A majority of car enthusiasts maintain a good habit of washing their cars. There is a lot of pride that comes with keeping your paint job clean and shiny.
It’s also important to keep the outside of your car clean because it has a tendency to get filthy really fast. The experts recommend that you should wash your car once every two weeks.
Using the Shine Armor Ultra Concentrated Car Soap is a great way to easily remove the stubborn dirt and grime that might be damaging your paint job.
If you love your car, then you are probably really good about keeping the outside clean. But what about the inside of your car? When was the last time that you deep cleaned your floor mats?
If you can’t remember, then they are probably due for a good cleaning.
Why Does Your Car Have Floor Mats?
The floor mats of your car will take a beating that rivals the exterior of your car. Think about how filthy the bottom of your shoes can get. That same filth, dirt, and grime can easily be transferred to any surface that your shoes touch.
Floor mats play an underappreciated role in protecting the interior of your car. Without the help of floor mats, you would have to endure a lot of awkward positions in order to clean the floor of your car. It’s so much easier to simply remove your floor mats, clean them, and put them back.
What Are Floor Mats Made Of?
There is a wide variety of options available for floor mats. You can find them in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and colors so they can fit inside your car and blend in with your interior.
There are also a few options for various features of floor mats. It’s common for your mats to come with spikes, grooves, or caps that can help to trap dirt and liquids more efficiently.
In terms of materials, floor mats are usually made out of either rubber or carpet. There are plenty of pros and cons that come with owning floor mats made from each material.
For example, carpet is generally more comfortable, looks better, and comes with a backing that keeps it from slipping. However, rubber mats are typically much more durable and offer up better protection for the floor of your car.
Regardless of the material of your floor mat, it’s essential to clean them often.
How Do You Clean Rubber Floor Mats?
Rubber floor mats are especially useful in colder areas that experience a lot of rain and snowfall. They are much better at preventing the water from soaking in and damaging your interior. While they still collect dirt and dust over time, they are also much easier to clean than carpet.
Here is the step by step process for cleaning your rubber floor mats:
Steps One to Two: Getting Started
- Remove the floor mats from your car. It will be much easier to clean your mats if they are outside of your car. You’ll also eliminate the potential for any water damage being done to your floor.
- Beat your mats against a solid surface. Rubber mats are very durable, so you should be able to get a little rough with them. You should be able to knock off most of the dirt, dust, and debris that’s accumulated.
Steps Three to Five: Rinse and Repeat
- Spray them with a hose. You most likely won’t need to use a pressure washer as a garden hose and nozzle should be fine. Make sure you go over the surface area a few times to break up any debris buildups. Give your mats another firm beating to help clean them off a little more.
- Scrub with some soap. Rubber is pretty tough, so you can use normal dish soap without doing any damage. Fill a bucket with about two inches of water and add in a generous amount of soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to deeply scrub your floor mats.
Pay close attention to any grooves where dirt might be extra stubborn. The soapy combination should be enough, but adding hand sanitizer or baking soda can increase its effectiveness.
3. Rinse off your mats. Give the soap a minute or two to work its way deeply into your mats. Now spray the mats again, just like you did back in step three. Make sure to rinse off any soap that you see and look over your mats for any dirt that you might have missed.
Steps Six to Seven: Finishing Up
- Dry the mats. Let your floor mats air dry by sitting them in the sun or hanging them on a railing. It’s critical that you don’t put soaking wet floor mats back in your car. It shouldn’t take very long for your floor mats as they are made out of rubber.
- Replace your floor mats. While your mats are drying, it would be a good idea to vacuum and clean the carpeted area underneath your mats. Re-install the cleaned floor mats once you are certain that they are completely dry.
How Do You Clean Carpet Floor Mats?
There are several benefits to having carpet floor mats that make them worthwhile. The problem is that they are typically much more of a hassle to clean.
The bad news is that carpet floor mats are very susceptible to stains and smells. The good news is that Shine Armor has you covered. Their Upholstery Cleaner can help you remove stubborn stains and our Odor Eliminator to get rid of unpleasant smells.
You’ll probably need to use both products in order to thoroughly clean your floor mats.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Cleaning Your Carpet Floor Mats
This is the step by step process of cleaning carpet floor mats:
- Remove the floor mats from your car. Floor mats are specifically designed to be removed so that you can clean them more easily. Take advantage of this feature and take them out of your car.
