wash flootmats

M

medic

New member
except for one time using F150 Bob's Little Green Machine, I've only ever vacumed by floor mats. Is there any harm in just tossing them in the washing machine at home on the gentile cycle?



my mats are black so you can't see any stains or really ground in dirt, but I know it's there. Every time I shake out my mats, a cloud of brown falls out.
 
I would not put them in the washer.



what I do is take them out, hose them off with a nozzle, saturate with a cleaner in a spray bottle (woolite, simple green, carpet cleaning solution, whatever), let sit 5 min, hose off, air dry
 
At the end of every winter season I soak floor mats (carpeted side down) in my kid's little plastic swimming pool* for about 1/2 hour...you cannot believe how much dirt, sand, etc. is liberated during this process. It is an effective deep-cleaning method and won't damage a thing. If they're real dirty I'll add a little laundry detergent (or cleaner of your preference) to the water before I toss the mats in. Rinse thoroughly afterwards and you've got a clean set of floor mats.







*or bathtub or laundry sink, etc.
 
Are your mats carpeted? If so you can use woolite carpet cleaner in a can, or simular product, vaccum if you like, spray, brush the stains if needed, wait, then vaccum residue. Takes less than 1/2 hour. Then vaccum once a week to maintain.
 
My method is High pressure rinse, then soak in CL7 carpet cleaner & brightner product. Hose off and hang on clothes line to dry. You can steam clean, shampoo with wet vac or pro extractor.
 
Here's what happened to mine when it was run through the washer:



floormat.jpg




Mind you, they had just been bought two month ealier and were in near mint condition. I had the car "detailed" at a shop close to work because I was too lazy/busy. It was the worst job I've ever seen. Notice that the carpet is still filthy, which supposed to have been cleaned. The exterior was even worse.
 
Once or twice a year, I take my mats out, vacuum them, spray them down with a fairly large amount of APC+ and scrub them clean. I then rinse the mat clean until the water coming out of it is clear. I just blow dry them or let them air dry. They come out looking like new everytime.
 
tkr128 said:
Once or twice a year, I take my mats out, vacuum them, spray them down with a fairly large amount of APC+ and scrub them clean. I then rinse the mat clean until the water coming out of it is clear. I just blow dry them or let them air dry. They come out looking like new everytime.
Click to expand...



Ditto! :up
 
I see Marcus did not have any luck but I to am tired of power washing and beating the dirt out of them so about a year ago I started putting them in the washer on gentle cycle...about 10 washes later you can't see any damage from the washer. Mats are as clean as new and no harm done. As much as I tried I could never get all of the dirt and suds out washing them with hose.
 
wow, I just reread my original post, I can't spell woth a darn:o



anyways, thatnks for the suggestions. I'd read a lot of people doing hte power wash bit, but I just didn't know if that was becasue it was a better method or becasue the wife wouldn't let muddy floor mats in her washing machine.



Looks like it works so I'll go with that. I didn't want what happened to Marcus' mats to happen to mine
 
tom p. said:
At the end of every winter season I soak floor mats (carpeted side down) in my kid's little plastic swimming pool* for about 1/2 hour...you cannot believe how much dirt, sand, etc. is liberated during this process. It is an effective deep-cleaning method and won't damage a thing. If they're real dirty I'll add a little laundry detergent (or cleaner of your preference) to the water before I toss the mats in. Rinse thoroughly afterwards and you've got a clean set of floor mats.







*or bathtub or laundry sink, etc.
Click to expand...



I like this idea but a quick question - do you have to take the kid out first??? :D
 
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