Motorist motorist strife. Some owners do not have a soul in their cars, they blow off dust particles from them, try not to leave them under the sun for a long time, and in winter they drive them into the garage so that their steel pets do not turn into snowdrifts. Others, on the contrary, absolutely do not bother about the safety of the car. Well, it drives, transports you from point A to point B, and okay. In such people, one can often find deposits of one-year-old dirt in the cabin, the salon smelled of cigarettes a hundred years ago, and the oil in the engines is good if they were changed with a delay of 2 thousand km.
In my personal opinion, both behavioral patterns are not true. Taking care of the car as if it were a child does not make any sense - various unpredictable things happen on the road, and emotional attachment will do a disservice. It is also unnecessary to “score” on your car, at the right time it can fail, break down, and you will have to invest more money in it than what could be spent on it. The truth is somewhere in the middle.
The same applies to car cleaning. If you think that visiting expensive car washes and buying expensive modern cleaning products will help you extend the life of your iron horse, then you are mistaken. Yes, they will give you the opportunity to quickly and easily put things in order inside and out. The interior of the car after dry cleaning will be fragrant like roses in your summer cottage, but how much money will you spend on this? If you are not in the know, we answer, a lot of 5,000 rubles and more.
Is there an alternative? Yes, it exists. For example, to remove stains in a fabric salon. They can be brought out in "old-fashioned" ways, cheaply, but very high quality. For example, you need to clear . Everyone knows that this interior detail gets dirty the fastest and dirt on it can often be removed only with very corrosive chemicals. You can save money on this, while the result will please you 100%.
To create your own interior cleaner, you will need:
3 art. l. grated soap (household soap is just right) 20 - 50 rubles
2 tablespoons of borax (30 rubles per pack)
10 drops lavender essential oil (optional for a pleasant scent)
2 cups boiling water
Place all ingredients in a plastic bowl and stir until the soap has dissolved and the mixture is frothy. Then take a hard scrubbing brush (it has fairly stiff bristles with a large area, it won’t scratch delicate surfaces, but it will clean the dirt with a bang), dip it into the cleaner and start cleaning the part of the car that needs serious help. For example, the same rugs.
Clean the upholstery with a brush containing the solution, then wipe the area to be treated with a clean, damp cloth. During the procedure, do not forget to periodically rinse the brush in clean warm water so as not to dilute the dirt. In case of serious contamination, it is better to replace clean water a couple of times, which will become dirty very quickly.
No matter how expensive the car is, the luxurious and presentable appearance of its interior is spoiled by dirty rugs in front of the car seats. Only regular cleaning of car mats will save you from dirt, dust, stains and other troubles.
How to properly wash car mats
If enough time is given to carpets in the house for cleaning and washing, then this car accessory does not receive enough attention from the owner of the car.
Dirty rubber mats in the cabin not only spoil the interior of the car, but are also a source of disease for the health of the person himself. Even with the most careful use, rubber mats get dirty and sand constantly accumulates on them.
This car accessory is the most susceptible to dirt, because every landing, passengers and the driver on their shoes bring sand and other dirt from the street, and in inclement weather, much more of it remains on the mat.
The situation with cleanliness is aggravated if pets and children travel in the vehicle. The only way to keep rubber car floor mats clean is to clean them regularly. There are two options here: either you entrust this “mission” to specialists, or you do everything yourself.
How to clean car mats?
On average, cleaning rubber mats takes from half an hour to an hour. The procedure is carried out outside the car, so the mats are removed from the passenger compartment. Special types of rugs can be washed in a conventional washing machine, and in other cases, manual cleaning is used. After cleaning the floor mats, thoroughly vacuum the interior of the car. This must be done carefully, paying attention to the places under the seats, the space between the front seats and around the pedals.
For cleaning, use a special cleaning foam or a product designed for cleaning carpets. If specialized cleaning products are not at hand, you can prepare the solution yourself. To do this, pour a quarter cup of table vinegar and one teaspoon of detergent without bleach into hot water.
Next, a home-made solution or a special agent is sprayed over the entire surface of the rug so that it does not get wet through. When the agent has been applied in sufficient quantity, the mat is wiped with a sponge in a circular motion.
Next, the product is left for 20 minutes so that the substance acts on the mat material. After that, it remains only to blot the surface with a dry cloth or sponge to remove excess moisture. Carpet is clean but still slightly damp. To dry, it is left for a day in a car with open windows.
