Sand removal from floor and mats?

[amtrak23]

The car I`m working on is loaded with debris. All of the surface debris came off nicely, but sand keeps pouring out of the mats. I have vac`d multiple times in multiple directions, with an assortment of tools. When I flip the mats over and beat them with my hand it keeps pouring out.



I finally powerwashed and once they were dry it`s still coming out like crazy. How do I get this out? Blow air on the carpet and send it flying everywhere?



Will something like this work: Compressed air (http://www.amazon.com/Key-Parts-HV40-Portable-Compressor/dp/B000BMBTA2/sr=1-14/qid=1158843333/ref=sr_1_14/102-2590811-7891330?ie=UTF8&s=hi) . Or do you need more PSI?



I really don`t ever see this stuff coming clean.

[RAG]

I deal with a lot of sand, and sometimes you just can`t get it all...at least not in a reasonable amount of time. I also use the Vac N Blo to aid the process, but the pressure washer usually does the trick for me on the matts, but the the rest of the carpets you simply have to vacuum, blow, and then vacuum again...sometimes it just keeps coming and coming :(

[slippy]

I have experienced this before,very frustrating,my advice may not be what you want to hear,but what i did was basicaly beat the **** out of the mat against a wall(or similar)then follow with a brush while i vacumed,just continue several times,beat,vac,beat vac and eventualy you will get there.

[jimmie jam]

I have experienced this before,very frustrating,my advice may not be what you want to hear,but what i did was basicaly beat the **** out of the mat against a wall(or similar)then follow with a brush while i vacumed,just continue several times,beat,vac,beat vac and eventualy you will get there.



this is the best way BUT i`ve never been able to get ALL of it out. :sadpace:

[tom p.]

Guys, I`ll add one other technique. At the end of winter I borrow my kid`s plastic pool and put a couple of inches of water in the bottom. I`ll put the floor mats (carpeted side down) in the pool for a couple of hours and shake them occasionally. I get amazing amounts of sand/mud/flotsam to fall out with very little effort. Several hours of saturation seems to loosen a lot. I`ll then shampoo and rinse as needed. I can make old floor mats appear nearly new with this technique.

[autoprincess]

Guys, I`ll add one other technique. At the end of winter I borrow my kid`s plastic pool and put a couple of inches of water in the bottom. I`ll put the floor mats (carpeted side down) in the pool for a couple of hours and shake them occasionally. I get amazing amounts of sand/mud/flotsam to fall out with very little effort. Several hours of saturation seems to loosen a lot. I`ll then shampoo and rinse as needed. I can make old floor mats appear nearly new with this technique.



very cool and interesting a real good response. makes a lot of sense.





Good job. :getdown

[imported_UnsanePyro]

Guys, I`ll add one other technique. At the end of winter I borrow my kid`s plastic pool and put a couple of inches of water in the bottom. I`ll put the floor mats (carpeted side down) in the pool for a couple of hours and shake them occasionally. I get amazing amounts of sand/mud/flotsam to fall out with very little effort. Several hours of saturation seems to loosen a lot. I`ll then shampoo and rinse as needed. I can make old floor mats appear nearly new with this technique.



Good idea, I`ll have to keep it in mind

[tom p.]

Try it. I think you`ll be surprised to see how much dirt and sand drop out.

[imported_themightytimmah]

I like to use a PC powered brush followed by an extractor, in my experience it gets almost all the sand out with very little hassle. I live right near a beach, so about 90% of the cars I see these days have major sand problems.

[Mark77]

Or to prevent this, get rubber mats, my carpeted mats are in the storage, still unused :)