salt buildup on carpets

**gsatz** · 03-25-2009, 11:45 AM

Hi there,

I live in a major winter climate. (quebec canada)

They just love to use road salt in my area.

My carpets are caked with it, to the extent that I have 1/4 inch of salt buildup around the edges of the carpet.

How do I get rid of this salt build up, what chemicals can I use and not damage the carpets.

Thank you

best regards to all

Gary

**Setec Astronomy** · 03-25-2009, 11:51 AM

Hi Gary, I think that you should be able to rinse out all that salt with just plain ol` water. If it were me, I would vacuum thoroughly (some members blow out their mats with compressed air), then if you have a big laundry sink or similar, rinse it off with some warm water. Drip dry, and preferably extract the water with an extractor (Bissel Little Green Clean Machine or similar for home use) or wet vac. Do what you can to get it dried out before you put it back in the car so you don`t have any mildew problems.

Removing stains would be a different matter that would need some cleaner, etc.

**imported_Jakerooni** · 03-25-2009, 12:07 PM

take them to the local coin op and power wash them nice and clean. like Setec said Water should get salt off. The pressure washer help for the caked on part. then vacuum dry.

**BobD** · 03-25-2009, 12:11 PM

I sell mine to the local McDonald`s every Spring and they use it for salt for their fries.

Actually, what the guys above me said is what I do.

**mini1** · 03-25-2009, 01:00 PM

Power wash them, then buy rubber mats.

**gsatz** · 03-26-2009, 11:29 AM

Hi guys.

Thanks for the advice ......

BUTT,....Water just won`t do it ......

.... I am talking about the carpets that are factory installed in the car, not the removable matts.

The salt is caked on all around the entire floor of the drivers side...

.... there must be some chemical that will break down the salt & then allow me to use a steam cleaner to remove the desolved salt.

Any ideas, from "THE PROS"

Thank you

GS

**BobD** · 03-26-2009, 11:33 AM

Just steam them if you have a steamer. It`s salt so it will dissolve with the water and then suck them dry with a vac.

**Setec Astronomy** · 03-26-2009, 11:33 AM

Oh, you need to extract them then, or remove the carpeting from the car. Once again, you will want to brush and vacuum thoroughly to remove any loose salt. You can buy a cheap extractor as I mentioned before (Bissel Little Green Clean Machine or similar) or you can buy a $500-$1500 professional unit, or you can bring the car somewhere and have it professionally done.

IMO the steam cleaner route is not going to get it out or is going to allow the salt to migrate--you need vacuum action to get it out or in the long term you`re going to have rusty floorboards. EDIT: or you could steam and vac at the same time as Danase suggests

**BobD** · 03-26-2009, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Oh, you need to extract them then, or remove the carpeting from the car. Once again, you will want to brush and vacuum thoroughly to remove any loose salt. You can buy a cheap extractor as I mentioned before (Bissel Little Green Clean Machine or similar) or you can buy a $500-$1500 professional unit, or you can bring the car somewhere and have it professionally done.

IMO the steam cleaner route is not going to get it out or is going to allow the salt to migrate--you need vacuum action to get it out or in the long term you`re going to have rusty floorboards. EDIT: or you could steam and vac at the same time as Danase suggests

I think you`re way will work better. Start off with a lot of dry scrubbing and vacuuming and get as much up as you can without water then extract.

**gsatz** · 03-26-2009, 12:08 PM

so to make along short short, Muscle power and steam,

.... right ..

I guess that is they to go

Thanks

G

**imported_Jakerooni** · 03-26-2009, 12:38 PM

Yea there really is no need for chemical warefare for salt. Water(steam) will break it down just fine. Try the suggestions and let us know.

**RaskyR1** · 03-26-2009, 01:29 PM

The ROCK hard salt build up sucks! I use my Bissell Little green and a carpet brush. I first treat them with some APC+ too but don`t really know it that does much. Usually you have to go over them several times to get it all the way out.

**Accumulator** · 03-26-2009, 01:31 PM

Been dealing with this every year since forever...I use distilled white vinegar to help dissolve it. I use this for salt stains on all sorts of stuff, including footwear. But yeah, using the vinegar in conjunction with a steamer and/or an exptractor does make it even easier when dealing with auto carpeting.

**RaskyR1** · 03-26-2009, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Accumulator

Been dealing with this every year since forever...I use distilled white vinegar to help dissolve it. I use this for salt stains on all sorts of stuff, including footwear. But yeah, using the vinegar in conjunction with a steamer and/or an exptractor does make it even easier when dealing with auto carpeting.

I think I may have to try that! :2thumbs:

**Bigpoppa3346** · 03-26-2009, 01:47 PM

I detailed a Navigator with a good amount of salt built on the floor mats (not carpets) a few days ago, and had an interesting problem.

I vaccuumed, sprayed with the hose, scrubbed them with Woolite/Water and a stiff brush, and rinsed thoroughly (like I always do). I then wet vac`d the mat, and put it in front of the dehumidifier to dry. At this point it looks great, BUT, a day later when they are dry I still see (a rather large) salt deposit left in the spot that it first was. I scrubbed it thoroughly with a wet MF afterwards, then dried it with a dry one, hopefully that will be the end of that.

Kinda had me :hairpull