My Carpets are Trashed!!! Whats a good cleaner??

[DewAddict]

Hi All,

My carpets are trashed after a few Michigan winters. I need to know the best cleaner out there or any ideas on the best way to clean them. I know I can go to the local carwash and use the cleaner but do they work good??

Any info would be great.

Thanks,

Rob

 

[Brian_B]

I tried the resolve pellets and did fairly well (comes with a brush). However, I then removed the carpet and took it to a car wash. Just the high pressure soap made a huge difference. It ran almost black out of it (gray carpet). Then a lot of rinsing and a sunny day (or two) helped.

I am talking about a nearly 16 year old ranger work truck though. Not a newer explorer though. It only took 15 minutes to have the carpet out of it.

 

[briwayjones]

What about one of those deep clean wet vacums you can carry around that is used for cleaning furniture and stuff? I think the are around $60 and are supposed to work pretty well. Like the little clean machine from Bissell. I've never used one though.

 

[BBQ_HotDogs]

Your best bet is to remove the carpet from the vehicle, a weekend project, take the carpet and have it steam cleaned by a professional or tackle it yourself if you are motivated enough. Let dry good in the sun and them re-install.

 

[falls guy]

I used to do this for a living,(carpet & app. cleaning) and you should try this!
You will need a pail, a nylon scrub brush, some soap, and a shop vav. You can buy carpet soap but its a little costly. Try a mild dose of liquid spic and span and water.Probably about 2 oz/gal. wet the brush and scrub like heck, than extract the moisture from the carpet. You won't beleive your eyes!! That carpet will sparcle like new and all the fibers will be standing up again. Use stronger on tough stains. Flush those areas out with straight hot water after by dumping a quarter-half cup of water on spot, then quickly sucking it up with the shop vac. Spic and span because of it's non residual qualities. It also has brieghteners in it. It will take about 2-24 hours to dry depending on were you live, or how well you extracted. You should vacum it after it drys before using to get remaining residue off fibers or it will feel all stiff. This technique also works just as awsome on cloth interior panels as well with a softer brush, of course. Caution; do not use this application on head liners! Let me know how you make out.

 

[newc5188]

Is there a tutorial or anything on how to remove and put the carpet back into the truck? I am unsure if I want to do this project just because of that reason.

 

[hit_that]

Is there a tutorial or anything on how to remove and put the carpet back into the truck? I am unsure if I want to do this project just because of that reason.

On my '91 it's just a couple of bolts to get the seats out, and then unscrew the trim pieces and it should come right out.

 

[Perry]

I would just take the seats out and clean it like that. You can get to almost everything and it would save you a little time.

If you spend some time and use some elbow grease it will look a lot better then it does now.
Just make sure and get as much of the water out with the vac that you can and then leave the windows open to let dry.

 

[X~FACTOR]

What about one of those deep clean wet vacums you can carry around that is used for cleaning furniture and stuff? I think the are around $60 and are supposed to work pretty well. Like the little clean machine from Bissell. I've never used one though.

I have used one of these but not the carry ones. I used the full size 10-gal cannister. Worked really well. It will only take you twice as long as if you were vacumming. Once you're done, let it dry, and your interior will smell like fresh laundry.

 

[CDW6212R]

How you should clean it depends on how dirty the rug is, how wet the rug will get, and the weather.
If it is absolutely filthy then you will need to get the rug so wet that mildew will be a problem. Meaning that you should remove the rug, clean it, and allow it to dry before reinstalling it. Once it is out, the rug is very easy to clean. Clean it with a high pressure sprayer, or a power rug cleaner, or with a brush and cleaner by hand. The hard part is removing the water. Vacuum as much as possible, and lay it out in the sun for a few hours.

If you think its not absolutely filthy, and this is 99% of all rugs, clean it in the car with a brush, cleaner, and rags. This will not add too much moisture, and will dry quickly with ventilation. Pulling the seats is simple, and might help.

