The Ultimate DIY Guide: How to Clean Your Car Floor Mats at Home

As Australia embraces the new car wash industry, the cost and complexity of professional services can still be a challenge. Have you ever wanted to clean your car yourself, especially when the car wash is full, and you don’t want to wait?

To make it easy for you, at Ausgo, we’ve put together a DIY guide to help you clean your car floor mats at your very own home. So this way, whenever spills or messes happen, you can take care of them immediately. And no matter if you have Toyota floor mats, Kia floor mats, or even Isuzu floor mats, keeping them clean is essential.

Here’s everything you need to know to restore your car mats using simple household cleaning products—plus a list of materials to get started.

What You’ll Need:

Preparing to Clean Your Car Floor Mats

Of course, the first step is to remove your floor mats from the car, whether they are cloth or rubber. Take out all mats, including those from the passenger seat, driver’s seat, and third-row floor area. Remember to never clean them inside the car, as this can cause dirt to spill, making the cleanup even harder.

• Do not clean the floor mats inside the car, as this can cause dirt to spill, making the cleanup even harder.
• Do not allow oily or foam products to come in contact with the gas, clutch, and brake pedals as this could cause accidents like slipping while driving. 

After removing the mats, you have to vacuum them to ensure that you will thoroughly clean and suction up all the dust, dirt, and soil particles that are on your mats. While the mats lying flat, vacuum the mats on both sides, making sure to thoroughly get crumbs and dust off of them. 

Afterwards, you have to shake or whack them to remove any remaining dust from the cloth or rubber surface. Always do this outside the car to prevent dirt from accumulating inside.

Washing Rubber Car Floor Mats

Most car floor mats are made of rubber, as they are waterproof, easy to clean, and provide excellent grip—especially for the rainy season. Additionally, they also offer great moisture protection, helping your car’s interior dry faster.

1. To start, take a garden hose or a bucket of water and splash it onto the floor mats. Remember to do it one at a time and for the best results, use a hose to blast away dirt effectively or you can also use water pressure.
2. Next, apply a rubber mat cleaner or dish soap and scrub the mats using a stiff-bristle brush to remove dirt and debris. Allow the soap to sit in for a few minutes only and focus on areas with stains or muddy prints, scrubbing thoroughly to restore their cleanliness.
3. After scrubbing, rinse the mats thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
4. Finally, wipe them with a microfiber towel or you can also hang them up to air dry completely.

Washing Cloth Car Floor Mats

Cloth car floor mats are usually made of nylon fibers and coated with a water-resistant and non-slip backing.

1. Unlike rubber mats, cloth mats require stain removal first, especially for grease or food spills. You can start by applying a spray-on carpet cleaner or a commercial stain remover, following the product instructions.
2. For older stains, if you have baking soda make use of that and put it on the mats and rub it in to help neutralize odors from pets, food, and dirt.
3. Once the stains are treated, wash the mats using a gentle cycle with mild detergent, or spray them down with a hose. For better results, use a washing machine if the mats are machine-washable.
4. After washing, rinse thoroughly to remove all soap residue.
5. To dry, either air-dry the mats by hanging them in a well-ventilated area or use a dryer on a low-heat setting, you can also let the sun take time to dry your floor mats.
6. After it dried out, vacuum the mats again to remove any excess moisture and dirt particles. 

Pro Tips for Maintaining Clean Car Mats

It’s actually quite simple, to keep your car mats clean, you have to regularly vacuum them to remove dirt and debris. Always remove your floor mats before cleaning them. Most importantly, ensure they are completely dry before reinstalling them. No matter what type of floor mats you have, make sure they are fully dry before placing them back in the car, as damp mats can develop a musty odor.

Keep Your Car Fresh and Clean with Ausgo's Expert Tips

Maintaining your car's interior shouldn't be a hassle since keeping your car clean is just one way you can improve its lifespan and driveability and resale value (if you ever plan on selling them). With our DIY guide, you can now clean your car floor mats at home with ease and efficiency. By keeping your mats in top shape, you can extend their lifespan and keep your vehicle looking pristine.

But why stop at floor mats? At Ausgo, we do not only offer durable, high quality, and premium floor mats, we also offer a wide range of 4WD accessories to help you make the most of your adventures. 

Whether you're looking for rugged floor mats, solid roof bars, or other essential off-road gear, we've got you covered.

Choose Ausgo for quality, reliability, and convenience. Explore our collection today and equip your vehicle with the best accessories to tackle any terrain. 

Keep your car clean and ready for the road ahead with Ausgo!