As a driver, cleanliness on the interior of your car is very important and cleaning should be done frequently to keep it in the best condition. This includes floor mats that are very essential in preventing dirt, stains, and other debris from discoloring and making the car’s carpet dirty.
Rubber mats are very easy to clean since they don’t hold on to dirt particles compared to other vehicle floor mat materials. It’s recommendable to wash them twice per week to ensure that they’re sparkling clean and looking good at all times.
You should follow these simple steps that will guarantee you a perfect wash and they don’t involve expensive equipment or products hence affordable.
Items and Product Required
- Garden Hose
- Water Source
- Water Bucket
- Bristle Brush
- Car Vacuum Cleaner
- Soap or spray cleaner
- Procedure
Table of Contents
1. Removing the Mats from the Vehicle
Washing your rubber floor mats requires you to have enough space for an excellent cleaning process. If you wash them while they’re in the car, some areas may be difficult to reach. Therefore, removing them ensures you have a convenient and quick cleaning experience.
2. Dusting Off the Rubber Mats
Dusting allows you to remove the loose dirt and debris from the floor mats. One of the ways that you can do this by shaking them off one by one using your hands or by beating the dirt off using a stick.
Another way to remove the debris is by using a car vacuum cleaner which applies air pressure on the rubber floor mats to remove the hanging dirt and dust particles.
If your rubber floor mat contains mud particles, you may have to remove it by using a stick or a strong plastic pipe that can access the deep edges and contours.
3. Place the Mats on a Clean Surface
After you’ve removed all hanging dirt from the rubber mats, place them on a solid area that is clean preferably on concrete or cabro pavement.
This is important since you don’t want the bottom surface to get dirt such as mud or grass which may be carried into the car after finishing washing.
4. Rinse with Clean Water
Rinse the floor mat with clean water to allow the dirt particles to reduce the bond and to make the actual cleaning easier.
After rinsing, allow the rubber mats to soak in the water for a maximum period of 5 minutes. After that, use a hosepipe with high-pressure water to remove more debris from the mat to enable you to clean the rubber mat’s actual surface in the next step.
5. Wash with Soap/Spray Cleaner and a Bristle Brush
Apply soap and more water onto the rubber mats surface and start to brush off the dirt gently thrice in about 5-10 minutes intervals each. If the dirt is stubborn, you may have to apply more pressure and scrub for longer to clean it well.
Additionally, you may opt to use a cloth rag to remove some of the sticky debris in the rubber floor mats. Besides that, it helps you reach places that are difficult to clean using a bristle brush.
6. Rinse and Dry the Mats
After you have ensured that all the dirt has been scraped off, connect the hose pipe to a water source and rinse the soap and dirt completely from the mats using high pressure. After finishing this process, your rubber floor mats should be looking like they’re brand new.
The rubber floor mats should then be placed in a clean place that is well-positioned to the sun for drying purposes before they’re put back into the car.
Final Thought
Rubber floor mats are very durable when used in vehicles. They ensure that your feet are stable while driving and also prevent damage to the actual carpet floor. However, they’re prone to getting dirty and therefore a regular wash is very important to keep them looking clean. It’s important to use minimal pressure when scrubbing off the dirt off the rubber mats since they can be prone to wear and tear. Also, if you encounter extremely stubborn stains, you may have to wash the rubber mats using baking soda or detergent powder.