The carpets in your car are the single most abused item in the entire vehicle that may be forgotten during a carwash. They are constantly hammered by mud, dirt, sand, sticks and stones that you bring in with your shoes. On top of that we can frequently drop food and spill coffee and beverages while on the road.
Despite all of this dirt and grime, the carpets of our cars rarely receive more than some vacuuming before they’re subjected to another round of stomping. And we get it, you don’t have the time to deep clean your carpets every week. But if you follow all the steps to the end of this article, you will not have to!
We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, so let’s get started with cleaning your car.
Pro Tip: Remove the Seats
If the carpet is heavily soiled and you have a ratchet and socket set at hand, it’s best to remove the car seats. You’ll find that dirt and garbage likes to accumulate around the seat and it will be next to impossible to fully remove it and clean those areas with the seats installed.
Vacuum The Entire Car
The next step is to vacuum the carpet thoroughly. Use the strongest vacuum machine you can get a hold of and either equip a brush attachment or a stiff carpet brush to scrub the fibers thoroughly as you’re vacuuming. That way, you’ll break the dried mud and crust into pieces and disturb the dust and little bits that have lodged in between the fibers.
If you can’t take the seats out, get yourself an air compressor and blast around the seats and all the tiny crevices to get the dirt and junk out while holding the vacuum at the opposite end. Even a 12V tire compressor will do the job, but if you have a stronger one available, use it.
Spend as much time as you need on this step. You’ll find that hard work will pay off and your carpet will already look orders of magnitude better than before.
Now it’s Time To Deal With The Stains
Before you shampoo the entire carpet, examine it for stains and spots that require more attention.
You want to take care of these problems before washing the carpet. Most of these should come off easily if you use the right approach, but some tougher ones will require several attempts before getting out.
General Stains – Dirt, Mud, Stuck Food
The most common stains will come from mud and dirt as well as dropped pieces of food that have sat on the carpet for months.
DIY car stain remover
Mix yourself a spray bottle of hot tap water, a cup of white vinegar and a few drops of dish soap or laundry detergent. Shake well and spray on the troubled area while the water is still hot.
Let it soak for a minute, then spray again and scrub it with an old toothbrush. Pick up the contents with a rag and continue rubbing and spraying until the fibers are clean. You can also use a wet/dry vacuum to pull out any residue that’s still attached to the fibers underneath.
Dishsoap and laundry detergents have degreasers in them which help break down oils, fats and organic soils. White vinegar contains acetic acid which will dissolve minerals and also kill germs and bacteria that accumulate around organic rubbish.
Beverages – Coffee, Alcohol, Soda
Evasive maneuvers on the road or stepping on the brakes a bit too hard often end up with spilled drinks.
The easiest way to clean those up is to act immediately. Throw a piece of paper towel on the spot to extract as much liquid as possible. Then pour a bit of cold water or even carbonated water on the spot to dilute the stain and keep it from drying and use more paper towels or a rag to blot the area and extract the liquid. Repeat several times until the spot fades away.
Rubbing the area will just spread the stain around and you’ll have a bigger mess to clean.
If a light stain remains, you’ll remove it when you wash the carpet.
Hydrogen Peroxide for Tougher Stains
Colored stains, like blood, black currant juice, coffee or red wine will be a bigger challenge – especially on light colored carpets. These stains are referred to as oxidizable, meaning they can be broken down with a bleaching agent.
NO! Don’t pour bleach on your car’s carpet! Instead, grab a bottle of 3% hydrogen peroxide from the local pharmacy, mix 1:2 with water and apply a tiny amount to the spot. Let it sit for a few seconds and blot it out with a microfiber towel. The majority of the stain should come right off. Repeat the procedure, this time scrubbing with the towel instead.
WARNING: Hydrogen peroxide can bleach out the colors of your carpet, leaving a discolored stain. ALWAYS test in a location where it can be concealed, like under the seat, before applying to a highly visible area. Especially on dark colored carpets, this effect will be more noticeable, so dilute the hydrogen peroxide more.
TIP: Exhaust all other options before resorting to hydrogen peroxide. Wash the stain with carpet cleaner, soap and water, baking soda and water and white vinegar to try and remove it. If nothing else works, try hydrogen peroxide, but beware of the dangers.
Wash The Carpet
Okay, now that you’ve cured all the stains on your carpet, it’s time to actually wash it. This task is dead simple, but requires some elbow grease.