For cleaner, you can use anything from rug cleaners, to the Purple Power that is common in auto parts stores. I use it at about 1/4 dilution with water. This works for rugs, wheels and tires, but don't let it dry in the sun on the paint of a car. It's strong enough as an engine cleaner, or bug remover, so keep it wet. Good luck,
Don

 

[falls guy]

all those steam cleaners do is spray soapy water in your carpet, usually saturating it, and then suck it out. my technique also scrubbs the fiber with as much moisture as you do or don,t want and a wet/dry shop vac will work just as well as those machines you rent to suck all the dirt out. The wet/dry vac will cost you less or the same to purchase, as it will to rent a machine. Then they make you buy their expensive soap. NO NEED TO TAKE THE CARPET OUT. Doesn't take that long. It takes about 3minutes to scrub the front floor, one side and about 4 minutes to extract it with shop vac. Hint; swish the water ond soap in the pail till there are suds on the top. Try to use mostly just the suds . But don't be afraid to use water. The shop vac will get out 90% of it out. The rest will dry quickly. I guarantee that you will be satisfied. It is a little bit of work, but anythig good in life takes a little work! Nothing out there works better. After it dries, and is vacumed, I highly recomend spraying it with scotch guard. The cleaning process may remove the original scotch guarde. 3-M is a good name. This will make it a piece of cake to clean next time. That is how we guaranteed our work. If you use scotch guarde after cleaning, chances are next time it is cleaned it will come just as clean as this time.

 

[falls guy]

DO NOT TAKE THE CARPET OUT!!!!!!!
If you take it out and soak it, and then drie it in the sun it will shrink and contort and you will never get it to fit right ever again.

 

[briwayjones]

Some of those steam cleaners have scrubbing brushes. But if you have the time it sounds like you can do a good job just with some elbow grease.

 

[CDW6212R]

Sorry to inform, but factory rugs come out, clean up, dry, and go back in perfectly.
There is a lot of thick padding under the rugs. If they are allowed to be wet for a long time, they will stink, and are then useless.

Someone here posted that it only takes 15 minutes to remove the rugs. I'll say it should take at least 30 minutes, but that's easy work, and it allows the rug to be cleaned completely, throughout. When dry, it can look as good as new.
Regards,
Don

 

[falls guy]

My technique does not wet the rug right through. It is called the "dry foam technique". You must use just the sudds mostly and scrubb. After it is extracted you could lift up the rug and feel undernieth and it will be dry. Only the fibers get damp from the sudds. Ionly say to flush with water on serious problem stains only! Not the entire rug. In which case you take special care to have cup of water in one hand, and vac nozzle in other so it doesn,t have time to absorb. I took the carpet out of my 81 regal, steam cleaned it, dried it in the sun and it shrunk all to heck! In all it costed roughly $100. If you are going to go through the work of taking it out, you can order a new one for around $200. So that's what I did. After that$300 episode I'm not taking the chance on my X, I'm dry foamin it for about 20 cents worth of spic and span and some elbow grease! Another hint; A drop or two of liquid dish soap will make the pail foam up much better. For any one who is leary of the spic and span thing, liquid laundry soap is another alternaive.

 

[CDW6212R]

It's all good. My experience is from detailing used cars for four years, after I had been cleaning and detailing new cars for five years. I learned a lot, mostly that there is no money in being the labor in that business.
I have owned many vehicles, and do all of my own mechanical work. My standards are higher than the people that I won't let work on my stuff.
Regards,
Don

 

[Brian_B]

I have to agree with CDW6212R. I have removed the factory carpet from my ranger several times and never had a bit of trouble putting it back. Ranger with buckets---15 or 20 minutes to remove. I would expect my X to take a little longer since it has power seats and the console.

 

[falls guy]

I guess either way will work fine, I just figured it was much less "labour" not take the carpet out. I know with my experience working for a Chrysler/Jeep dealership detailing new cars and trade ins, and residential carpet and upholstry cleaning for a few different companies and learned a few different techniques of cleaning rugs and upholstry. iknow most residential rugs will shrink, sometimes even stretch and ripple if they get too wet. Maybe auto carpet has some type of super non shrinking quality. I sure wouldn't recomend power washing the cloth intirior panels or seats. The seats would take for ever to dry. Power washing alone won't stand the fibers back up in the carpet where its matted down from wear, the brush will.