How to Make Carpet Floor Mats Look Like New Again | Step-by-Step Guide

The next time you get into a car, look down at the carpets and floor mats (small warning, it might be worse than you think!).  Because of the large amount of dirt, snow, and debris that carpets take in, it can be difficult to make them look like new again.  After all, how do you get ALL of that dirt out!  What about those pesky stains?

As a professional mobile car detailer in Plymouth, MA, we’ve seen it all when it comes to carpet floor mats, and now, we’re revealing, for free, our entire carpet floor mat cleaning method, step by step.  Plus, we’re including an extra two, top secret, “nuclear” options, for when all else fails.

Step 1  |  Remove and Shake Floor Mats

This one is easy, just remove the floor mats and give them a quick shake-off outside of the car!  If you can, try to fold up each floor mat to contain the debris when taking it out of the car, instead of dumping it back onto the carpet in the car.

Step 2  |  Agitate the Floor Mats

Instead of using a vacuum to get rid of most of the debris, take a drill with a brush attachment (our favorite is the one that looks like the “toilet bowl” attachment!), and use it to agitate out the majority of the debris from the carpet.  Holding the carpet up against something like a wall makes sure that all of the debris falls off of the carpet itself and onto the ground.  If the carpets were mostly clean, then this might be the only step you need!

As a professional, we use an air compressor and the Tornador tool to speed up this process, but the drill is just as effective with enough elbow grease and time.

Step 3  |  Shampooing and Extraction

After agitating out most of the debris, it’s time to shampoo to get the deeper dirt and stains out!  For any carpet that is just dirty, and not stained, we like to use P&S’ Carpet Bomber diluted down 4:1 as our shampoo of choice, but a more readily available option would be something like Tuff Stuff Shampoo from Walmart.  Spray the carpet very thoroughly, making sure that it is completely wet, but not completely soaked.  Then, use a circular drill brush attachment to agitate the shampoo into the carpet.  And finally, to remove all the dirt and shampoo, use a clear extraction attachment for a shop vacuum and extract from the carpet until mostly dry.  After, let the carpet dry in the sun, and it should look (and smell) fresh!

For any carpets with stains (especially any tan-colored carpet), the only product I would ever use is Zap-It from Superior Products.  Following the same steps as outlined above, spray the carpet, agitate with a drill brush, and extract to remove the product and contaminants.  In addition, using steam on any tough stains can help get the stains out a little easier!  Repeat until the stains are gone!

But what if you’ve done all of these steps over a few times, and the carpets are still dirt or sand-filled, or they are still stained?  Here’s where our two “Nuclear” options come into play.

Nuclear Option 1  |  Pressure Washing

This is designed for those carpet floor mats that still have dirt, sand, or any other kind of debris that just won’t come out.  Before starting Step #3 above, use a pressure washer or garden hose to completely soak the floor mats in water, and push out as much debris as you can with it.  Then, use your shampoo of choice and agitate with the drill brush, and use the pressure washer again to spray the mats and push out the shampoo and debris.  Now, thoroughly extract to get as much water out as possible, and leave the mats to dry completely out in the sun, which could take a while.

Nuclear Option 2  |  Carpet Dyes

This is for those stained carpets that won’t clean up.  Some stains are just too deep and too old to get rid of, especially on tan-colored mats.  Instead of cleaning the stain, and as a cheaper alternative to buying new floor mats, using a carpet dye that is color-matched to your mats can be a “Hail Mary” solution!  Just make sure to follow the directions as stated by the carpet dye manufacturer, and your carpets should look much more presentable.

And that’s it, our entire carpet floor mat cleaning process, as included in our Interior Detailing package for all of our clients.  Don’t have the time to go through this process?  We get it, and we can help!  For those who live on the South Shore or Cape Cod, you can reach out to us here, and book in a mobile detail for your car, truck, or SUV today!  And if you’re just looking for more, check out the rest of our blog, which is jam-packed with more detailing information!