Regularly cleaning your car is necessary and doesn’t have to cost a lot. You can do certain maintenance procedures yourself, such as carpet cleaning. Even better, you don’t require a machine to clean your car’s carpets.
If you are reading this, you have undoubtedly searched for how to clean car carpets without a machine. The process isn’t difficult, and while it might require some scrubbing and sweeping, it isn’t laborious.
One of the positives is that cleaning your car carpet doesn’t cost much.
Changing your spark plugs is another car maintenance procedure. Find out how to do so.
How to Clean Car Carpets Without a Machine: Items You Will Need
The items highlighted in this list can help you clean your car carpet without requiring a machine like a carpet cleaner or steam cleaner.
- Car carpet cleaner or cleaning solution
- Broom and dust pan
- Rag
- Towels
- Nylon brush
- Spray bottle
Steps for Cleaning Car Carpets Without a Machine
Regardless of the type of tough stains you might have on the car carpets, the first thing you want to constantly do is remove the carpets to get rid of dirt and debris. The steps you take afterward will depend on the type of carpet stains you have. Some stains might require you to spot clean before conducting a general wash.
Removing the Carpets
Before you do anything, you will have to remove the carpets first. Cleaning the car carpets this way will be much more seamless as there won’t be any obstacles. This can also help stop stains and dirt from moving to other areas, causing extra work and complicating the entire process.
When you remove the car carpet, ensure you do it gently. You should roll it up and remove it to stop any dirt or debris from rolling off the carpet into your vehicle’s interior. If your car carpet is non-removable, then you have no other option but to clean it. If this is the case, ensure that the car carpet is completely dry after cleaning.
Sweeping the Car Carpet
Typically, this next step would require using a vacuum cleaner to clean car carpets. If you don’t own a vacuum cleaner, you can still deep clean the car carpet using a dustpan and broom. Use the dustpan and broom to sweep away debris and dirt.
Prepping the Car Carpet Cleaning Solution
This process depends on the type of car carpet cleaner you have. If you have a store-bought car carpet cleaner, you can follow the instructions listed on the packaging. Sometimes, you will need to dilute the cleaning solution first. In other instances, you can just begin cleaning.
If you want to use a DIY carpet cleaning solution, you must mix a few ingredients. The following are a few spot cleaners to use on tough stains and a few general car carpet cleaners you can select from.
For General Cleaning
- You can combine 2 tablespoons of Borax, 3 tablespoons of grated soap, 1 tablespoon of your preferred essential oil, and 2 cups of boiling water into a spray bottle
- The second method combines a cup of white vinegar, a gallon of hot water, and some dish soap into a spray bottle. You can alter this recipe to suit your needs
For Spot Cleaning
You can use the following recipes for the corresponding tough stains:
- For blood stains, mix cold water and some laundry starch into a paste
- For coffee stains, you can use a glass cleaner
- For grease stains, you can use a bit of paint thinner mixed with some cornmeal or salt
- You can create a mixture using regular toothpaste and 3% hydrogen peroxide for caked-on stains. These components must be mixed equally
For a deeper clean on the upholstery, we recommend trying the Chemical Guys Foaming Citrus Fabric Cleaner. It also works to clean car carpet and doesn’t require hard rubbing or scrubbing.
Never have a flat tire again. Discover the best portable air compressor here.
Spot Cleaning Tough Stains
Different types of stains can appear on your car carpets. The following is a DIY cleaning process to remove any carpet stain.
For Blood Stains
You can eliminate blood stains using cold water and laundry starch paste. You should apply the paste onto the stains until it dries. Once dry, you can then sweep it off using the broom and dustpan.
Reapply the cold water and laundry starch until all the bloodstains are eliminated.
For Coffee Stains
Eliminating coffee stains is as simple as soaking the tough stains with glass cleaner. The cleaner should be left on the stained spots for a couple of minutes before wiping the cleaner and coffee stains with a clean cloth.
For Grease Stains
You should rub a bit of paint thinner, covering the area with cornmeal or salt. This mixture should sit on the stained area for a couple of hours. This amount of time is enough to lift the grease stains off.
For Caked-On Stains
This process requires you to dab the toothpaste and hydrogen peroxide mixture onto the caked stains. At this point, you should let the paste sit for a couple of minutes on the affected area before you scrub the area. After scrubbing, use a clean cloth to wipe the moisture off.
For Odors and Tough Stains
You can apply the warm water and baking soda mixture to the affected areas. You then use a nylon brush to scrub the affected areas. The paste must sit on the affected area for about 30 minutes before you wipe it off using a clean cloth.
Washing the Car Carpet Using a Car Carpet Cleaning Solution
Depending on your cleaning method selected, you can clean your car carpets using the Borax, essential oil, and soap solution or the white vinegar, hot water, and dish soap solution. The only difference between the two methods is the ingredients utilized to create the cleaning solution.
All the steps involved in the cleaning process are similar:
- Spray the cleaning solution onto the car carpets
- Scrub the carpets in a clockwise motion. This motion is the most effective way to eliminate grime
- After scrubbing, you should blot the moisture from the car carpets using a towel. You can air dry the carpets if they are still wet
- You mustn’t place the car carpets in direct sunlight. They should be placed in a windy area that enables them to dry quickly without discoloration
- If your car carpets are non-removable, then you can leave the car doors wide open
- You should repeat the cleaning process till all the carpet stains are eliminated