- Vacuum everywhere. Vacuum both sides of the floor mat to pick up any dirt, dust, or loose debris. Now would be a good time to run your vacuum over the area underneath your floor mats too.
- Scrub your floor mats deeply. Spray your carpet cleaner onto your mats. You don’t need to soak it down, as a little bit of the cleaner will go a long way. Use a soft-bristled brush and scrub every inch of the floor mats. The cleaner will do most of the hard work, but a little bit of elbow grease will break up dirt buildups and remove any stains.
- Vacuum them one more time. The dirt and stains should be nice and broken up by now. Use your vacuum one more time and remove any debris or moisture that might still be in your mats. Let them air dry for a little while to ensure that they are completely dry.
- Put them back in your car. Make sure that you’ve cleaned the area underneath your floor mats first. Once it’s been cleaned, your floor mats should be ready to go back to their rightful place. Check one last time to make sure that there are no persistent stains or excess moisture before putting them back.
Floor-to-Ceiling Perfection
The floor mats in your car have to put up with a lot of grime. It’s a good idea to keep some napkins or wet wipes in your car to help keep them clean. These items aren’t a substitute for a deep cleaning, but they can help to keep your floor mats clean for a little longer.
You might be surprised to see just how dirty your floor mats can get. As gross as they can be, it’s nothing compared to the outside of your car. While you’re in a cleaning mood, it might be a good idea to show some love for your exterior too.
The Shine Armor Fortify Quick Coat spray can help to clean, seal, and protect your paint. Replacing filthy floor mats is a pain, but it’s nothing like having to repaint your exterior. Protect your paint and keep it shining like brand new.
SOURCES
6 Reasons You Should Upgrade to Rubber Floor Mats in The Winter | Business Insider
What Kind of Floor Mats are Best For Your Car? | The Seattle Times
Floor Mats: Everything You Need To Know | Car And Driver
FAQs
What is the best way to clean car floor mats? ›
Remove the floor mats from the car to avoid water damage to your vehicle's interior. Shake out the mats to dislodge dirt, dust, and debris. Rinse the mats with clean water. Apply a cleanser designed for rubber mats, and gently scrub with a stiff bristle brush to remove additional grime and debris.
What is the best thing to clean rubber car mats? ›Spray the mats with a powerful stream of water to break up and rinse away as much soil as possible. Spray with wheel cleaner or a powerful car wash soap solution. Allow the cleaner to dwell for a few moments but don't let the spray dry on the mats. Scrub each mat with a soft bristle brush.
What household items can you use to clean rubber car mats? ›Squeeze a generous dollop of liquid dish soap into the bucket. Fill the bucket with an inch or two of water to mix with the soap. Dip the soft-bristle brush in the soapy water and then scrub the mats, paying extra attention to any stains and scrubbing in all the grooves.
What soap should I use to clean car mats? ›Use a hose to blast dirt and debris off your rubber car mats. Or wash your car floor mats using a bucket of warm water and a medium-bristle brush. For stuck-on messes, mix a solution of a few drops of dish soap with warm water, and scrub the mats with that.
How do you clean stubborn car mats? ›Spray the mat's surface with carpet shampoo, and leave it to sit for a minute. If you don't have carpet shampoo, washing detergent will get it clean. Work the cleaner into the mat using a stiff-bristled brush. Rub with a microfibre cloth, lifting water and dirt.
Does vinegar destroy rubber? ›The plastic and glass surfaces on most small kitchen appliances, such as blenders, coffee makers, and toasters, are safe to clean with vinegar, but you want to avoid any rubber parts or metal that vinegar can corrode.
Is rubbing alcohol good for cleaning rubber? ›Use rubbing alcohol for stubborn stickiness.
Although alcohol is an effective cleaner for most kinds of stickiness, you should only use this cleaning agent on rubber occasionally. Dampen a clean rag with alcohol and wipe at sticky areas until they are removed. Rinse the rubber with water afterwards.
- Citafresh: Citafresh is a very popular cleaning agent for heavily soiled, greasy carpets that have accumulated a great deal of dirt over a period of time. ...
- OdoBan: ...
- Sensation Carpet Spotter: ...
- Grease Release Spotter:
Hot Water Extraction
Otherwise known as steam cleaning, this is easily the most common professional carpet cleaning technique. Steam cleaning uses hot water at high pressure to penetrate into carpet fibers, breaking down the dirt and bacteria stored deep within. The hot water is then extracted via vacuum.
