Extreme Floor Mat Makeover - How to machine scrub floor mats to remove stains

[Mike Phillips]

And the white staining is the Release Agent in the rubber- it comes to the surface as the liquefied rubber cools off in the mold during the manufacturing process.

Hey thanks for sharing this info - I figured it was something like you describe.

I've sent the link to this thread to IFINITI - maybe it will help them moving forward to deal with this issue.

[Bruno Soares]

Nice work and excellent write-up as always, Mike! You are the master!! And the white staining is the Release Agent in the rubber- it comes to the surface as the liquified rubber cools off in the mold during the manufacturing process. This is the reason that we have to scrub new raw bumper covers with an abrasive chemical agent and then bake them prior to painting them here in the collision industry. If we don't do that, the release agents come back to the surface (underneath the paint) in the painting process, and eventually the new paint will delaminate down the road.

So do you think a wipe down with mineral spirits or something like Tarminator could have removed all that white stuff and make it easier to restore the black look? I know those work great on new tires to remove the release agent left behind as well as the lube they use to mount the tire.

[Dr Oldz]

I’m sure they cost a pretty penny and shouldn’t have looked like that, Mike.

Seems to be a mold release agent.

I had a customer purchase a rubber truck bed mat that had a sillier substance on it. BLACKFIRE wax remover worked really well for cleaning it.

I seriously need to get some of those brushes. Looks so much easier to clean with a machine than hand scrubbing.

[Mike Phillips]

Just added some re-installation pics to the first post...


Passenger side front




Passenger side rear

[JKDesign]

So do you think a wipe down with mineral spirits or something like Tarminator could have removed all that white stuff and make it easier to restore the black look? I know those work great on new tires to remove the release agent left behind as well as the lube they use to mount the tire.

Would have to do a test spot- rubber mats are not vulcanized like tires. Tires can take heavy doses of lacquer thinner without problem

[Mike Phillips]

Had the car down here over the weekend and took a couple of pictures showing the mats installed.

See first post of this thread.


Driver's side front




Close-up

[Belo]

This is like one of those memes where you start out by saying, You know you have the detailing disease when... haha.

I've never machine scrubbed mats, and found that mckees floormat rejuvenator after a hose and wheel brush scrub did a nice job. But they've never looked as good as those!