1 or 2 "Must Haves" for General Interior Carpet Cleaning?

HondaMan

HondaMan

2004 Civic EX magnesium
Are there 1 or 2 "must haves" or good, All-Around cleaners that you guys recommend that I can get from an auto supply store or from one of our sponsors?

I don't want to "go nuts" like I did with the exterior stuff, with multiple cleaners for this and that stain. Most of my work is on the exteriors; many of the cars I might clean are getting trampled by kids on a daily basis, they're not show room cars which must have every last spec of filth cleaned out.

I'm just looking for a general, good, doesn't-smell-too-strongly, cleaner(s) that can clean the carpet and maybe the floor mats. You know, get out stains or dirt with minimal effort on my part (I want to spend my time and energy on the exterior). Who knows, maybe me or the folks actually have it among our kitchen supplies.

I actually used my Eisenstaz Cockpit Cleaner on some cloth panneling in my dad's car this past weekend and it got out some stains he had for years. But that's more for the dash and doors and not for the floors.

Any suggestions welcome.
 
Cheap - you could try that Prestone spray cleaner for fabric/carpet. it has a brush on the top. I have used it with pretty good results. 409 works well on plastic and vinyl. A lot of people like the Woolite 6:1 mix also.
 
Jngrbrdman really likes the Prestone carpet and upholstery cleaner. :dunno

Two interior cleaning products I use a lot would be:
1. Meguiar's APC+, which has been replaced by their D-101 All Purpose Cleaner. Haven't used the new stuff, but I really liked the old version. I can't help but think that the new version will work good, too. It works good on carpet and carpeted mats. I have even started to use it on cloth upholstery with no adverse effects so far. I mix it up about 10 or 12 parts water to 1 part APC+ and use it for just about everything I can reach.

2. Woolite and water, 6 parts water to 1 part Woolite, to clean vinyl and leather.

Charles
 
APC+ 10:1, a brush and a good wet/dry vac is all you need. I have some Folex too but don't need/use it much.

I also spray water on carpet to rinse it too. APC+, vacuum, clean water, vacuum.
 
For high potency spot removal, I'd recommend (from the automotive section only) Eagle 1 Zap. Worked well on what I tried it on, but is not non-toxic/enviro friendly etc.

For general cleaning of door panels, seats, etc. that are just a little dirty, not stained, I'd go with Blue Coral Dri-Wash. You can spray it, agitate it, let it dry, then either vacuum or brush the fabric. No need for extractors. Again, though, it's for lightly dirty general cleaning, not too much for spots.
 
Big Leegr said:
For general cleaning of door panels, seats, etc. that are just a little dirty, not stained, I'd go with Blue Coral Dri-Wash. You can spray it, agitate it, let it dry, then either vacuum or brush the fabric. No need for extractors. Again, though, it's for lightly dirty general cleaning, not too much for spots.
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The Blue Coral Dri-Clean was my cloth upholstery and carpet cleaner prior to using the Meg's APC+. It did seem to be a good product. There again, my stuff isn't usually in real bad shape top start with.

Charles
 
I'll go along with Big Leegr on the Blue Coral Dri-Wash recommendation. I tend to like the foaming cleansers specifically marketed for cleaning upholstery and carpets. The cleaning aisle are full of them. I also have Folex and a cleaner I buy by the gallon from my local Megs distributor.

Jngrbrdman has long and loud touted his favorite Prestone, but I've never tried it. :) Lots of Meg's APC+ users as well.

I would suggest you pick up a couple of the foamers, and perhaps folex and see which one works best for you. They aren't that expensive, and it's good to have a couple for comparison on different problem areas.
 
Mr. Clean said:
and a cleaner I buy by the gallon from my local Megs distributor.
I would suggest you pick up a couple of the foamers, and perhaps folex and see which one works best for you.
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Any chance the stuff from your Meg's distributor is APC+ or it's replacement?

On the foaming part, would it be hepful to use one of the foaming spray nozzles when doing carpet or upholstery?
Meg's has them, but I have never tried one.

