Best Way To Clean Car Floor Mats – Easy Step by Step Complete Guide

Cleaning your car floor mats is one of the vital things to do in order to properly maintain your car. Dirt, oil, grease, and other unspeakable materials get glued to the bottom of our shoes and they finally end up on the car carpet.

Getting rid of mud and dirt from your car mats can be burdensome but there are few tricks that can help you to get it done efficiently. By diligently adhering to the valuable tips below, you will get the cleaning done without much hassle.

In this piece, you will learn the tricks of preparing for the cleaning, vacuuming the mats, washing rubber and cloth mats, just to mention a few. You will also learn the best drying techniques as well as cleaning products to use depending on the type of your mats. Read on.

Cleaning car floor mat

Pre-process to Clean the Car Floor Mats

Get Prepared For The Cleaning

It is advisable to remove your floor mats from your car before cleaning if this is feasible. Your car doors should be opened one after the other in order to make it easier to take them out.

As much as possible, you should avoid cleaning them inside the vehicle so that the interior part will not be soaked in water. It will also prevent the brake, clutch, and gas pedals from having contact with the foam or oil from cleaning products so that your feet will not slip when you are driving.

Clean Them Outside

You can arrange the cleaning to be carried out in a gas station, in your garage or parking lot at home. A lot of car mats can be removed but some of them are inbuilt. If your mats are inbuilt, you will have to clean them right inside the car but you need to be very careful.

Vacuum Cloth Floor Mats

Vacuum Cloth Floor Mats First

You should endeavor to use a vacuum to get rid of dust particles from cloth floor mats before starting the cleaning process. A damp mat can be exhaustive to clean, especially with heavy dirt.

You can make use of baking soda in order to get the moisture absorbed and reduce bad odor. The baking soda should be left for about 20 minutes before proper vacuuming will begin. The vacuuming should be carried out on both sides and you must ensure that all dust and crumbs are eliminated.

Shake or Bang The Mats To Eliminate Dirt

Shaking and banging the mats will help in getting rid of embedded dirt. You should carry out this step in the open air. Bang the mats against the ground several times so that every dirt will be eliminated, especially stubborn ones.

You can also make use of a scraper to take off hardened materials from your rubber mat before going ahead with the cleaning. This will ensure that no stain is left after the cleaning.

Washing Process For Rubber Car Floor Mats

Washing Rubber Car Floor Mats

Step 1: Buy Floor Mats of High Quality

Getting good rubber car floor mats is very essential if you want to achieve a positive cleaning experience. This is because rubber mats of poor quality may eventually get holes that will allow water to go below them thereby destroying the chassis of your vehicle.

Water leakage can also lead to a bad odor of the interior area of your car and this can irritate you as well as other occupants of your vehicle. As a result of this, you should make sure that you get floor mats of high quality.

Step 2: Use a Hose

Washing rubber mats can be carried out with a hose but the hose should only be exposed to the dirty side. The other side (downside) should not be made excessively wet so that quick drying can be enhanced. The hose will serve as an impetus for getting rid of food or dirt that effortlessly accumulates on the mats.

If you cannot lay your hands on a hose, you can make use a bucket of water. The pressure from the container cannot be compared to what you will get with the hose, but it is an ideal alternative. Better still, you can visit the car wash nearest to you and a pressure wash on the mats can be done for you.

Soap and Baking Soda

Step 3: Use Soap and Baking Soda

It is very essential to make use of soap for your cleaning in order to get the best result. You can blend laundry soap with baking soda and water so that the dirt on the rubber mats will be easily lifted. If you cannot lay your hands on baking soda, you can make use of liquid soap.

You can make use of a wet rag to apply the soap. Washing rubber mats is not so difficult. With soap and water, you can get the job done effectively. Additional pressure should be applied to the water hose and painstaking washing should be carried out as much as you can. If you like, you can use hand sanitizer and baby wipes.

Dry The Mats

Step 4: Dry The Mats

Your car mats should be dried properly after washing them before putting them back into the car. If the washing takes place in a gas station and you cannot wait for them to dry, you can put the washed mats in your car.

You can then put on your car air conditioner at full heat while the fan switch should be put on full power. If you want the drying process to be faster, you can set your car air conditioner location toggle to feet warming.

Washing Process For Cloth Car Floor Mats

Step 1: Rub Baking Soda

Baking soda will help in eliminating stains from your cloth car floor mats. It is also effective for neutralizing odor from food, pets and other stains. The baking soda should be rubbed on the mats and you can use a hard scrub brush to apply it.

Apply soap water

Step 2: Apply Soapy Water

Soapy water should be applied to the mats and you may add detergent if you like. A hard brush is very useful in scrubbing the mats properly so that they will be absolutely clean.

You should prepare a blend of washing powder and shampoo (two tablespoons of each compound). This should be used with a hard brush to scrub the carpet.

You can clean the bumper of your car with this mixture, especially if the bumper is produced with plastic. There are lots of cleaning material options available and you can choose the one that appeals to you the most.

You should use a deck scrubber or small hard brush to wash away all dirt on the carpet. You should then use clean water to get rid of the soap.

Spray Cleaner

Step 3: Use Spray Cleaner

You can spray the car carpet with a carpet cleaner. The cleaner should be allowed to have a contact for about 30 minutes and you can make use of upholstery cleaners specifically produced for cars.

These upholstery cleaners are available at the majority of auto shops. As soon as the carpet cleaner is taken in by the carpet, you should put the hand brush to use so that the chemical is made to reach every part of the carpet.

It is possible for you to produce your own spray. This can be done by mixing white vinegar with hot water. You should use an equal amount of vinegar and water, and you should spray it properly on your car mats.

Use the brush to scrub it properly in order to remove any stain, especially salt stains. Stubborn stains like chewing gum stain can be removed with the application of peanut butter as well as salt in addition to serious scrubbing.

Step 4: Use Steam Cleaner or Power Washer

Steam cleaners and power washers are usually used at home to clean carpets. The good news is that you can use them to clean your cloth car floor mats.

You can get them at car wash centers if you don’t have one. Your washing machine can also be used to clean your mats, using usual detergent but you need to apply stain remover so that it will be very effective.

Step 5: Vacuum The Second Time

Vacuuming the carpet for the second time will ensure that any remaining water and dirt are extracted. It is advisable to use wet/dry vacuum cleaners since they efficiently get rid of moisture.

You can also use vacuum cleaners having hose connectors due to their powerful suction capability. A hoover that has a minimum power of 680 watts should be considered so that you will have enough power to carry out your work.

Dry The Mats

Step 6: Dry The Mats Assiduously

You can dry your floor mats by hanging them in a place with enough air. You can also use your dryer to dry them and this should be done properly in order to avoid a foul smell.

In order to enhance their smell, you can spray them with a good scent and leave them in the sun for proper drying. You can also use your dryer to dry them while any additional fur should be taken off with a razor.

On A Final Note

You can get the best result after cleaning your car floor mats if you follow simple instructions. Your car interior will not only look good but smell good to the admiration of all occupants.