Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Getting ready to clean the floor mats in your car
• Method 2 of 3: Wash rubber floor mats
• Method 3 of 3: Wash fabric floor mats
• Tips
• Warnings

One of the fastest ways to keep your car looking cleaner is to clean the floor mats, whether they are rubber or fabric. It will also make your car smell better.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Getting ready to clean the floor mats in your car

1. If possible, remove the floor mats from your car, whether they are made of rubber or cloth. Open all car doors one by one and remove the mats from your car, if they are loose on the floor. Do not clean the floor mats in the car itself.
   • It is important to remove the mats from the car so that the interior of your car is not damaged by water. Also, make sure that no foaming and oily products come into contact with the accelerator, clutch and brake pedals, as this can cause your feet to slide off the pedals while driving. That is dangerous.
   • Clean the mats outside. You can clean the mats at a gas station, a parking lot in front of your house, or in your garage. Most floor mats can be removed from the car right away. However, some floor mats are stuck in the car. If so, you will have to clean the mats in the car yourself.
2. Vacuum your fabric floor mats first. Use a vacuum cleaner to make sure you vacuum all dust and dirt particles from the floor mats before cleaning them further.
   • It can be difficult to clean a damp floor mat. You can use baking soda to absorb some of the moisture and bad smells. Sprinkle a thin layer on the floor mat and then let the baking soda work for 10-20 minutes. Then vacuum up the baking soda.
   • Vacuum the mats thoroughly on both sides, making sure to vacuum up all crumbs and dust particles.
3. Shake or beat the mats to remove any debris. This will allow you to remove some of the dust that is trapped in the rubber or cloth mats. Do this outside.
   • Hit the mats on the ground a few times.
   • Find a hard surface to hit with the mats. You can do this with both rubber and cloth mats. It's also a good idea to use a scraper to remove caked-on dirt from your rubber mats before cleaning them further.

Method 2 of 3: Wash rubber floor mats

1. Choose good quality floor mats. Car floor mats are often made of rubber. Especially in winter when it can rain and snow a lot, rubber mats are a good protection against moisture. They prevent your car from getting wet on the inside and dry faster than other types of mats.
   • Choose good quality rubber mats or they will have holes in them. This allows the water to flow under the mats and onto the floor, causing the floor in your car to rot.
   • If the floor of your car starts to rot, your car can eventually start to smell bad.
2. Grab a garden hose. Use a garden hose to wash the mats, but only spray water on the dirty side of the mats. Do not wet the mats at the bottom.
   • The hose should help remove loose dirt and food debris from the rubber floor mats.
   • If you don't have a garden hose, you can also use a bucket of water. However, the pressure of a garden hose comes in handy to be able to get loose dirt from the mats. You can also go to a car wash and wash the mats with a pressure washer.
3. Apply soap to the mats. Mix detergent and baking soda with water. This mixture will foam and get the dirt out of the mats. If you don't have baking soda, just use liquid soap.
   • You can use spray soap or apply the soap with a wet cloth. It's not difficult to get dirt off rubber floor mats, so soap and water can usually get the job done.
   • Spray again with a strong jet of water on your mats using your garden hose. Wash the mats as thoroughly as possible. Rubber floor mats can also be cleaned with moist baby wipes and a hand sanitizer.
4. Dry the floor mats. Make sure the mats are dry before putting them back in your car. However, if you wash them at a gas station, you may not be able to wait.
   • In that case, put all the mats in place, set the air conditioning to the hottest setting and set the ventilation to full power.
   • To allow the mats to dry as well and as quickly as possible, set the air conditioning to foot heating, because this will allow the mats to dry quickly.

Method 3 of 3: Wash fabric floor mats

1. Rub baking soda on cloth floor mats. Baking soda works well to get stains out of floor mats.
   • The baking soda also helps neutralize pet odors, food, and other debris.
   • You can also apply a baking soda and water mixture to a stiff scrubbing brush and use it to scrub the floor mats to clean them.
2. Wet the floor mats with soapy water. You can mix soap with water and scrub the floor mats with a stiff brush to get them clean.
   • Make a mixture of two tablespoons of washing powder and an equal amount of shampoo. Apply the mixture to a brush and scrub your car's floor mats with it. You can also use this mixture to clean your car's bumper as it is only plastic. There are many different cleaning products you can use.
   • Use a small stiff brush or a broom to gently wipe any debris from the mats. Scrub the mats vigorously. Rinse off all soap residue with clean water.
3. Try an aerosol cleaner. You can spray carpet shampoo on the mat and let it soak for half an hour. You can also buy a special cleaner for car upholstery at most auto shops.
   • The carpet shampoo evaporates or is absorbed by the mat. Then use the hand brush to rub the carpet shampoo in and over the mat.
   • You can make your own spray by mixing a bottle of white vinegar with an equal amount of hot water and spraying the mixture on the car mats. Scrub the mats with the brush. This method works especially well for removing salt stains.
   • If there is gum on the mats, you can apply peanut butter and a little salt. Then scrub the mats to remove the gum residue.
4. Use a pressure washer or steam cleaner. Another option is to clean the mats with a steam cleaner. This works just as well on your floor mats as it does on the carpet in your home.
   • If you don't have a pressure washer yourself, know that they often have one at car washes. You can clean your floor mats there.
   • You can also put the floor mats in your washing machine and wash them with your regular detergent. Apply a stain remover first.
5. Vacuum the floor mats again. This will help soak up some of the water and get the remaining dirt particles out of the mats.
   • It is recommended to use a wet and dry vacuum cleaner, as such a device is intended for sucking up liquids. You can also use a vacuum cleaner with an attachment, because it has a lot of suction.
   • Use a vacuum cleaner with a power of 680 watts or more for more power. Then vacuum the mats with a narrow attachment so that you have more suction power.
6. Dry the floor mats thoroughly. To dry fabric floor mats, hang them to dry or dry them in a tumble dryer. Floor mats will smell musty if you don't let them dry completely.
   • You can also spray them with a clean, fresh scent. Let them dry outside in the sun. This also helps to keep the mats smelling fresh.
   • You can also put the fabric floor mats in the dryer. Then use a razor to remove any fluff from the mats. Just run the razor over the entire surface and all the lint will disappear.

Tips

• Try not to eat in your car.

Warnings

• Avoid vacuuming wet floor mats with a vacuum cleaner that is not intended for vacuuming liquids.