Car floor mats are designed to provide protection against dirt, debris, rain, snow, and spills. Simply put, these accessories feature unique ridges and grooves that trap the dirt from your shoes.
Consequently, this helps keep the interior of your car clean and in tip-top shape. But with time, dirt tends to build upon the mats. And when this happens, you must clean them to give your car a new fresh look.
So, in this article, we are going to discuss tips on how to clean car floor mats in car. Keep reading to learn more.
Table of Contents
What Types of Car Floor Mats Can Be Cleaned?
Before we look at how to clean car mats, let’s find out the types that can be cleaned. You see, floor mats for cars are available in different types and styles. These include:
Rubber or Plastic Mats
The most common types of floor mats are either made from rubber or hard plastic. These units are highly durable and non-slip. On top of that, most of them feature raised edges and deep channels for maximum protection.
Additionally, rubber or plastic mats are designed to be easy to clean compared to their cloth/fabric counterparts.
Cloth/Fabric Mats
Cloth or fabric mats are also quite common probably because they are cheap. Basically, they are made from fabric almost similar to the carpet of your ride. Unfortunately, these mats are not the easiest to clean, especially if they have stubborn stains.
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How to Clean Rubber/Plastic Car Floor Mats – Step-by-Step Instructions
Whether you believe it or not, cleaning your rubber car floor mats is easier than you would think. The important thing is knowing the type of materials the liners are made from. Below are the steps to cleaning rubber mats.
Step 1
The first thing you need to do is to remove the mats from your car one by one. It is not advisable to clean them while they are still inside the vehicle. This helps ensure that water and other products you will be using don’t damage your car’s interior.
Step 2
Before cleaning the mats, you should remove any dirt embedded in the rubber or plastic. You can do this by either shaking or whacking the liners.
Simply give each mat a couple of whacks against a hard surface like a tree or the driveway. This will help loosen any sand, gravel, or dirt. You can also choose to shake them off.
However, to remove dirt that sticks to the surface, you may use a plastic scraper or soft-bristled brush to scrape it off.
Step 3
Next up, wash the mats with a pressurized water hose. The force of the water pressure will help dislodge loose food or dirt. However, you should only clean the dirty side of the mat.
But what happens if you don’t have a hose? Well, you could use a bucket of water or go to a car wash and pressure wash them off.
Step 4
If there is still dirt on the mats after washing them with a hose, you should clean them with soap. But for the best results, you should consider mixing laundry soap and baking soda with water. This mixture will fizz and lift out dirt.
On the other hand, you can use spray soap or a wet rag to wipe any residue off each mat. However, you don’t need to get too aggressive with the cleaning.
Step 5
Using your garden horse, rinse off the floor mats on both sides. Just make sure to apply more pressure to your water hose and wash the liners as thoroughly as you can.
However, make sure to rinse the ground too once you rinse the first side off. This will ensure the other side does not get soapy all again.
Step 6
Before you put the mats back into your car, you need to ensure they are dry. You can hang them on a coat hanger, railing, or wire and let them air dry.
You can also dry the mats using an air conditioner. Simply put the AC on full heat and then flip the fan switch to full power.
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How to Clean Cloth/Fabric Car Floor Mats – Quick Steps
Compared to rubber/plastic floor mats, cloth mats require a little extra work to clean. This because they tend to soak up liquids. So, here are steps on how to clean car floor mats in car.
Step 1
Similar to rubber mats, you should remove the cloth mats before cleaning them. This way, you will not spread grime or dirt on your car floors, seats, and other parts.
Step 2
Use a vacuum to suction up all of the soil specks and dust particles from the mats before cleaning them. And for the best results, make sure to vacuum on both sides to get the dust and crumbs off them.
Step 3
If the mats have tough stains, you should treat them before proceeding with the cleaning. Simply rub baking soda onto the upholstered floor liners to remove the stains. The baking soda will also help eliminate unpleasant odors.
Step 4
There are several ways to clean cloth mats in your car. First, you can choose to add detergent to soap water. Then, scrub the liners using a stiff brush and this mixture.
Additionally, you can mix 2 tablespoons of washing powder with an equal amount of any shampoo. Using this mixture, you can then brush the mats. After that, make sure to rinse the soap off with clean water.
Step 5
Next up, vacuum the mats again to suck up some of the remaining dirt particles and water. The best vacuum to use is wet/dry as they are built to remove moisture.
Step 6
Last but not least, hang the liners out to dry or simply toss them in the dryer. Fabric floor mats tend to get a damp musky smell if not allowed to dry properly.
Final Words
There are so many benefits that come with using clean car floor mats. Besides enhancing the interior visual appeal of your car, they also help reduce slippage. So, you must make it a habit to clean the floor mats in your car as frequently as possible.