Best way to clean carpets?

[Jgordon]

I let a couple of friends convince me to pile them into the 911 over the weekend,and OF COURSE one of them managed to track in a *****load of mud. Now I have nice footprints on my otherwise pristine "cashmere" carpets. I call it tan, but whatever the title, they're dirty. I was thinking simple green, but I wanted to get some informed opinions before I attack. Also, as long as I'm cleaning, I was wondering what the best way to clean carpets in the car was. I can remove the rears, but I'd rather not take out the front carpets surrounding the pedals. Unless it's easy.

Oh yeah -- a word of advice -- Unless they're less than three years old or it'll get you laid, NO ONE IN THE BACK SEATS.

Any thoughts?

Thank you.

[jason1guy]

i always just go to the car wash. for 30 bucks they shampoo everything shampoo-able and detail the rest of the interior. its a pretty good deal

Jason
81 SC

[Planter91C2]

i have had good luck with that auto carpet cleaner. it comes in an aerosol type container with a plastic brush head. you spray, brush in getting it foamy, then vacuum out.

[Fritz]

I'll start with a disclaimer...I work for a competitor of Simple Green that makes Orange Clean.

Simple Green and Orange Clean are designed to cut grease and oil. To accomplish that, Simple Green uses a citrus oil based product called delimonene (sp?). Orange Glo uses the orange oil from the skins of Valencia oranges. Like most oils, you do not want to use these on fabrics including carpet unless you have a good way of washing it away. I really doubt on interior carpet it can be rinsed enough and then the oil will attract dirt for the rest of the life of the carpet. In other words, I don't think you should use Simple Green or Orange Glo on the carpet.

For typical dirt and schmutz from shoes, you should use more of a soap/detergent based carpet cleaning product.

If it is stained from grass or other organic materials (dog poop, berry juice), then use a non-chlorine stain remover like Oxi-Clean (another of our products).

Good luck and I hope I didn't totally confuse you.

[boyo]

For grease stains in carpet, the "Goop" type hand cleaner (not the stuff with pumice!) works extremely well. You have to follow it up with normal soap/water to remove the Goop. Otherwise dirt and oil seem to migrate towards those spots.

-Boyo

[Al S]

The best carpet cleaner and stain remover I have ever used (and I think I've tried them all), is called Folex. Don't know if you can get it in the US but here in Canada, try Crappy Tire or some of the carpet vendors.

[emcon5]

Depending on how much mud you are talking about, I would start with a stiff brush and a shop vac. Just use the brush to break up the mud, and vac it up.

If that doesn't get it all, then go to chemical cleaners.

Tom

[Don Plumley]

I believe that Folex is available at Home Depot.

As suggested, brushing and vacuming as much of the surface debris off before getting them wet is a good idea. I'd take them out of the car to facilitate proper brushing and cleaning - and drying.

I like Folex as well.

Good luck,

Don

[stormcrow]

The best carpet cleaner I have used is Palmolive dish washing soap (the green stuff). You need to remove the carpeting to do a good job.

Wet the carpets down real good with a hose, apply a little soap and use your hand to work it in. When done, take a hose and rinse clean. Turn on end to dry (helps drain the water off) overnight.

They will be nice and soft when completely dry and all traces of mud and most any other spots will be gone.

Steve

[911nut]

I shampoo the carpets of my daily driver as well as my SC with a regular carpet shampoo like you would use in your house and a stiff bristle brush. I fininsh up by vacuuming up the water with a shop vac. Speeds up the drying time by a factor of 10.

[NYSCAR]

I'll second the shop vac method, although I never have actually tried that approach. Had a "mean green clean machine"..you know...one of those infomercial carpet cleaner things. It works!

Brad

[john70t]

Make sure the carpets are completely dry before using them again, probably good to vac one last time and apply a carpet protector as well.

[cstreit]

Fritz, do you know Billy Mays?

My wife and I get a kick out of those Oxy Clean commercials. He'll come on the set and say "Hi! I'm Billy Mays"... We both them loudly reply. "HI BILLY MAYS!" and burst out laughing...

He's even got my friends kids CONVINCED that their parents should by the tub of Oxyclean...

Gotta love 'im

[Fritz]

Yes, I've met Billy Mays and he is quite a guy. He's not a company employee but a professional sales "talent" that the company hires.

He's a very nice regular type of guy but has the ability to "turn on" that voice and high-energy persona for sales pitches. Very professional.