Salt removal

[mills3]

I've been looking through the forum and I can't really find any helpful answers so I thought I'd reach out to everyone. I'm in the process of cleaning a customer's vehicle and I'm having problems removing road salt from the driver's compartment of the vehicle. I've tried carpet spray, carpet cleaner, and APC, but nothings working. Can u please help me?

I don't have an extractor or any other fancy machines to help me.

[dcjredline]

Basically what I do is get as much of it up dry as you can. Use a vacuum, stiff brush, plastic "scraper" which for me is the other end of my brush, stiff brush again, more vacuuming, handle, brush, brush brush.

Then after the chunks are gone and its just salt left in the fibers themselves I use a citrus based cleaner like 3D Orange 88. Let it soak for a min or so and then stiff brush it again like a mad man, wipe dry with a terry towel (I like to use white towels that way there is no dye transfer and you can see the dirt)

[parttimer]

Do you have a shop vac? If so, white vinegar and HOT, HOT water, spray and extract with shop vac.

[Paul A.]

I had my father in law's truck recently visiting from Indiana and after their winter. Driver's floor was crusted with white, dried salt. I used a combination of dcjredline's and parttimer's methods. Vacuumed the living h*** out of it and used a stiff brush to remove as much solid material as possible. I probably spent a good 20 mins just doing this. Then, i filled a spray bottle with white distilled vinegar and sprayed it in pretty good. Then, let it sit for a good 5 mins. I then used my hot water extractor to go over the area several times. Worked well!

[dcjredline]

I dont (havent) used vinegar because of the smell. Im concerned about getting the vinegar smell out afterwards. Does it come out in your alls experience??

[parttimer]

Once it dries there is no odor!

[Paul A.]

Yes, what PT said. He didn't take it out after i was done but did leave the windows down in my driveway overnight. He said he was afraid of the same thing. Next morning...no smell. I will say that i went over it with my extractor quite a few times though and tried to get as much out as i could.

Mills3, do you have a wet/dry vac?