Carpet cleaning technique

[emaxxman]

Well, I am really digging all the stuff I got from autogeek in my first order. Per my other thread, the foamgun rocks. I'm now testing the carpet brush attachment for the PC.

I was wondering what everyone's carpet cleaning technique is?

I'm practicing on the dirty old removable driver's mat first. I have some heavy duty carpet cleaning foam and also some very diluted Simple Green. I've used the foam and Simple Green with good success on some interior entry rugs.

Do you vacuum up the cleaner after you're done scrubbing?
Do you spray clean water to act as a rinse first?


My plan was to:

• Vacuum thoroughly with a shopvac.
• Spray cleaner, let it soak.
• Scrub with the PC and scrub brush attachment and/or Meguiar's interior brush (for spots where the PC won't fit.)
• Vacuum cleaner with a Hoover steam vac and hose.
• Spray some clean water to "rinse"
• Vacuum cleaner with a Hoover steam vac again.
• Blot dry carpet with a clean towel.

I'm concerned with mold and/or mildew forming in the car if I use too much liquid and the carpet doesn't dry adequately. Are auto carpets resistant to this stuff? Is there anything to worry about here?

[abrcrombe]

That should work reasonably well. I don't think mold would form, I mean in places where it rains a lot, it is inevitable that you will bring moisture into the car. Maybe someone from an area that rains more than a handful of times a year can chime in with their experience.

[emaxxman]

Originally Posted by abrcrombe

That should work reasonably well. I don't think mold would form, I mean in places where it rains a lot, it is inevitable that you will bring moisture into the car. Maybe someone from an area that rains more than a handful of times a year can chime in with their experience.

Do you think I need to do the 5th step - spray rinse? Or is the vacuum after the scrubbing sufficient?

[abrcrombe]

I think that if you are using a steam vac after, the rinse is unnecessary.

[BILL]

I'm concerned with mold and/or mildew forming in the car if I use too much liquid and the carpet doesn't dry adequately. Are auto carpets resistant to this stuff? Is there anything to worry about here?

JUST MAKE SURE ::: you do this on a dry humid-less day, your plan looks good IMHO....... Good luck........

[dengood1]

I've ALWAYS used my shopvac (4hp) to extract the water/shampoo mix left on the carpet after scrubbing and it usually sucks it 95% dry. I've actually even VERY LIGHTLY misted the carpet with my hose sprayer to "activate" the shampoo or degreaser or whatever else you use to clean your carpet with no mold or unpleasant smell afterwards(just make sure you extract VERY well). I HIGHLY recommend a spray bottle. Shampoos will give it a deoderized scent (preferred) and degreasers will give, well, a degreaser scent. Test a degreaser in an inconspicuous area first. Definitely use a decent shopvac (go over several times) with decent power to extract after scrubbing if you don't have a good carpet cleaner/extractor and leave your windows and doors open if it's a sunny day. If not, get a cheap box fan(under $10 at wallyworld) and alternate positions with it as the carpet dries. I've always been happy with the results when using this process. Note: I have no professional training

[FloridaNative]

I agree with Dengood and would just add that you could lay some dry towels over the area and press down on them after doing the extraction to absorb some extra water and then leave the doors open to help it dry faster.

[twinkride101]

I like my Aztec mini hot extractor. On lightly soiled carpets I dont use any chemicals at all or a very very small amount. The hot water does most of the work.

Even very bad carpets, I pre-treat, soak, scrub (bad spots), then let the heated extractor do the rest with amazing results.

After geting the Aztec I'll never go back to shop vac/hose carpet cleaning EVER
I would be careful though bringing too much water onto the carpet for fear of mold etc.

[abrcrombe]

How much was your aztec mini hot extractor? I am looking to buy the bissell little green giant. 70 bucks, so if yours is cheaper, I may consider.

[dengood1]

Abrcrombe, any "hot water extractor" is going to cost a little bit if it is a quality unit(from under $200 to $2000+), but they are well worth it. Some of them heat the water to 180 degrees! Hot water evaporates twice as fast and cleans twice as good. Try washing dishes in cold water instead of hot water one time, you'll see the difference. If you can afford one you will avoid using a lot of chemicals and avoid letting the moisture stay in the carpet for long periods of time. If you lay towels down on the carpet to "wick" the water, don't leave them on for a long time because it will slow down the evaporation process. Just my thoughts