Auto Carpet Cleaning Tips
- Clean your automobile's carpeting regularly to keep debris from building up in its fibers.car open image by buddelchen from Fotolia.com
Keeping your automobile's interior clean including the carpet not only reduces the amount of dust and dirt inside of the vehicle, but also keeps dust and dirt from staining your clothing and shoes. From mud and grass to grease, the carpet in your auto collects the debris in its fibers, and left to buildup, the debris eventually collects onto your shoes and is carried into your home, office or other location. It is important to clean your auto's carpet regularly along with your vehicle. - Remove liquid spills including coffee, soft drinks and other liquids from your automobile's carpet by applying 3 tbsp. of cold water to a cloth or paper towel and blotting the spill immediately. If the spill is dry, spray glass cleaner on the spill and let it sit for five minutes. Blot the stain with a cloth or paper towel. Glass cleaner also works on other stains on your auto carpet.
- To remove grease and heavy grime stains, apply 3 tbsp. of paint thinner to a cotton cloth then blot the stain to transfer the grease to the cloth. Cover the remaining grease with table salt or cornmeal. Let sit overnight then vacuum with a car vac or home vacuum cleaner using the brush attachment. Do not pour the paint thinner directly on the grease stain--the chemical will soak into the carpet and discolor it.
- To remove ink and paint stains from your auto carpet, spray the stain with hairspray then blot with a cloth or rag. Continue spraying and blotting the stain until it is gone.
- Use paper towels to absorb as much of the vomit as possible. Wear latex gloves to keep your hands clean. Mix a solution of 1 cup of baking soda and 1 cup of water in a bowl or pot. Pour the mixture on the vomit stain and let it dry. Fill a bucket with 1/2 gallon of warm water. Dip a soft-bristled scrub brush in the water, shake off excess and scrub the mixture into the carpet to break up the stain. Re-dip and continue scrubbing the stain until the baking soda and vomit is gone. Wet a clean cloth or rag with warm water, wring excess and rinse the area with the cloth or rag.
- After your carpet is stain free, apply a stain repellent to protect the carpeting from future stains.
- Vacuum your automobile's carpeting weekly to keep dust and dirt from settling into the carpet fibers. Mix 1/2 cup of clear ammonia and 2 cups of cold water and apply the mixture to a sponge mop. Mop your carpet, including the mats, with the mixture to brighten the carpet's fibers. Test the mixture on an area under one of your floor mats first. Do not use the ammonia mixture on wool carpeting--it will discolor the wool.
- To remove odors from your automobile's carpeting, sprinkle 20-Mule Team Borax on the carpeting and the mats. Let the substance sit for one hour then vacuum with a car vac or home vacuum cleaner using the brush attachment.
