Carpet Mat Cleaning?

I do not have a great extractor its a Little Green Machine which for the most part is good enought for the level of cars that I work on. Anywho I was cleaning a early model Lexus with brown mats the drivers side mat was filled with dirt. I used the shop vac to lift as much as I could then used the extractor. Got it looking real clean set them in the sun to dry and the drivers mat dried to a dark brown dirt color. I had this happen before so I just rewash and that seems to get the rest out.

Now for the question what are others that are on the same boat as me doing to get the dirt out the first time threw?

Thanks

100 PSI of air. Hook up a blowgun to the air compressor and let her rip. It`s like a sand storm comming out of the mat. It`s crazy, I`ve had better results doing this sometimes than using a good extractor.

I never gave thought to that thanks. I gues you could hold them and use a broom stick to beat the dirt out.


KOOP
You had some advice on the 3M glaze that I never got to hear. You said that you use it in your shop. I use it between the SWR and Wax what are you guys doing with it

I`m using a little green too; the ProHeat (the heat does help).

For really dirty mats, I take them out of the car and do the following:

1. Brush them
2. Vac them
3. Spray on AutoMagic #8HD (30:1)
4. Wait 10 minutes
5. Then BLAST THE HELL OUT OF THEM WITH A 1900 PSI Pressure Washer! (*provided I have LOTS of drying time)
6. Then start extracting with the Little Green with water only

If you are sure to blast ALL of the dirt out with the pressure washer you shouldn`t get any wicking.

*If you don`t have LOTS of time to dry them, then subsititute another thorough brushing for step #5.

Lighter colors like gray and light brown are a challenge, best of luck to you.

http://www.detailcity.com/showthread...&threadid=1355

I responded in that thread. Must have just missed it. One thing to add is it`s not too bad as a prep for upp or ex. I had the already looking great the other day and figured there was nothing to fill so i just used it to get that extra pop. Worked pretty well. Not much diffrence at all though.

I`ve done the presure washing too but i haven`t gotten the same results as the air. When the matt stays dry i find things fly out a lot easier. When the carpet fibers are wet things tend to stick to them. Also you can`t do that inside a car. when your carefull you can use the blowgun in the car too.

Here is the car that had the mat problem I started this thread for. I used the 3M hand glaze on it before the finial wax.
All in all
Wash dry
Clay
Polish
SWR
Glaze
Wax.

If you are using a PC there is an attachment brush for carpets Dwayne has it. I use that with a Bissell and don`t have any problems with stains.

I`m using a DeWalt orbital I wonder if it might work on mine?


Oh Dwayne!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nope it won`t. The PC has a rather odd attachment screw. I`ve never seen anything that used it other than the pc. I supose you might be able to find an adaptor though.

And you could always find a way to attach a brush to a rotary. Its not like you need something super spiffy to do it.

What is the thread size on the DeWalt 443? The PC is 5/16-24 thread.

There is several companies who sell brushes which the PC.

Eric

Backing plates for rotorys usualy come with a whole to except the shaft not the other way around.

that would be sweat a brush on a rotary at 5000rpm`s MMMMMM..... think of the results.

I can relate to your situation. I have a 94 integra and I think the previous owners were farmers or something (jK!). The mats were supposed to be grey but they were a nasty brown. I started by hosing them down, then I put them through the washing machine twice which seemed to help alot but when I went back to using the carpet cleaner.... dark brown water came out. I did get the pressure washer out next, but I was a little timid of ripping the fibers off. I scrubbed carpet cleaner in with a hand brush, let it marinate, then attempted to pressure wash. The wash came off clear. Just for grins I propped the mats at an angle with the fiber side down and washed. Voila, the crud was flowing.

On a sad note- to this day I cannot get the mats clean.....