken the fibers over time, damage the material, or potentially trigger discoloration. Choose a soft and gentle car floor mat cleaner instead.
Using silicone-based products: Avoid using silicone-based products on your car mats. These products have the potential to leave a slippery residue that turns the mats destructive when wet. Use a floor mat cleaner or a mild soap solution to keep your surface non-slippery and safe.
Disregarding regular cleaning: Be careful not to neglect your car mats’ regular cleaning. Regular maintenance helps stop excessive dirt, stains, and odors from building up. Make sure you have a cleaning schedule that works for you in order to maintain a pleasant and fresh interior and keep your car in good shape.
Choosing to leave mats wet: Before reinstalling your car mats, make sure they have completely dried after cleaning. Wet material can result in the growth of mold, mildew, and bad smells. To speed up the drying process, either hang them to dry naturally or use water-absorbing towels.
Signs That New Mats are Needed
No matter how clean carpet car mats are, they still can degrade and lose their usefulness over time. Your car floor mats definitely need to be replaced if they have noticeable wear and tear, such as fraying edges, holes, or tears. Additionally, it might be time to buy new floor mats for your car if the stains or odors are severe enough to require professional cleaning.
CONCLUSION
Keeping your interior fresh and clean requires routinely cleaning your car mats. Before putting the mats back in your car, don’t forget to remove them, vacuum them, clean any stains with car floor mat cleaner, and make sure they are completely dry. Your floor mats will look like new again with regular cleaning with the right floor mat cleaner, which will also improve your driving experience.
