Anyone NOT believe in powerwashing floormats????

David Fermani

David Fermani

Forza Auto Salon
Anyone NOT believe in powerwashing floormats????



We're not talking about the ones with light dirt or the ones that shred/misform when they get wet (MB/BMW). I've seen so many C&B's where people extract and/or hand clean their floor mats when just a quick blast with a powerwasher would clean them better.
 
I'm all for it, works very well and seems to magically restore the carpet nap where using an extractor and scrubbing will do the opposite.
 
HUGE time savor and produces better results!



Common sense must be used too though, just like when using one on paint. ;)
 
i power wash floor mats all the time, gets nasty mats looking great again. i spray a cleaner on the matt scurb with a brush, power wash the matt clean of all suds, than extract them and there good to go.
 
VR8 said:
So, after the quick blast with your power washer ... what? Heat lamps?
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No need. Most mats are dry within a couple of hours after spraying and extracting. Do them first and they're golden after sealing.
 
I just did four F-250's for a fleet account and two had carpeted mats. A power washer was the only way to go with these. Used the power washer on the other two which had Weather Tech mats. Using the power washer saved a ton of time over trying the extractor on those nasty mats.
 
David, there is no way I would not clean mats without a pressure washer. I've blasted dirt out for 15 minutes. Could not even imagine how long it would have taken with an extractor.
 
I am not a pro-detailer so i definitely do not see the volume nor experience the risk that you guys take when you try different things. With that said, I have been using a pressure washer on my car mats because I am a lazy ******* (I am careful of course). It's good to hear that this procedure can stand-up to the traditional extractor-method (which I do not have).
 
Yes it is the best option, though back in the day, garden hose worked as well, just took longer. Soon as the rinse water runs clean your done.



I don't extract mine, hang them up at an angle and all your left with is a small wet corner, wet vac or cotton towel press to dry.



I have seen mats that someone has used too much pressure and actually ripped the fibers out.
 
MCA said:
I am not a pro-detailer so i definitely do not see the volume nor experience the risk that you guys take when you try different things. With that said, I have been using a pressure washer on my car mats because I am a lazy ******* (I am careful of course). It's good to hear that this procedure can stand-up to the traditional extractor-method (which I do not have).
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Using the correct tool for the job to speed things up does not make you lazy.......it makes you smart!

My brother builds homes. I couldn't imagine him using a hammer versus a air nail gun. It would take him forever when comparing the two.
 
salty said:
Yes it is the best option, though back in the day, garden hose worked as well, just took longer. Soon as the rinse water runs clean your done.
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Good point. You don't *need* a power washer to get the job done. But it does help speed things up and also lifts away that deep down dirt that's burried deep within that really dirty mat. The key is to immediatly use your wet dry vacuum and suck out all the water. The better and more you suck, the sooner the mats with become dry.



The last thing you want to do is put mats that are in any way remotely damp back inside your vehicle. There were times when doing dealer cars that I would actually return the car 1st and drop off the mats the next day just to play it safe. It they are wet, with just a little residual dirt left inside a dark, damp trunk it will stick to high heaven the next time a salesman opens it to show a potential customer. Not good.
 
David Fermani said:
The last thing you want to do is put mats that are in any way remotely damp back inside your vehicle. There were times when doing dealer cars that I would actually return the car 1st and drop off the mats the next day just to play it safe. It they are wet, with just a little residual dirt left inside a dark, damp trunk it will stick to high heaven the next time a salesman opens it to show a potential customer. Not good.
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I sometimes do the same. I don't want additional problems later because someone didn't follow my instructions. I did a friends interior a few months ago. The mats were horrendous and were still a little damp when she picked it up. I told her to leave the windows cracked or take the mats out for a day when she got home. Of course the next day she calls to tell me the inside of her car stinks. I knew right away why. When I asked her if she had left the windows cracked the answer was "No. I didn't want the chance of it raining." Of course a few hours with the mats out of the car fixed the problem.
 
David et.al.,



I have a real stumper regarding floor mats. Both my parents have clear plastic floor mats ( gifts from me, of course :) ) that came from Auto Anything.com and over the course of the years, there are some dirt spots that simply won't lift with whatever cocktail of APCs I throw at them and also using my limited, wimpy Karcher power washer. It's one task in detailing that always has me beat. I don't know if a commercial grade power washer like you folks have is the answer, but eventually I'd sure like to try one just to see if it can blast away the (embedded?) dirt.
 
salty said:
I have seen mats that someone has used too much pressure and actually ripped the fibers out.
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A valid point. Other than getting the mats completely saturated and not being able to get them dry enough before delivery, I have to admit I'm a little tentative with using a pressure washer for fear of damaging the mats. Experience here is crucial to know which mats can be blasted and which ones should be extractor only.



Now I have yet ANOTHER big purchase to make in 2012! Only question is, which one first? The pressure washer or the steamer? My extractor has been a life saver and gets constant use. So much so, that I may even have to replace it before the years out. Ugh.
 
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