How To Clean Your Car Carpets Like A Pro

Carpets in your car endure a lot, accumulating dirt and grime from everyday use, including grease, soil particles, debris, stones, grit, mud, allergens, and more. They are also prone to stains from various foods and beverages, making it essential to know how to clean them effectively. So, let's get started and get your car carpet shine in no time.

How To Clean Your Car Carpets Like A Pro: A Comprehensive Guide To Achieve Immaculate Car Carpets

Material Gathering

• Vacuum Cleaner- Use a vacuum cleaner that has a nozzle attachment.


• Carpet Cleaner- Specialized automotive carpet cleaner with a brush attachment suitable for car carpet types.


• Soft Bristle Brush- Choose a brush with gentle bristles.


• A Microfiber Or Soft Cleaning Cloth- It has the purpose of blotting and wiping the dirt off your car carpet.


• Water- To dilute the car carpet cleaner.

Remove Loose Debris

First, start cleaning the accessible space around the car carpet and then proceed to remove floor mats, while clearing trash at the same time. Now, ensure the vacuum cleaner you are considering is in good condition and prepare the vacuum cleaner to facilitate its use in the carpet seams and corners. Start vacuuming the carpet to remove all the loose debris, dust and dirt particles from the carpet fibre surface.

Here, you can use techniques like the following to vacuum the car carpet fibres:

• Start From The Top- Start vacuuming the car's upper areas seats and dashboard then move on to the carpet while ensuring the dust is being dislodged.


• Corners And Seams- Need to pay special attention to every corner and seam of the carpet wherever you find the debris to be accumulated.


• Overlap Passes- Then, focus on vacuuming the carpet areas that are overlapping and if there are any hidden areas under car seats, move the seats if possible.


• Use Accessories- If needed, you can even use an additional vacuum accessory like an upholstery brush and carpet cleaning attachments.

Later, inspect all the missed spots that were not identified during visual inspection and re-vacuum the carpet.

Pre-Treat Stains

The next step in the guide of “how to clean your car carpets like a pro” is to first identify your goal and target specific stains on the carpet. Then, carefully inspect the car carpet for all kinds of visible stains like beverage spills, chocolate makeup, grease, food stains, etc. As different stains on the carpet require different treatments, you need to choose the right method to optically remove all the stains on the carpet.

Prepare A Cleaning Solution

Carefully, read the manufacturer manual and determine which kind of solution is applicable to clean your car carpet. The manufacturer's manual is what helps you note down the recommended ratios of cleaning agents that should be used. Now, choose an appropriate container like a spray bottle (for a smaller quantity) and bucket (for a larger quantity) to mix the cleaning solution. Once the right containers are taken measure the right amount of carpet cleaner concerning the ratio mentioned in the manual and pour them into the mixing container. The next thing is to add water to this cleaner in the same ratio as a carpet cleaner and mix them thoroughly. You can even take the help of a stirring stick to mix the contents. Now, pour this mixed content into a spray bottle, secure it with a lid or cap, label the solution and store it properly.

Scrub The Carpet

Select the right bristle brush to scrub the car carpet well inspecting the carpet on both sides to identify stains and heavy soiling particles on the carpet. Make sure to note all car carpet areas that require special attention. Then dip this soft bristle brush in the already prepared cleaning solution and then immediately remove it to shake off the excess solution. Take this brush to work all the small sections of the car carpet in a systematic approach and Scrub the area. A notable thing about this step is to scrub the carpet in a circular motion while focusing on the stains. Keep repeating this stain treatment until you find no more stains on the car carpet.

Blot And Wipe

As soon as the scrubbing step is done, proceed with blotting and wiping the car carpet by taking either a microfiber or a soft cleaning cloth. Before you start to blot and wipe the carpet, you need to inspect the carpet thoroughly to find excessive moisture or visible debris. Now, prepare the mentioned cloth while checking its cleanliness and make sure it is dry and completely free of dirt. Then, start folding the microfiber or soft cleaning cloth into a pad and gently press this onto the carpet sections. Also, you need to rotate the cloth while making sure to not redistribute moisture or dirt. Keep repeating the blotting process until you find all the excess moisture is absorbed into the cloth and then start with the wiping process.

Rinse

The next essential step is to rinse the carpet by first determining if the product you are using is applicable and mentioned as the same in the manufacturer’s manual. Take a bucket full of clean water (room temperature) dip a clean cloth in this water and dampen it as much as possible. Immediately after this, wring out the excess water to prevent your carpet from getting overwet. In fact, before wiping the carpet, make sure there are any residues left behind and remove them. To wipe the car carpet, you can use the folding cloth technique to gently wipe the car carpet in a circular or back-and-forth motion. If necessary, you can even repeat this process.

Dry Thoroughly

Then quickly proceed to assess the dryness of your carpet by checking the carpet with a touching sensation and feeling it on your own. Encourage air circulation to the car carpet by opening the windows and doors of the car to expedite the drying process. However, make sure you are not drying the carpet directly in the sunlight as this can cause colour fading to the car carpet. So, make sure you are parking your car in a shade and completing this step over there itself. You can even use absorbent materials like newspapers and towels for this drying step.

Apply The Fabric Protector

Applying fabric protector to the car carpet is always the best choice you can do for your car interiors as this can save your carpet from stains. If you have decided to apply a fabric protector to your carpet then you have two options water-based protectors and solvent-based protectors. Firstly, before you decide on either of the mentioned options, you need to read the product instructions and act accordingly. Make sure you are taking up this step only after preparing the well-ventilated area for fabric protector application to the carpet. Also, make sure the surrounding surfaces of the chosen area are covered with towels or plastic sheets. Then, test the protector in an inconspicuous area and spray it evenly on the carpet on both sides.

Replace Mats

Once the carpets are completely dried, inspect the carpets to check their cleanliness and condition before you replace mats. You can inspect by touching different sections of the carpet. So, you can replace the mats that protect your carpet to enhance the carpet’s overall cleanliness and the car’s interior. You can achieve this by positioning the mats in their respective positions to properly align and secure. Moreover, you can even secure the floor mats to the carpet using fasteners or clips.

Tips To Follow

How to clean your car carpets like a pro? Following the below tips is mandatory before you start the car carpet cleaning process.

• A thing to always remember is to check the manufacturer's manual and instructions for the cleaning products you are going to use.


• Before spraying the cleaning solution directly onto the car carpet, you need to test it in an inconspicuous area to check its compatibility.


• Ensure you are not over-wetting the car carpet as removal of excess water can be a problem. If the excess water is not removed, it can lead to the growth of mildew and mould.


• If you smell any persistent odours coming from the carpet, you can use either order neutraliser or fabric freshener.

Conclusion

Concluding the guide on how to clean your car carpets like a pro, it is important to ensure all the materials you are using are in working condition and applicable. This allows you to wait for the better results. So, you can invest your time in getting your car carpet cleaned and protected with water-based or solvent-based fabric protectors. However, you can also appreciate the hassle-free and burden-free car carpet cleaning at the hands of professionals. Thus, if you want fabric-protecting and environmentally-friendly carpet cleaning, call professionals.