How to Keep Car Floors Clean

When it comes to big purchases, few are bigger than getting a new, or at least new to you, car. To keep your new car fresh or restore some life to your beater, we've gathered the top tips to getting your car carpets clean, and keeping them that way. The carpet, after all, is a spot in your car that everyone forgets to clean. Keeping car floors clean is a sure way to increase the resell value of a car and keep that new car feeling longer.

Don't let it get any worse.

They say an ounce of precaution is worth a pound of cure, and that's certainly true when it comes to maintaining your car interior. The easiest way to keep car floors clean is to use rubber floor mats. Many auto stores sell a range of mats with various features and designs but what is most important are the materials and the depth. A shallow, or worse, smooth, floor mat won't prevent any dirt from getting on your carpets. Similarly, a hard plastic mat can crack or warp, limiting its ability to protect your carpet. Using a floor mat will make carpet cleaning much easier in the long run as you can simply shake out the mats to remove large debris and wash them throughly outside the car to make sure they're free of any dirt.

A deep pocketed rubber floor mat like the ones by Custom Accessories has deep ridges and a flexible material that will stand up to abuse. They're among the top rated all-weather car floor mats out there. Be sure to either get the car floor mats for your specific vehicle or universal ones you can trim to fit, otherwise they will allow dirt under, defeating their purpose.

Cleaning Up What's There

Before you put down your new car floor mats to keep the car floor clean, you'll want to clean up the mess that already there. The first step is throwing out all the trash and old receipts that are hiding under your seats and in your floorboards; you'll feel better for it and maybe you'll find the ticket stub you've been looking for. Once your floorboards are clear, it's time to remove the dirt and grime that are already there. Carpet cleaning is an essential step in maintaining your car's interior. The easiest way to do this is by vacuuming the carpets with a high powered vacuum, available at most gas stations or car washes. There are also some really good car interior cleaning products out there. But if you really want to get the drop on dirt and keep your car pristine you can invest in a 12v powered vacuum to keep in the car and clean messes as they happen. This is an especially good idea for the parents of young kids, who might need to clean cereal from the seats a few times a day.

With a longer cord and the ability to suck up both wet and dry spills, this isn't your mama's dust buster. If you do get a vacuum for your car, some key features are the ability to work wet or dry, and being a corded model. Cordless models will have less power and need to be recharged, while a corded model is slightly less convenient, it has more power and runs off the car's battery so you'll be able to finish the whole car without stopping to recharge.

Fixing the Damage Done

If you've thrown out the trash and vacuumed and you're still not happy with how the carpets look, you can use a mix 1:1 of vinegar and water to treat and remove stains naturally. Test on an inconspicuous area first though, as your carpet could potentially be discolored.

To refresh the carpets and help lift out that last little bit of dirt, you can use any commercially available carpet powder or make your own with baking soda and essential oils; again use caution, as too much essential oil can discolor your carpets, making them worse than before.

Finally, make sure that you don't just focus on the carpets, use car cleaning wipes or a damp cloth to wipe down the car interior and seats, as less dust and dirt in the car overall means less getting ground into your carpets. You can also use glass cleaner on your windows and mirrors, but be sure to avoid getting chemicals or water on your car electronics.

Remember, ventilation in a car isn't the best unless you work with the doors open, so only use a little bit of whatever cleaning products you use to avoid dangerous fumes.

Vacuum Boosters are powders which, when vacuumed up, help take the last little bit of dirt out of carpets and make sure you have your best shot when trying to keep car floors clean. Be sure to read the label before use as these chemicals can discolor flooring if left to long so be sure to test with just a little bit

Finally, The Lazy Route

If doing all the steps above seems like too much work and you know you have bad stains, or you really want to go above and beyond and keep your car floors clean, you can always go to a professional detailing service. These services are available in most areas, and in many cities there are mobile detailers that will come to your house or workplace and clean your car for you. Check online for reviews of local detailers, as well as at places like malls and car washes, as you'll want to shop around to make sure that you hire someone who cares as much about your car's interior as you do and will take pride in their work. Utilizing one of these companies can cost significantly more than cleaning your car yourself but these companies have specialized tools and cleaning agents to help make sure your car looks the very best it can. You should be courteous and remove the loose trash and at least shake out the floor mats before going though to avoid extra fees or refusal of service.