How to remove stains from car mats?
No matter how carefully you use the car, stains of various origins will certainly appear on the rugs. Naturally, they must be removed in order to maintain the cleanliness and aesthetic appearance of the car interior.
To remove stains on car mats, specialized stain removal products are used that are designed to solve this problem. A small amount of this product is applied to the stain before cleaning the rug. Since the origin of the stain is different, then the approach to cleaning must be applied accordingly.
In addition to industrial products, you can remove a stain on a car rug using another equally effective tool.
Most types of carpet stains can be removed quickly with white vinegar. For cleaning, a soft cloth is moistened with white vinegar and the liquid is gently applied to the stain itself, after which the place is blotted with a dry cloth or napkin.
Another effective stain remover for car mats is hydrogen peroxide (3%). However, when using this tool, you need to be vigilant, since the active composition often leads to fading of the material.
To avoid this, first check the effect of peroxide on an inconspicuous place of the rug, for example, in a hidden corner. Most effectively, hydrogen peroxide removes stains of organic origin, for example, blood.
Little tricks
Glass cleaner tackles stubborn stains, while paint spills can be removed with hairspray. Often grease stains appear on the rug. They are removed with a thin layer of paint. If the stain was formed from a product containing alcohol, it must be removed immediately and thoroughly rinsed with water. Stains from car mats must be removed before cleaning them or after cleaning the carpet with a vacuum cleaner.
Many people practice removing stains while brushing. As you can see, cleaning car mats is not at all difficult with a little time and the necessary cleaning products. This procedure is easy to do at home, repeating it at least once every six months. This will keep the interior of the car clean.
Video about washing carpets
Dirty car carpets can ruin the look of your car's interior. Cleaning your rugs regularly will help get rid of dirt, stains, and other forms of dirt. Read our article...
While most people are very careful with the carpets in their home, they pay far less attention to the rubber floor mats in their car. In addition to the fact that untidy floor mats spoil the appearance of the interior, there is also little good for health. Car floor mats get dirty even if you try hard to prevent it. The fact is that the floor mats are the most susceptible part of the car to dirt, as passengers carry dirt on their shoes, especially in inclement seasons.
The condition may worsen if children and pets travel in the same vehicle. Thus, regular cleaning of car carpets becomes the only solution to this problem. Even though you can hire professionals to do the job, you can do everything yourself.
How to clean car mats
You can spend anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour cleaning rubber mats. Take the rugs to be washed out of the machine for hand or machine washing (some special types only). After the floor mats have been removed, thoroughly vacuum the interior of the vehicle. Make sure you thoroughly clean the interior floors, especially under the seats, around the pedals and between the front seats. You can use cleaning foam or a household carpet cleaner for this.
If you are short on specialized cleaners, you can make a solution with a quarter cup of vinegar, one teaspoon of non-bleach detergent, and hot water. Now, you must spray this carpet cleaner or homemade solution all over the rug. It should be noted that the mat must not be impregnated with a cleaning agent. Spray enough and wipe with a sponge in a circular motion. Leave the tool to work for twenty minutes. After that, blot the car mat dry with a sponge or dry towel. Now the carpet is clean, but still a little damp. Let it dry throughout the day by leaving the windows open.
Stain removal
Stains on car carpets can be easily removed with specialized stain removal products designed specifically for this purpose. Apply the product to the stain before cleaning the carpet. There are different types of stains, and the approach to them is also different. In addition to commercial products, there are many other products that can be used to remove stains. White vinegar is effective for most types of stains.
Apply it to the stain with a soft cloth and then blot. You can also use hydrogen peroxide (3 percent) to remove stains from car carpets. Hydrogen peroxide can cause some rugs to fade, so test it on a hidden corner of the rug first. It has been established that hydrogen peroxide is most effective in removing organic stains, including blood.
Stubborn stains can be removed with glass cleaner and paint stains can be removed with a hairspray. A thin layer of paint will help get rid of grease stains. Stains containing alcohol should be removed immediately and rinsed with water. Removing stains from a car carpet should be done after you vacuum the carpet and just before cleaning it. Some people remove stains by cleaning rugs.
As you can see, car mats can be easily cleaned, provided you have some free time and the right cleaning supplies. You can do this job at home, but you'll need to repeat cleaning every six months to keep your car's interior clean.
