Simple way to clean car mats ??

[MSC6]

I need to clean some truck floor mats for a friend. It's a new truck but it's used to take care of some horses and the mats are dirty/muddy. No real ground in heavy stains but just messy overall. I don't have any special carpet cleaners or an extractor. Is there a basic way recommended to clean them with some OTC products. I was planning on just scrubbing and rinsing. Should I use an APC , laundry soap, OTC carpet cleaner ? Thanks for any info you can give.

And yes, she is getting some protective rubber mats but the damage is already done.

[TroyScherer]

I would use a light APC mixture and then spray them down with a pressure washer. You will be amazed at what comes out...

[Setec Astronomy]

A good tip is to blow them out with compressed air before you get them wet.

[MSC6]

Great, thank you both ! I was thinking about using the power washer, now I will for sure.

[Meticulous-Detail]

I would blow, then vacuum, then APC with a carpet brush, then power wash, then extract with a wet/vac and then blow again.

I used this procedure for an 06 Toy Sienna Minivan that hadn't been cleaned in years with 3 kids and the mats and interior came out like new. (Didn't power wash the carpets)

[ScottB]

Use 303 Fabric Gard when new to protect them, cleanup is always a breeze.

[215Detailing]

I would use a light APC mixture and then spray them down with a pressure washer. You will be amazed at what comes out...

here are some mats, that were ready for the trash bin but came out a little better then expected with ARDEX NEW WAVE APC & PRESSURE WASHER

[DLB]

I would blow, then vacuum, then APC with a carpet brush, then power wash, then extract with a wet/vac and then blow again.

I used this procedure for an 06 Toy Sienna Minivan that hadn't been cleaned in years with 3 kids and the mats and interior came out like new. (Didn't power wash the carpets)

While I don't doubt at all that your results were great, there is a little more front end work than would be necessary in my opinion.

I have cleaned hundreds of mats this way:
•Pull them out of the car
•Beat the loose dirt out with my hand
•Pressure wash them until you rinse clean
•Use APC or cleaner of choice with brush on trouble spots/stains
•Pressure wash them until you rinse clean
•Depending on time, wet-vac then let air dry, or if you have time (and it is hot and sunny) just let them air dry.

I know that may not sound like a big deal, but when you are working against a clock it matters. On mats that aren't that bad, I usually only have to do the first three steps (+ the drying). Crank the pressure washer up and let it work for you. It amazing what a forced water "rinse" will get rid of.

Clean is clean, period. Anything not clean is dirty, it's that simple. You can't even preface clean with an adverb like "really" or "very" and be correct, so don't over complicate things. Just get them clean.

DLB

[Stang Man]

I need to clean some truck floor mats for a friend. It's a new truck but it's used to take care of some horses and the mats are dirty/muddy. No real ground in heavy stains but just messy overall. I don't have any special carpet cleaners or an extractor. Is there a basic way recommended to clean them with some OTC products. I was planning on just scrubbing and rinsing. Should I use an APC , laundry soap, OTC carpet cleaner ? Thanks for any info you can give.

And yes, she is getting some protective rubber mats but the damage is already done.

How much time do you have?

I have some floormats from my parents' vehicle that needed a good cleaning. No stains, but with my regular Shop Vac, I couldn't get ALL of the dust and fine dirt out.

I vacuumed and beat them out really well, from there I misted them with 1:1 Simple green, agitated with a stiff brush, and used a hose with sprayer head to drench them. I rinsed them until the water came out clear.

No super special tools here, I worked with what I had, and let them air dry in the garage. Now they're super clean and don't smell at all, and that brownish tint they had before is all gone!

If you've got more tools, by all means use them, but if you need something simple and effective, you can't go wrong with this routine. Obviously, the only downside is the wait time for drying, which was not an issue since I had the car at my disposal.

[Mazda.Mark]

Heck if they fit a washing machine throw them in, I have done it multiple times! I do not have an extractor, powerwasher, etc. But I will put some light apc on it before I put them in.