My wife uses Folex around the house. I guess I could try some without much investment. :)

Charles
 
Charles,

No, it is not a Meg's product, it is a "house brand" and specifically labeled as an upholstery cleaner. I think it's called Magnum or some such. It's out in the garage, and with my current mobility situation (or lack thereof due to a fractured ankle) I can't quite get to it to confirm.

I don't have one of the foaming sprayers, though I should pick up a couple when I make my next order. I'm just guessing that it will still put quite a bit of moisture out. That is one reason I prefer the foaming cleansers as they don't overly wet the material. Since I'm operating without an extractor I try to keep carpets and upholstery as "dry" as possible. Carpeted floor mats I don't mind soaking as I can remove them to allow them to dry while I'm doing the rest of the vehicle. IMO, the foaming cleansers are imperative when cleaning headliners (which I hate doing for all the obvious reasons).

For stains, I highly recommend Folex. It is after all specifically marketed for stain/spot removal. I'll bet your wife can attest to it's effectiveness.
 
Dumb Question 1: What is this "Folex"??

Dumb Question 2: Are most/all of these products things you can just rub in with a rag or scrub brush and "lift out" the dirt/stains? Or are we talking letting the thing dry...having to vacuuum...etc.
 
Welcome to DC Macgirl!

Hondaman - The Prestone stuff I have let dry and then vaccum the carpet. After I sprayed it on, I agitated it with a brush. I think it's the same for the Blue Coral Dri-Clean.
 
Macgirl, I have the 303 Aerospace Cleaner Industrial Concentrate. It says it is for use on carpet and upholstery, but I haven't tried it yet.

HondaMan,

You will need to agitate all of the products whether foaming or non. You then must go over them with a spray bottle with clear water and a towel, followed by your wet/dry vac. The key is to remove all "soapy" residue which will attract more dirt if not removed. Of course the ideal situation is to do your removal with an extractor (heated or not).
 
JaredPointer said:
Hondaman - The Prestone stuff I have let dry and then vaccum the carpet. After I sprayed it on, I agitated it with a brush. I think it's the same for the Blue Coral Dri-Clean.
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Interesting Jared. So I guess the Prestone product dries to a powdery substance? That would certainly be a time/labor saving if you don't have to rinse, which is what I do with the Blue Coral. I know the product name is "Dri-Wash", but I am concerned about residue, so I rinse. What do others do?
 
Macgirl said:
303 Carpet and Spot Cleaner

I love this stuff. It got out a good sized spot of oil that spilled in the cargo area of our Jeep Cherokee! I use it to remove stains that show up on the carpet in the house, you never know what a two-year-old has to spill.
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Good to hear this. I am a big fan of 303 Protectant and I would expect their cleaner to be a good product as well. Looks like another thing to buy.:(

Charles:-p
 
CharlesW said:
Good to hear this. I am a big fan of 303 Protectant and I would expect their cleaner to be a good product as well. Looks like another thing to buy.:(

Charles:-p
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Just checked the PAC web-site. 303 has a carpet and upholstery cleaner and a general purpose cleaner.
You can check them here.

http://www.premiumautocare.com/303products.html

You might want to be sure you get the right product for the right job.

Charles
 
I like Woolite 6:1 on leather , vinyl and general cleaning on the interior with PB NL as a dressing. I have used and really like Blue Coral Dri-Clean (it has a nice smell) but its hard for me to find anymore. Presently I'm using TOL's RugRenew on carpets. It works great even using it in my Little Green . I use it 50/50 in a spray bottle for light spots or full strength for tougher stains.
 
I agree with the Meguiar's APC+ suggestions. It's my most used product for interior cleaning. The new VOC compliant APC works very well as well. It foams up a lot more than the APC+ and the cleaning power seems almost the same. I use it on carpets, cloth seats and the plastic/vinyl parts of the interior (with different dilutions of course).
 
IMHO a cheap extractor, like the Bissel Little Green Machine w/ pro heat is invaluable. Used with a good cleaner, like Top of the Line's Rug Renew, you can get great results. And it will pay for itself after a few interior details.
 
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