- Take the rubber floor mats out of your vehicle. ...
- Shake out the mats to remove heavy debris. ...
- Apply your preferred rubber cleanser and gently scrub them down with your stiff-bristled brush.
- Rinse the mats clean with your hose or your bucket of water.
Can you use vinegar to clean floor mats? ›
Mix a 50/50 cleaning solution of household distilled white vinegar and hot water in a bucket or a spray bottle. 2. Pour or spray the water/white vinegar solution onto the salt-crusted carpet or floormats, making sure to avoid contact with any electrical connections.
Can you use vinegar on rubber mats? ›Rubber Mats
Don't use anything acidic to clean them, like vinegar. It will eat through the mat and cause it to degrade faster. Also be sure to find a rubber that won't mold after exposure to excess water and to use a mop made out of nylon.
- Step 1: Remove the mats from your car. ...
- Step 2: Remove any loose dirt/grime with a vacuum. ...
- Step 3: Apply a Fabric Cleaning spray. ...
- Step 4: Allow the mats to dry. ...
- Step 1: Remove the mats from your car. ...
- Step 2: Remove any loose dirt/grime with a vacuum. ...
- Step 3: Apply a Fabric Cleaning spray.
The Best Products for Removing Stains
Auto-specific cleaners are, of course, available, and they may work better on some upholstery types. For more persistent stains, a steam cleaner is also a good option, but this can be on the more expensive side (and is usually used by professional detailers).
If you don't have baking soda, just use any kind of liquid soap. You could use spray soap or you could apply the soap with a wet rag. It's not hard to get dirt off of rubber floor mats, so usually soap and water is going to do the trick.
Can you use Dawn dish soap on WeatherTech floor mats? ›If you don't have APC, a liquid detergent or dish soap may do. However, WeatherTech advises not to use heavy degreasers or anything stronger than liquid detergents as they may damage floor mats.
Can you clean car floor mats with laundry detergent? ›Cleaning Solutions For Rubber Mats
Alternative 1: Laundry soap, baking soda, and water. Any liquid soap can be used as a substitute if you don't have laundry soap or baking soda. Alternative 2: Car Washing Shampoo, Water, and Microfiber Wash Mitt.
Bleach And Vinegar
This is because vinegar is a great cleaning agent for crockery and utensils because of its acidic nature. However, you should never mix it with bleach for cleaning purposes or in any other situation. It can be extremely dangerous as it produces chlorine gas when mixed even at low levels.
To clean your toilet with vinegar, pour a cup of vinegar in the toilet bowl and let sit overnight. The next morning, sprinkle a little baking soda into the bowl, scrub, and then flush clean.
How do you clean with vinegar and dawn? ›Pour equal parts of vinegar and Dawn into a spray bottle. Gently shake, then spray liberally onto the surface to be cleaned. I have found the best results is when I use it to clean chrome shower and sink fixtures. After spraying on the fixture, rub and wipe it with a microfiber cloth to avoid scratching.
Can you mix vinegar and rubbing alcohol to clean with? ›
Using isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar together makes a quickly evaporating spray glass and mirror cleaner that competes with national brands. This can also be used to give a nice shine to hard tiles, chrome, and other surfaces.
Is vinegar or rubbing alcohol better for cleaning? ›Isopropyl alcohol, or rubbing alcohol, is even better than vinegar for most things! While vinegar is a great acid that can clean build up like coffee makers, steam clean the microwave, or loosen up carpet stains, it is not a registered disinfectant.
What surfaces should you not use rubbing alcohol on? ›Don't Clean Certain Surfaces With Rubbing Alcohol
Avoid rubbing alcohol on painted, shellacked, lacquered, or varnished surfaces, including treated wood.
The common exterior process includes: Washing and Drying – Unlike a car wash, detailing is done by hand. The first step involves spraying the car with specialized spray that is high-powered, followed by thorough hand washing on the rims of the car, door jambs, glass and all exterior parts that need cleaning.
Why do detailers wash wheels first? ›Wheels & tires first
You'll want to clean these before the paint because they're typically the dirtiest part of your vehicle. Plus, if you wait to clean them until the end of your wash you'll run the risk of splashing dirt & brake dust back onto the clean paint.
