How To Clean Car Floor Mats

Protecting your vehicle from dirt, mud, snow, spills, etc, Car floor mats have a rough time. 

The service experts at Volkswagen of Topeka have come up with a few ways to clear your mats, regardless if they’re rubber or carpet. Whether you’re in Topeka or elsewhere, this can extend the life of these well-worn accessories.

Supplies You’ll Need

Before cleaning them, you’ll need to make sure you have the right supplies for your particular mat:

• Rubber Floor Mats: Vacuum, Rubber Floor Mat Cleanser, Stiff Bristle Brush, Hose or a Bucket of Water, Microfiber Towel, and a spot to hang your mats.
• Carpet Floor Mats: Vacuum, Carpet Floor Mat Cleaner, Brush, Hose or Bucket of Water, Wet Vac (if available), and a place to hang your mats.

How to Clean Rubber Floor Mats

Off-Road enthusiasts and drivers love Rubber floor mats, while rain and snow can directly impact their longevity. To make sure they last longer, follow these tips when maintaining your mats: 

1. When you’re cleaning your mats, take them out of your car.
2. Shake off the mats and vacuum up any leftover debris that might have collected.
3. Rinse off the mats with clean water.
4. Apply a specifically designed cleanser for rubber mats, Gently scrub with a stiff bristle brush to remove extra grime & debris.
5. Rinse the mats.
6. Hang them out to drive or dry them off with a microfiber towel. Make sure they’re completely dry before replacing them.

How to Clean Carpet Floor Mats

For those with luxury vehicles driving around Kansas City, or if you still have factory-provided floor mats, they’re more likely made of carpet. There’s a clear difference between cleaning these mats compared to rubber:

1. Remove the floor mats from your car.
2. Vacuum them to get rid of dirt.
3. Shake the mats against a hard surface to remove dust and smaller dirt pieces that might be lodged.
4. Use a specified carpet floor mat cleaner. Make sure you follow the directions for that cleaner as they vary and misapplication can cause damage.
5. Scrub the mats thoroughly to remove stains and debris built into them.
6. Rinse your mats thoroughly.
7. If you have access to a Wet Vac, Use it to clean your floor mats as this can remove additional dirt, as well as reduce the drying time for them.
8. Hang the mats to dry. Make sure they’re fully dry before placing them back in your car.

Need Help Cleaning Your Floor Mats?

If you want to keep your floor mats clean while driving around Manhattan, make sure you have everything on hand. Visit Volkswagen of Topeka today and we’ll help. Schedule an appointment online and if you’re interested in parts or service specials, give us a call today!