The ultimate guide for you: How to clean car mats at home [2023]

If you own a car and really want to know how to clean car mats at home and save your money? Then the blog post is for yours because I am going to tell you about How to clean car mats at home?

First of all, I want to tell you that no matter how much you care about your car, your car will get dirty whether it is by you or your passenger.

But there is nothing to regret about it. There is a solution to all the problems and even for this also.

Stay with us and read the article to know the solution of mats cleaning methods. The cleaning methods will be different on the basis of your car mat type. Let’s first see how many types of car mats step by step we will know How to clean car mats at home?

Type of car mats:

There are many types of car mats. Here I list out the 6 most used car mats.

1. Rubber floor mats:

If you are looking for long-lasting and durable mats for your car then this may be your best choice. It is usually given for free by the dealers and you must have got it for free from there.

The mats fit the model and are also quite strong for everyday use. These mats are very suitable for the rainy season and are also waterproof.

These mats don’t glide and their textured surface is a surface that helps retain moisture. Along with the above advantages, it also has a disadvantage. The disadvantage is that it gets dirty very quickly.

2. 3D floor mats:

Are you searching for premium look mats? Then the 3D floor mats are the best fit for you. The most expensive and beautiful as well as premium look mats are 3D floor mats which will help to enhance the beauty of your car.

Mats are made of polymer and available in several shades such as beige, black, and tan shade. 3D mats have many grooves and these grooves carry dust, water, and other dirt. Since these mats get dirty quickly, they need to be cleaned every day.

3. Curly or Nomad mats:

Nomad mats come in a variety of colors that can be the best choice for your car to use as custom floor mats. They have the ability to easily retain water and easily soak water which is their best aspect.

These mats can be spillage to a minimum and the curled surface does it perfectly. Curls soak up dust, mud, and water so your feet don’t get stuck or felt this dust mud, or water.

4. Vinyl Mats:

These mats are made of a dense plastic material that lasts longer than ordinary rubber mats which helps to dry the metal floor very well.

It is suitable and usable for any weather which is made to save the car from getting soiled.

5. Fabric floor car mats:

The mats are easily obtainable and affordable mats that have been placed on the metal floor of the car.

It usually comes in common sizes and fits easily in all cars. No other mats can be an alternative to this for the dry season. It is best for dry seasons.

The mats are easy to wash and clean the dirt from mats every day. These fabric mats are stitched with high-quality fabric and have cushions inside which are comfortable as well as waterproof.

These mats are usually offered with new cars but you will find it in many auto accessory stores.

6. All-absorbing car mats:

Is anyone looking for a mat that will prevent rust and eroding on the floor of his car? Then he should buy All-absorbing car mats. It doesn’t smell too much, is waterproof, easy to clean, and has reusable mats.

7. Plastic floor mats (Transparent):

If your budget is low and you are looking for a mat with this low budget then this is for you. To keep your feet comfortable it is always able to withstand water and heat. It is very good for snow and rainy weather but it is not so good-looking mats for your car.

Now it’s time to learn how to clean these car mats. Let’s see.

Cleaning Rubber Floor Car Mats:

Floor mats are used in cars to protect the interior floor and carpets. So the mats that protect other surfaces also need protection.

  • The easiest way to clean rubber mats is to get them out of the car. Due to sweeping If there is any loose dirt in it, it will be removed. You need to beat the mat a few times to remove all the dirt.
  • If mud and dirt get stuck in your rubber mat and you find it difficult to lift, you need to do the following. First, you have to get the car mats off the car and put them on the ground. Then use a brush to remove all the mud, dirt, and debris.
  • There is another good way to clean the Rubber floor car mats. What’s the way? The way is to vacuum the mat. To do this you can use your own hand vacuum and clean your car’s rubber floor mats.
  • If the above methods do not work, you will need to wash your rubber mats. To wash you need to spray on the mat using a spray cleaner and leave it for some time
  • You can also wash rubber floor mats using a high-pressure hose or clean the mats by drying them completely if you want.

Cleaning 3D Floor car Mats:

3D floor car mats are used in cars like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Volvo, and Toyota, etc. These mats are lightweight and durable and these mats protect your car from various types of dirt.

Beneath the accelerator pedal is a durable heel pad that keeps the car away from wear and tear.

How to clean car mats at home

3D mats are relatively easier to clean than other mats. You don’t have to work very hard to clean them. These mats have 91 carpets on the surface which are extremely stain resistant.