It is possible only subject to certain rules that affect all aspects of this technological process: from preparatory work to thorough drying of the machine. Unlike washing the exterior surfaces of the body, which is necessary to maintain the visual cleanliness of the vehicle, cleaning the inside of the car has other, practical goals. The air flow from the air conditioner inevitably carries dust particles to hard-to-reach places in the car interior, which subsequently becomes the cause of:
- wiring faults;
- failure of sensors and units.
Cleaning the ceiling and floor of the car with your own hands is not too difficult if you follow all the instructions clearly.
Consider what technical operations do-it-yourself dry cleaning of a car ceiling include and how to organize the entire workflow in order to succeed in this endeavor and get the result no worse than after contacting a car service with specialists who are familiar with everyone. In order for self-cleaning of the car ceiling to be carried out in compliance with all the rules and regulations, you must adhere to the following algorithm:
Step #1- preparatory work. It is necessary to turn off the car engine, unload the car, remove unnecessary items and things from its interior. Then you need to carry out the primary cleaning and tidy up the car interior. To do this, get rid of the small debris that is there, get the carpets and rugs, then thoroughly vacuum the entire interior using a special vacuum cleaner that is designed for dry cleaning and has sufficient power. You can use a piston compressor to make it easier to remove household debris from those places in the cabin that are difficult to access.
Step #2- directly dry cleaning of the car ceiling, without contacting car service specialists. For greater convenience, the ceiling is visually divided into separate sections, that is, it is zoned. The treatment of these areas is recommended to be carried out gradually.
Do-it-yourself cleaning the ceiling of a car with your own hands should not cause serious difficulties, everything is done simply. Having decided on the choice of a foam cleaner that suits you, you will need to apply it to one of the conditional areas of the ceiling, and then wait 3-4 minutes for the product to work. Now you need to wipe off the cleaner with a dry cloth.
Dry cleaning of the ceiling in the car should be carried out using clean rags or napkins, preferably white or light pastel shades. You can only use a dry cloth, if the cloth gets wet or even slightly damp during operation, it must be replaced with a new one.
During such an important physical and chemical process as cleaning the ceiling, it must be processed strictly in one direction, for example, from the windshield towards the trunk. Movements should be carried out without strong pressure, they must be smooth and soft. It is unacceptable to press hard and exert excessive pressure on the ceiling lining.
If the lining is made of a very delicate one, then cleaning the ceiling in the car always requires even more caution and a careful attitude. If the chemical cleaning of the vehicle interior is carried out contrary to the described rule, that is, the movements of the cloth are not made in the same direction, then the sheathing material will lose its external attractiveness, fluff up ugly and be thoroughly damaged.
Step #3- interior drying It will take approximately 8 to 14 hours for the interior of the vehicle to dry completely after a freshly performed dry cleaning. You can thoroughly dry your car in one way: open all windows, doors and trunk wide open and wait for the allotted time. Often, after cleaning, there is still a noticeable and unpleasant smell of chemistry. In this case, it makes sense to use any store-bought or homemade air freshener that is designed specifically for use in a car.
A lot of questions from car owners can be caused by cleaning the floor of the car, since not all drivers know in what sequence and how to do it correctly. Dry cleaning of the car floor combines two procedures: a comprehensive cleaning of the carpet in the car, and the removal of dirt from car carpets. Thorough cleaning requires special chemicals and special equipment. To clean the floor you will need:
- powerful vacuum cleaner;
- various nozzles for the vacuum cleaner;
- microfiber cloths;
- Soft, non-marking fabric.
Cleaning car mats involves the use of a number of important rules. The carpet or carpet must be gently shaken so that debris does not get into the car. Carpets should be cleaned in an open and dry area, using a universal foam cleaner and a soft brush. In exceptional cases, you can use washing powder. First you need to distribute the cleaning agent over the entire surface of the carpet or rug, and then clean the contaminated material with a brush. It is necessary to ensure the flow of fresh air into the car.
The secret to professional and highly effective carpet cleaning in the car lies in the use of high-quality industrial products, for example, washing liquid, foam cleaner. To clean the carpet, you can also use household chemicals: a good washing powder, any carpet cleaner, a solution made from laundry soap with your own hands.
