How to Clean Car Carpet
When was the last time that you cleaned your car carpet? The car carpet does its part of protecting the surface from damages but can get its fair share of stains.
When you step in the car with your dirty shoes, the dirt tends to accumulate in and under the carpet, and hence, cleaning it becomes essential.
But how to clean carpet in the car? Do you need to hire professionals for cleaning automotive carpets?
A dirty car carpet can stink your automotive, especially in the summers when moisture breeds mold and bacteria.
Hence, if you do not have time to take your car to an expert cleaner for work, why not clean the carpet at home using a well steam cleaner. using a well steam cleaner.?
How to Clean Carpet in Car
Cleaning the car carpet should not be difficult if you regularly clean up the spill and remove the rubbish.
Of course, sometimes when you are too lazy to clean the spilled coffee or soda, it seeps deep into the carpet leading to a build-up of mold and debris.
If not regularly, we would suggest going for deep clean car carpet at least once a month.
In addition, the rest of the day, do it at home all by yourself. How? Here is who to clean auto carpet:
1. Remove the Seats
Deep cleaning means you need to reach areas that are tight and small. Hence, the best way to start your car carpet cleaning is by removing the car seats first.
Little do you know that dust, grime, and garbage easily hide under the seats, also accumulating around them hence making it difficult to clean.
Thus, before you pick up a vacuum to clean the carpet, do not forget to remove your seats.
2. Remove the Mats
When you place your seats on the side safely, now remove the mats. Once you do so, do not forget to dust them to remove any excess dust from them.
Moreover, by removing the carpets, you’ll gain access to the mats or padding below, making the area more visible for cleaning.
3. Vacuum the Entire Car
So, you have removed the seats and the mats, what is next? Now grab your car vacuum, or if you have a usual one, that will work great too.
Moreover, we would suggest going for a cordless vacuum for increased mobility.
But what do you need a vacuum for? The vacuum sucks up dirt, grime, and dust much quicker than you would have manually.
Moreover, it covers a larger area and easily slips into the tightest of corners to absorb garbage, leaving you with little cleaning work later.
4. Shampoo
No, we are not asking you to shampoo your hair BUT just like you use a good body wash to clean yourself, so does your car!
If you can, get your hands on a good car cleaner, or else, a good laundry detergent will do the trick too. Now, how do you apply the shampoo?
Read the instructions on the car cleaner and if it says “spray”, then spray it directly on the stains or else dilute the product with water and blot the area with a cloth.
If the need is, you may also rub the stains using a brush but then again, it all depends on how tough the stain is.
5. Wash the Carpet
Once the stains are out, rinse the carpet with water and vacuum it to dry.
Moreover, we would also suggest to air dry the car so that the water dries up from the tightest of corners, not allowing any breeding area for mold and bacteria.
6. Put the Mats and Seats Back In
Once you are sure every nook and corner of the car has thoroughly dried up, now place the mats back in and fix the seats right in their spots.
Dealing with the Stains
If you think, there is a universal way or solution to get rid of car carpet stains, and then let us break the bubble for you.
From dog poop stains to coffee spills, if you are wise to treat them differently then you’ll get the best cleaning outcomes.
Since we have categorized stains according to their cleaning techniques, here is everything you need to know:
1. Mud, Dust, and Food Stains
When you are traveling in a car, you become irresponsible towards its hygiene and cleanliness.
Whether it is your dirty shoes or kids throwing food on the carpet, the grim and garbage if not removed immediately can leave stains behind.
Thus, if you have finally decided to clean carpet in the car, use the homemade solution for best results.
Add 1 cup of white vinegar with some dishwashing liquid and hot water in a spray bottle and mix well.
Spray it directly on the stains and leave it for some time. After that, use a brush to rub off the stains and rinse with cold water.
You will not only be getting rid of dust, grime, and stains but because of the white vinegar present in the solution, it neutralizes car odor too.
2. Beverages
When getting late for the office, most of you will quickly grab a cup of coffee from your favorite coffee shop. In addition, if not handled carefully, you can easily spill it in the car.
Having said that, if your carpet is shining with stains from coffee, soda, or wine, make sure you clean fresh spills rather than waiting for it to dry.
Grab a handful of paper towels and absorb as much excess liquid as you can and use the homemade cleaning solution to get rid of it.
But if you have unfortunately forgotten to clean it and it has dried up, use a brush to brush out the excess and treat the rest by the method mentioned above.
Moreover, if the stain is still fresh, pour some carbonated water on top of it, clean it with paper towels and it will come out easily.
3. Grease
Dealing with grease stains is nothing less of a headache, but if you have a degreaser, it will make your life much easier.
4. Animal and Cigarette
The biggest problem faced by pet lovers and those who smoke is how to remove the foul odor from the car.
Whether your pet decides to take a dump in the car or you finish a pack of cigarettes while driving, it can all stink up your car pretty bad let alone stains the car carpet.
Thus, to neutralize the smell, sprinkle a handful of Borax on the car mats, leave it overnight and vacuum it the next day.
If you see any stains, use vinegar, dishwashing liquid, and water solution to get rid of them.
Clean Car Carpet Regularly
Deep cleaning of car carpets is advised even if you are regularly clean car carpet.
But by cleaning carpets regularly, you’ll be avoiding the breeding of mold and accumulation of grime and dust that can lead to the production of odor in the car with stains that are hard to remove.
Moreover, if you do not have the time to clean the car mats, just do not hesitate to take them to a professional car cleaner for work.
Remember, if you will pay attention to the maintenance of the car, which is necessary, it’ll stay by your side for many years to come by.
Relax and Enjoy!
Hence, a little advice here is to quickly clean the stains and garbage from the car, not giving it the chance to accumulate and increase your work for later.
For some cleaning car, carpets may be a hassle but to make sure your car remains in a good shape, it is needed too!
You may also take a look at our ultimate step-by-step vacuum cleaners buying guide.