There are two primary causes of carpet re-spotting: Wicking and Residue. One originates below the carpet fibers, in the backing or pad of the carpet. The other originates in the carpet fibers themselves. Stains that resurface as a result of wicking originate below the carpet fibers.
What are the three 3 most common ways to clean carpet? ›- Encapsulation. Encapsulation cleaning is one of the newer commonly-used methods, and needs no water to work. ...
- Steam cleaning. Steam cleaning (or hot water extraction) is a very common method of cleaning carpets. ...
- Carpet dry cleaning. ...
- Bonnet cleaning.
The best method of cleaning carpets is usually steam cleaning, which removes over 90% of dirt and bacteria from carpeting. Dry cleaning carpeting is also effective for ensuring carpets are ready for foot traffic as quickly as possible.
Do it yourself carpet cleaning vs professional? ›Compared to DIY machines, Professional Machines are Stronger
However, this is not a deep clean. Professional equipment is more effective in thoroughly cleaning the carpet and doing the job right. Self carpet cleaning machines have lower water pressure and weaker vacuums when compared to professional equipment.
Shaving foam is not just for shaving it is also an amazing inexpensive stain remover that works brilliantly on both carpets and mattresses . Shaving cream is simply a form of whipped soap. When applied it lathers up, penetrating and adding moisture to just about any stain .
How do I make my carpet look new? ›
Baking soda is the go-to solution for bringing your carpet back to life. Not only does it clean, it also kills bacteria, refreshes the pile and removes odours. Apply plenty of baking soda to completely cover your carpet then use a stiff brush to work it in, rubbing it in different directions.
What method does Stanley steemer use to clean carpets? ›The method we use for carpet cleaning is hot water extraction, commonly referred to as steam cleaning. Stanley Steemer's exclusive hot water extraction method removes the toughest, deepest dirt safely and gently. Hot, soft water and a specially formulated cleaning solution are injected deep within the carpet fibers.
How do you clean rubber floor mats like new? ›Choose a mild soap designed to wash rubber and mix it with water. Cover the rubber mats with the cleaning solution and use a strong hose spray or a pressure washer at the lowest level to try and bust up some of the tougher dirt and stains. Take a brush with stiff bristles and scrub the mats to remove the dirt.
What is the best homemade no rinse floor cleaner? ›Rubbing Alcohol
Rubbing alcohol is not only a good cleaner and disinfectant, but when used in a mopping solution, it helps the floor dry faster and without streaks. So if you're looking for a no-rinse floor cleaner, rubbing alcohol is a must.
Spray the mats with a powerful stream of water to break up and rinse away as much soil as possible. Spray with wheel cleaner or a powerful car wash soap solution. Allow the cleaner to dwell for a few moments but don't let the spray dry on the mats. Scrub each mat with a soft bristle brush.
What is the best cleaner for rubber mats? ›Squeeze a generous dollop of liquid dish soap into the bucket. Fill the bucket with an inch or two of water to mix with the soap. Dip the soft-bristle brush in the soapy water and then scrub the mats, paying extra attention to any stains and scrubbing in all the grooves.
What is the best cleaner for a rubber floor? ›For an inexpensive and all-natural rubber floor cleaning solution, mix 1 cup of white vinegar into a gallon of hot water. This solution can be applied with a mop, sponge, or cloth to clean and disinfect the floor.
What is the easiest way to clean floor mats? ›5 – Damp Cloth Wash Or Mop
Again check with your supplier what chemicals can be used and that it won't damage or break down the rubber. Alternatively, as tip 1 points out you can simply take the items outside and hose them down and hang them to dry which is similar to the damp cloth/ mop down.
Vinegar's power to clean lies in its acidity. With a pH of around 2.5, vinegar is effective at dissolving grime and mineral deposits like hard water and rust stains.
Can you wash car mats with pressure washer? ›With rubber mats, it's a much faster and easier process if you can remove them from your car. If you've got a hose or pressure washer handy, you'll be able to quickly clean off the majority of dirt or mud that's collected on your mats. Just be careful not to use too much pressure.
What is the best cleaner for rubber? ›
Scrub an ammonia solution on the rubber to lift up dirt and grime. In a large bucket, add 1 gallon (3.8 L) of warm water, 1⁄8 cup (30 ml) of liquid dish soap, and 1 cup (240 ml) of ammonia and mix it together. Use a mop or a scrub brush to apply your cleaner to the rubber and leave it to sit for 10 minutes.