Its unique recipe perfectly nourishes and protects the surface of seals against aging. The surface regains its original…
How to choose and clean car mats
(photo Moje Auto)
This is the last part of the trilogy on cleaning the interior of your car. We started with the cockpit and its derivative elements, then cleaned and to some extent washed the upholstery. Today, a continuation of these activities - because we will look at our feet. For carpets, floor coverings and trunk carpets. Oh, they've collected quite a bit!
Which car mat should you choose?
Car mats or whatever you prefer foot mats, is an extremely useful equipment for every car. They collect dirt from under your shoes and various crumbs generated while driving. Every day they are trampled, dirty and, unfortunately, often forgotten, they "work" in difficult conditions. Therefore, it is worth choosing the right mat for your car.
Generally, the answer comes down to two options - a rug made of fabric (also called velvet) or a rubber doormat. In my case, I choose both solutions - the first for summer, the second for winter. Although this statement is a bit exaggerated, because I replace them in early autumn. Unfortunately, colder and rainy days are approaching, and mud and water collected on the soles of shoes get into the interior of the car. They are much easier to remove with a rubber doormat. If you were to consider choosing just one, this would be the universal solution.
(photo: My Car)
However, both should be cleaned regularly. In the case of fabric, I use a vacuum cleaner or a brush made of hard bristles or a whisk. One ideal for this activity can be found at gas stations. It's much easier to shake off everything from a rubber one, so I try to wash them thoroughly whenever possible. The best device for this is a touchless washer station with a strong stream of water and a shampoo program.
(photo: My Car)
Car mat cleaning – are we really doing it right?
Car mats they play a very important role in the car's equipment. Unfortunately, they are often not treated with the attention they deserve. While cleaning car sidewalks are often overlooked, especially if they are rubber wipers. We limit ourselves to shaking off the collected crumbs or at most rinsing with a cleaning solution. Such treatment can cause a lot of damage in the long run.
Sooner or later the surface of the rubber doormat will significantly lose its uniform appearance. Our first instinct is to reach for a spray with a cockpit preparation or tire blackener. The effect will be immediate, but it may become slippery under your feet. I'm waiting for it to dry, na microfiber cloth I apply a few drops cockpit cleaning milks (matt, of course) and gradually rub it into the rubber structure. With one exception – not on the driver's windshield wiper! For safety reasons, avoid polishing places where a stable foot rest is important, including the surface of the accelerator, brake and clutch pedals!
It is worth using dedicated products when cleaning. Good preparation for cleaning rubber mats it will not only clean them thoroughly, but also preserve them, which will extend their life and impeccable condition.
How to clean velor rugs?
What about fabric rugs? It is worth washing these while the weather is still warm. I recommend a preparation in the form of foam, which I spread with a hand-washing brush. I use the same one to wash seat upholstery and door panels. Let's leave the rest to the sun's rays.
Many people wonder if it is possible and if so, then how to wash car mats made of fabric. Of course, this procedure is absolutely possible, but you need to be careful. It is best to wash the rugs using a wet vacuum cleaner, which will effectively refresh the fabric. You can also perform "dry" washing, i.e. using special cleaning preparations car mats in professional car washes. This is an equally effective treatment that perfectly refreshes and cleans velvet rugs. This preparation can also be used on car carpets.
Where does this mustiness come from?
When we are at a gas station, we often use a vacuum cleaner to at least superficially clean the car mats. However, we do not always take them out and clean the floor covering. And all the dirt that we put on our shoes and wipers like to fall on it and under it. Let's add to this the crumbs from food that we instinctively brush off from our wardrobe and then crush with our shoes. Combined with moisture, we have a ready recipe for mold and bacterial growth. They, just like those from ventilation holes, attack our respiratory tract, making us feel worse. That's why I try to visit these places with a vacuum cleaner at least once a month. My car also has built-in storage compartments in the floor, which are a mandatory point of such cleaning, as are the creases along the seat guides.
Or maybe a vacuum cleaner?
A vacuum cleaner will not always be an effective solution, so I help it by "combing" the carpet's weaves with the above-mentioned hand brush. You can also use a roll of adhesive tape like we use for clothes, sometimes just wiping it with a damp cloth and upholstery cleaning agent is enough. Let's not forget about the trunk carpet of our car. At the same time, we will unpack all the items from it - or do you think that half of them turn out to be unnecessary ballast on a daily basis?
The next stage is superficial washing with upholstery preparation. As with velor rugs, I prefer the form of foam spread evenly with a brush or microfiber cloth. An alternative may be a 2-in-1 liquid with a stain remover, which is perfect for light carpets.
If, despite these measures, we still feel an unpleasant odor in the car cabin, let's try it odor absorber. It is a universal liquid that can be sprayed in the air or used to wash rugs or carpets.
In this way, we cleaned the interior of the entire car - we wrote about washing windows in one of the previous entries. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that thanks to this, the smell of freshness of the passing summer will accompany us longer. And autumn, well, will bring us more topics for the blog.