The dirt can be cleaned by tapping, wiping with dampish towels, or vacuuming. Use only a damp cloth to clean small spots.

To get the best results, remove the mats from the car, spray them with a foaming carpet cleaner and then wipe the mats with a dry clean cloth. You can also hose it off after spray.

Cleaning Curley or Nomad Mats:

A vacuum on the Nomad mats matting surface can be used to clean all types of dust, dirt, and debris from the car mat. Slowly move the vacuum on the mat to get better cleaning.

If possible, clean the mat by heating the water to a temperature of 40 to 60 degrees once a week.

In that case, you have to keep in mind that the heated water should be at a tolerable level for the mat and the mat should be cleaned with shampoo and warm water every three months.

Cleaning Vinyl Mats:

Vinyl mats are easy to clean and protect your car interior from dust, spills, weather, debris, and all kinds of dirt. It’s not hard work or something like rocket science. Let’s see the Vinyl Mats cleaning process.

First, remove the vinyl mats from the car and wipe them. You are at home, place the mat on the ground.

Then soak the mat and apply car-specific detergent and wash the mat with a high-pressure hose.

You have one more step ahead to get your work done. The step is to wipe the car mat and put it back on the car floor.

This is the end of how to clean car mats at home. Now we will know the different cleaning techniques of mats cleaning.

Cleaning Mats Using Vacuum Cleaner:

If there is no extra dirt on the mat you just vacuum it. But if the amount of dirt on the mat is over, then you have to use another method. After vacuuming your mat you need to see if there is anything on the back of your newly cleaned mat.

Cleaning Mats Using Hot Water Extraction:

There is no doubt that car floor mats are the dirtiest part of any car and are difficult to clean. If there is too much dirt on your mat, follow the hot water extraction method more than once.

It uses high-pressure hot water to irritate the dirt and carpet fibers on the carpet. This hot water extraction cleaning method usually refers to the cleaning of the carpet with soil.

Cleaning Mats Using Shampooing:

This method was widely used for cleaning mats before the 1980s because encapsulation technology had not been invented before.

In this method, your mat is shampooing and as a result of shampooing, there is enough shampoo foam stuck in the mat which required a lot of time to dry. And that’s why this method is not very widely used today to clean car mats or other mats.

Pros and Cons of cleaning car mats at home:

Pros:

  1. Car cleaning stations avoid a lot of small things when cleaning car mats but you can do every single step of cleaning mats at home very well.
  2. It will be affordable for you when you clean your car mats yourself because you do not have to spend money on the necessary equipment to clean the mats such as sponges, soap and used microfiber cloth.
  3. However, there will be some cost of water used for washing the mat which will cost you more money if you go to the car cleaning station.

Cons:

  1. Your hose can’t make enough water pressure on your car mat to remove hard dirt.
  1. Cleaning mats at your home are less effective than cleaning mats at a car wash station.
  2. It is a less strong and extensive mats cleaning method than a car cleaning station.
  3. Cleaning mats at home takes more than a where car cleaning station takes about 10 minutes to do this job.

Frequently Asked Questions: FAQs

Q: Can you wash car mats in the washing machine?

Ans: Yes, you can wash your car mats in the washing machine, but clean them as much as possible before putting them in the washing machine.

Q: How do you make vinyl weather mats look brand new?

Ans: Fill your bathtub halfway with water and leave a little detergent in it. Mix well and leave the mats after that make sure the mats are well wet. How long you keep it wet depends on how dirty the mats are. However, most of them do not take more than an hour.

Q: Does vinegar spoil rubber mats?

Ans: Vinegar is often used as a fabric softener in laundry to remove stains and odors. Sometimes this damages some rubber mats in the washer machine.

Q: What is the best vinegar for cleaning car mats?

Ans: The answer is white distilled vinegar. The reason is it does not contain any coloring agent that’s why there is no chance to stain the surface.

Q: Would it be better to get a car floor mat from the dealer?

Ans: Yes, you can buy car mats from your dealer as the dealer is likely to give you mats for free along with some more small things that are essential for your car.

Q: How long can car mats be used?

Ans: You can use molded urethane and vinyl mats for up to 5 years.

In Conclusion:

Did you get the answer to How to clean car mats at home? Hope you got it. There are many different mats for use in cars that have a slightly different cleaning methods.

So what is your car mat? This is something you need to know if you want to clean your mat well.

You can clean your car mats as you wish but it will never be good for your car mat. So you know about the car mat first then go to the car mats cleaning.