How to Clean Car Mats

Cleaning your car mats shouldn’t be a complicated matter, but due to the many types of car mats there are, it may seem a bit convoluted. In our How to Clean Car Mats blog, we intend to cover all types of mats and show you the best method for each one. But first let us start by discussing why you can’t simply just toss your car mat in a washing machine, or clean it like any other item.

Cleaning Your Car Mats the Right Way

All the methods listed below don’t include immersing your car mats in water (safe for the rubber mats) and that’s for several reasons. Car mats drenched in water will take longer to dry. But more importantly, the dried mats will start to curl around the edges. Furthermore, haphazard cleaning like this can reduce the mat’s lifespan greatly.

It’s essential to clean your mats the right way if you want to ensure that they look brand new once you’re done. Be aware that if you are in the process of selling your car, floor mats are one of the first things a prospective buyer lays their eyes on after opening the door to inspect your car’s interior. As such, car floor mats that appear aged may instil doubt in your prospects mind as their mind wanders about whether you’ve kept the vehicle well. Learning the right way to wash your mat type is crucial in preventing this.

Here’s how to clean your car mats:

How to Clean Car Rubber or Vinyl Mats

For this, you’ll need a high-pressure hose, a hand brush, a multipurpose liquid cleaner, an empty spray bottle, a microfibre towel (a normal clean towel will do just fine), and trim shine spray as an added bonus.

Start by rinsing the mat using the high-pressure hose. Then spray the cleaning solution on the upward-facing side of the mat. Make sure to spray generous amounts. Then grab the hand brush and start scrubbing. Focus on any area where dirt is accumulating. Now rinse all the soap off. Then dry the rubber mat with the towel or even a blow dryer if you happen to have one. You can then repeat the process with the opposite side of the mat. Lastly, spray a little trim shine coating on the mat and finally dry it up using a towel.

Fabric Mats

Things you’ll need: A vacuum cleaner, car upholstery cleaner (or all-purpose car cleaner), a brush, and a microfibre towel (or a normal towel).

First, start by vacuuming the mats of any debris or dust. Be thorough in doing this to make the coming step easier. Next, spray fabric upholstery cleaner (or all-purpose cleaner) on the upward-facing side of the mat. Once again, be generous with the product. Then use the hand brush to adequately scrub the mat and agitate the dirt. Lastly, you want to dry and remove the dirty foam and agitated dirt with your towel.

As an added bonus, you can use a fabric protector to complete the process. This will help in preventing water stains from forming and will also extend the fibres life span. Here’s how to do it: spray a thin coating, let it dry for around 15 minutes and then add another coating and let that dry.

How to Clean Carpet Mats or Nomad Mats (Curly)

We’ll outline two methods for this type of mat. The first of which requires a steamer equipped vacuum cleaner.

Start by vacuuming the mats (you should be doing this regularly, say every month or so). Next, you’ll want to turn the steaming option on and go for another round of cleaning with the steamer.

The second method involves a high-pressure hose. First, remove as much debris as possible using the hose and then spray some all-purpose cleaner, after which you will scrub the mat thoroughly. Finally, rinse the remaining dirt off with the hose and leave the mats to dry.