Dirty Muddy Carpet - how can I get it clean

[Police State]

I have an old car with a light grey carpet that has seen better days... It's dirty, soiled, muddy, etc. How is the best way to clean it up? Is there a magic bullet product that will do what it say's on the tin?

[belleair302]

Rent or buy a wet and dry vacuum, spray the carpets with an all purpose cleaner (APC), then extract with the vacuum....easy.

[Country Boy]

I used the spray on cleaner you can get for house carpets - it doesn't soak the carpet and dries quickly - also cleaned the carpet!

[Police State]

I tried both of the above, but it's still not clean enough... i'm stumped.

[dilbert]

You could try the washing machine, but you have to be at the point of scrapping them.

Things to watch out for;

• The coarse horsehair backing may make a mess of your washing machine, if the carpets are made that way.
• The stitching on any plastic trimming, may already be rotten, and if it is, the washing machine may well eat/break it off.
• If you put the all of the carpets through the machine at once, then the different pieces of carpet can destroy each other.
• If the carpet has a cardboard structure, then there's no point in trying.

There's pretty nearly only one thing that you can be sure of. The carpets will be clean. They may be knackered, but they will be clean.

I have got away with this before, but not always.

I guess another way would be to get a big old tray, and fill it with hot soapy water. Use biological washing powder, it's amazing stuff. Wear rubber gloves, otherwise the detergent will go at your hands. Work the pile. Perhaps even use a wooden board with a rounded edge.

Go at it a couple of times, and rinse a few more.

The biggest difference I ever experienced was a car with cream carpets. TBH, I thought they were grey!!!

Edited by dilbert on Thursday 3rd June 01:17

[belleair302]

Why not get the car recarpeted by a restoration firm. Not silly money and will remove any dirt / smells etc.

[cheekyron]

If you have tried APC and the wet vac and had no luck, have you thought about removing the carpet and using a pressure washer.

For really dirty carpet mats I spray with APC or a low foam carpet cleaner, give then a good scrub with a brush and blast with the pressure washer.

Good luck