How to clean rubber floormats...

[imported_Luster]

This may seem elementary, but this is how I do it.

(Besides, I like learning how other people do it differently!)

These floormats had not been out of the car, not even vacuumed in over 3 YEARS! So they had Dirt, Mud, Winter Salt, Sand, gravel, etc.

This is how they looked after I shook the mud off!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2099.jpg

I used a hose, APC, and a tire brush.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2100.jpg

Next, I wet them thoroughly, sprayed with APC, and scrubbed vigorously with a tire brush.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2101.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2102.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2103.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2101.jpg


After drying, they looked a little "dry". I think the mud, salt and sand SUCKED THE LIFE OUT OF THE RUBBER!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2107.jpg

So I gave them a little shot of 303, rubbed in with a MF towel and let dry.....

Important to note that floormats should never be slick. I made sure to wipe all of the excess product from the mats. Dressing is not necessary, after all, they are just rubber floor mats!

Like new again!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v333/bluster/gtp_wheels/IMG_2112.jpg

[FJF]

Here, in NYS, rubber floor mats take a real beating during the winter. I use Hi-Temp tire cleaner (amazing stuff) and a brush to scrub the rubber, a procedure very similar to yours. Dressing-wise, I apply whatever looks good at the time, though, I`ve been really liking Tropi-Care`s White Pearl as of late.

[Claude]

That`s exactly how I clean mine.
Yours look better than mine, your mats have no worn out spots on them.
My 07 Silverado has 9K miles on it bought new and hardly gets
driven, yet there is worn out spot under the gas pedal. How do you keep yours in that condition?
Great Photos

Claude

[SwirlBFree]

Nice work! Thanks for the write up!

I accidentally cleaned my rubber trunk liner this past week. I carry a cheap, small garden sprayer filled with Last Touch. The damned bottle sprung a pinpoint leak and emptied about a pint of product all over the trunk liner. Luckily damage to other objects I carry in the trunk (other detailing products held in a trunk compartment organizer) were minimal. After getting by the initial mess and soaking up the product with an MF towel, I simply wiped down the trunk liner with the towel and was really pleased with the cleaning,sheen and smell - much better than Meguiars M40 vinyl and rubber cleaner that I had been using.

[Old Pirate]

Great job Bill, I really like on how they came out......:thumbup:

[imported_Luster]

..... hardly gets
driven, yet there is worn out spot under the gas pedal. How do you keep yours in that condition?


Claude

Those came out of my son`s car and they drive it HARD!!! As you can see from the first photo, those floormats were abused.

I think they still look nice because they are extremely thick and tough. I`d say they are close to 1/2" thick. They are also manufactured by GM, not made in China, so the quality is pretty good. (But there was a price to pay for that quality!)

[Junebug]

Good job on the mats!

[David Fermani]

Great write up - I guess it doesn`t hurt to wash off all the abrasive dirt prior to scrubbing. That way you not grinding it into the rubber, which could take the coating off and prematurely break down the surface.