It is recommended to start cleaning the floor from the front passenger seat. First you need to apply a sufficient amount of foam cleaner to the carpet and leave it for 4-5 minutes to actively work on dust and dirt. Then you need to collect the foam with a clean rag or napkin, dry the floor.
To achieve excellent results when cleaning the interior of the machine, you can take into account the following valuable recommendations:
- Use a professional washing vacuum cleaner that can permanently remove serious and old dirt that is not amenable to other cleaning methods. It helps to get rid of pathogens, which often provoke the occurrence of allergic reactions in the driver and his passengers.
- On sale there are products that eliminate anti-icing reagents, salt deposits. These drugs accumulate in carpet and flooring, after which they corrode these materials from the inside. If possible, you need to purchase chemicals with a pronounced and directed action against reagents and carefully treat the mats with them in accordance with the attached instructions for use.
Dry cleaning the interior of the car will not cause difficulties if you follow the recommendations and tips outlined in this information material.
They do not play a vital role in the vehicle configuration. As, in principle, and all the contents of the cabin, designed to perform protective functions or aimed at creating comfort when traveling in a vehicle. Nevertheless, for those owners of motor vehicles who care about cleanliness and comfort in the cabin, as well as the full performance of their direct functions by all accessories, every detail is important.
Therefore, washing car mats is given quite high attention when cleaning the interior. After all, if this accessory is not cleaned, dust, dirt and moisture accumulated in it can significantly worsen its properties of protecting the bottom of the car from corrosion.
It is worth noting that, usually, washing car mats has two types: cleaning rubber and cleaning textiles. Due to the significant difference in the quality characteristics of the materials, the washing process itself is fundamentally different.
Car mat cleaners
As for the means for washing such an accessory as a rug (car), the situation is somewhat simpler. Since there is often a need to clean textile and rubber car mats, after all, a significant part of motorists, depending on the season, puts one or the other set, there are universal, multi-purpose cleaners. The most popular and high quality cleaners are US-made STP Tuff Stuff and Nowax Multi-Purpose Foam Cleaner.
It is a foam cleaner that can be used to provide various cleaning processes. Due to the foam structure, this agent is able to penetrate deeply into textile surfaces, pushing dirt out of the fibers. In addition, STP Tuff Stuff also works great on stubborn stains on rubber material.
In the presence of stubborn dirt with the use of water and a brush, it is used foam cleaner. After its application, the mat is wiped with a dry soft cloth and, provided that the interior has already been cleaned, is put back in its place.
Cleaning textile rugs
Depending on the degree of contamination that textile car mats have, cleaning is divided into dry and wet. Dry cleaning is used in the absence of any stains on the fabric and involves the use of a brush or vacuum cleaner. A vacuum cleaner is considered a higher priority in this matter, as it is able to reliably remove dust and grains of sand, while lifting the pile, which is especially appreciated by velor car rugs, and renew the color.
If there are stains that have deeply penetrated into its structure in the material of the rug, wet cleaning is indispensable. This process can also be divided into two categories: washing with water only and using cleaners.
For high-quality washing with only water, a washing vacuum cleaner, a high-pressure cleaner or a hose with sufficient water supply pressure are used. It is worth remembering that too much pressure can damage the textile of the mat, so do not bring the pressure washer and hose too close to the product and do not use the maximum power reserve. Otherwise, with minor contamination, when the stains have not eaten into the fibers of the fabric, the use of water under pressure helps to clean the surface. After carrying out such a procedure, it is forbidden to squeeze out the mats, they must be dried in an upright position until the water drains completely.
When, when examining a textile car mat, stubborn stains are found, it is best not to waste time, but immediately use a high-quality foam cleaner. Its active ingredients will effectively cope with the most serious pollution. In this case, the color of the accessory will remain the same and become brighter, and the pile will rise. Another undoubted advantage of using such a tool is the significantly shorter time required for drying. This will reduce the waiting time and be able to use a clean car earlier.
Such a process as washing car mats you should not miss it, because with significant pollution, regardless of the type of material, the properties of these accessories are violated. Deep penetration of sand and dust into textiles leads to grinding of the fibers of the material, which thins the rug and deprives it of its useful qualities. The constant content of rubber mats in a wet state can lead to the fact that with a sharp decrease in air temperature, the material will simply burst, and all dirt and water will freely penetrate the surface of the car floor.
