Help with 16 year old Floor Mats

[courtdale]

Started a massive undertaking this week - restoring the interior of a 1995 Accord my daughter bought last month. The entire interior looks very similar to the floor mats below. This is going to be a PROJECT any advice will be most appreciated:



http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/accord1.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/36345/size/big/cat//ppuser/37349)

After:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/accord2.JPG (http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/36346/size/big/cat//ppuser/37349)

I pretreated with a bissel solution, and hit the trouble spots with an APC (Purple Power), then power washed followed by a dry-vac. Results weren't bad, but you can see where I wasn't able to remove the spots on the driver mat.

What if anything can finish off that stubborn stain? I went back and tried to hit it with a stain remover with agitation, but still nothing.

[Flash Gordon]

You've done everything that can be done. They look alot better now.

[weavers]

you can soak them in the bathtub over night with some detergent and white distilled vinegar. you can also put them in the washing machine, only if they have a rubber backing. some high end cars have a soft cloth backing and those will be destroyed in the washing machine.

if you have a DA get a carpet brush. It will take alot of the eblow grease out of the equation. I bought the green brush and its great on carpets, cloth seats, and leather.

Porter Cable 7424 Carpet & Upholstery Brushes (http://www.autogeek.net/porter-cable-brushes.html)

[tuscarora dave]

After all that you have already done and the fact that these mats are 16 years old I'd wager a bet that what you are seeing in the driver's mat is the natural color of the fibers because the dye has been ground off by the dirt and the driver's feet rubbing on the fibers over the years. You won't get them any better except if you dye them the color that you want to see on them. Nice job on the mats by the way. I like to use Folex on them but my process otherwise is the same as what you have described.

[tuscarora dave]

After re reading your process I actually scrub the mats with my Cyclo polisher with the carpet brushes on it. Did you scrub them with a brush before pressure washing them?

[courtdale]

After re reading your process I actually scrub the mats with my Cyclo polisher with the carpet brushes on it. Did you scrub them with a brush before pressure washing them?

Yes, before with the APC and after when I hit it with the spot remover.

[tuscarora dave]

If scrubbing them with Folex won't get them clean nothing will. Maybe you could pick a bottle up and give it a try.

[rwright]

Since you have gone with APC and power washing along with scrubbing, I'm not sure if Folex or Krud Kutter will work? I would be interested to see if you can make them look any better without dye. I agree with everyone else though, they look great for the age and the amount of work you have put into them.

*Edit - I agree with Tuscarora Dave's last post :)

[Jimmie]

Those look great considering where you started. Looks like all of the dirt; grease are gone.
There is one more thing that might work. Long shot but I've had it work on areas that get that almost rust reddish stain look. See if you can get some "carpet neutralizer" from a carpet cleaning business or take the mats to their business and have them spray it on. That's it. You will know immediately if it worked or not.

[slickooz]

Have you tried Woolite?
Carpet Cleaning: OxyDeep Activated System (http://www.WooliteCarpet.com/Products/Product.asp?catalog_name=BISSELL&category_name=Oxygen+Activation&product_id=WooliteOxyDeep)

[Munich77]

I would also suggest Folex. Great turn-around so...

[mswerb]

Although your effort was there, I would have just gone to your local larts store and got some good rubber all season mats. To me, carpet floor mats are worhtless.

[AeroCleanse]

Also remember that floor mats are supposed to be a sacrificial item between you and the carpet. So if you can't get them as clean as you want, buy new ones.

[Flash Gordon]

Although your effort was there, I would have just gone to your local larts store and got some good rubber all season mats. To me, carpet floor mats are worhtless.

Sure makes cleaning much easier ^

One thing I would say though. Instead of going to a parts store and spending $20 or $30 on some crappy rubber mats that don't fit properlly, invest in WeatherTechs instead

courtdale? was your daughter happy with what you did? Thats all that really matters ;)

[Kristopher1129]

I don't see those getting much better from there. I think you've done fine. The drivers side is just worn.