HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CAR’S FLOOR MATS

Have you ever stepped into someone’s car and noticed how dirty their floor mats are? From dirt and debris to french fry crumbs and sticky Coca-Cola residue, there’s seemingly no limit to the ways we abuse our cars’ floor mats. Clean floor mats can make a huge difference to the feel of cleanliness throughout your car. After all, if you’ve spent money on aftermarket floor mats, why wouldn’t you want to take good care of them?

Here is your step by step guide to cleaning rubber floor mats as well as the trickier cloth floor mats.

Supplies You’ll Need

• Vacuum
• Clean water
• Garden hose
• Rag/Sponge
• Dish soap
• Towel
• Scrub brush
• Baking soda

Cleaning Rubber Floor Mats
Rubber floor mats are found to be more common among cars from colder climates where it rains and snows frequently. They prevent moisture from damaging parts of your car’s interior and are able to dry quickly. Keep in mind, it is still possible for rubber floor mats to collect dust and dirt over time. Follow our 7 easy steps to clean rubber floor mats below:

1. Remove the mats from your car. This may seem like an obvious one, but it is an important step!
2. Shake, shake shake. Next, we’ll want to give the mats a good shake in a nice open area (not your garage). This will be our most effective and easy way to knock off any loose dirt and debris like bits of leaves that often stick to the bottom of our shoes.
3. Vacuum floor mats. Before we use any water or cleaning solution, we’ll want to use a vacuum to remove the rest of the dirt and debris that our shaking didn’t get. This is even more important if you have lots of grooves in your mats, like these.
4. Rinse the mats. With a garden hose, spray the mats down, ideally with a nozzle that generates some pressure. This will get rid of any debris that didn’t get taken care of when you vacuumed.
5. Wash mats with soap. With a rag or sponge and some standard dish soap, wipe down the mats, getting into as many of the nooks and crannies as possible.
6. Rinse once more. Rinse the mats one more time to remove the soapy water.
7. Dry the mats. With a towel (ideally a large bath towel), wipe the mats down thoroughly.

Cleaning Cloth Floor Mats
Carpet mats are made from nylon fibers that have been coated with a water-resistant, non slip backing. These floor coverings match the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) installed at factory settings and can be found in various thicknesses. Mats come standard or custom sized to fit any need. While these types of mats are a little more difficult to clean, we guarantee if you follow our steps below, you’ll acquire that new vehicle feel!

1. Remove the mats from your car. It will make your life a lot easier!
2. Shaky, shake and whack. Give your mats a good shake and whack in a nice open area – preferably outside. This will allow any debris to become loose.
3. Vacuum floor mats. Lay your mats flat against the ground. Vacuum one side, then flip the mats over to the other side and vacuum that one too. Make sure you vacuum both sides of your mats for the best results!
4. Rinse the mats with baking soda. To remove stains and odors from your mats, use this simple cleaning recipe: combine baking soda into water until it is enough for scrubbing purposes (you’ll know when). Pour the mixture onto each mat then brush away any dirt or grime that has accumulated over time.
5. Add soap. Combine dish soap and some warm water, then pour it over your mats. With the same brush you were using, scrub your mats once more to ensure they are squeaky clean!
6. Rinse one last time. Use clean water to remove the remaining soap/baking soda.
7. Dry the mats. Leave your mats out to dry for a few hours. We recommend that you hang them on a clothesline or lay them flat.
8. Vacuum once more. Before putting your floor mats back into your car, vacuum them one last time to ensure that they are completely dry. If you think your floor mats are still wet and/or damp, do not put them back in the car.