Car Detailing Best Practices. Part 8: Car Mats

Proper maintenance of our vehicles involves a little bit of science and careful consideration to achieve the best results. Shine Plus offers some valuable tips on car detailing best practices here on our blog.

In our first three blog posts on best practices, we covered some general topics to keep in mind when caring for your vehicle. The remainder of the best practices series will be a bit more specific and start discussing the proper technique for cleaning specific parts of your vehicle. Today's best practice blog will be on how to detail car mats, whether carpet or rubber.

When I arrive on a job site, one of the quickest ways to tell the condition of a car is simple. Open the driver's door and peek at the floor mat. That one image tells me pretty much all I need to know about how long the job will take me. Why? Because our floor mats can really bear the brunt of our wear and tear. Because of this, car mats are often one of the dirtiest places in the car as well as one of the most challenging to clean. So what professional advice can we give here? Below are the steps needed to clean your mats with helpful tips and tricks.

Carpeted Mats

1. Start by removing the mats from the car.

2. Remove the bulk of the mess using compressed air or a carpet-safe brush.

3. If there is embedded sand, flip the mat over so that it faces the ground and blow compressed air against the back so the sand can fall out. If compressed air isn't an option, hit the back of the mat with your hand or a stick to dislodge the sand.

4. Vacuum the mat.

5. If there is hair stuck in the carpet, use a pumice stone or rubber edge to scrape the mat and dislodge the hairs, then vacuum again.

Rubber Mats

1. Remove the mats from the car.

2. Remove the bulk of the mess using compressed air or a brush.

3. Spray the mat with a rubber-safe cleaner such as a tire cleaner or all-purpose cleaner. Avoid degreasers as this will dry out the mat over time.

4. Scrub the mat to agitate the cleaning agent.

5. Spray down the mat with a hose or pressure washer.

6. Dry the mat using a towel, compressed air, or just let it sit in the sun.

7. Wipe down the back of the mat before placing it back into the car.

Cleaning beyond this point for things like stains or discoloration requires specialty treatment such as steam cleaning or specialty fabric cleaners, but these methods will get your mats looking very clean. Remember to follow our blog to get more helpful tips on how to detail your car like a pro!