Drying Carpets

Discussion in 'Interior Car Care' started by sumdetailer, Aug 12, 2008.

  1. sumdetailer

    sumdetailer Birth of a Detailer

    This might sounds like a stupid question, but what do you guys find the best way to dry carpets?
     
  2. Brent

    Brent Birth of a Detailer

    If I have just scrubbed in some carpet cleaner, I go over the carpet with waffle weaves to get the first bit of moisture but also to wipe away the grime that the scrubbing released. After I start rinsing the cleaning solution, I use my wet/vac to get most of it up and then use a blower to finish the job.
     
  3. Nica

    Nica Banned

    I agree, I use my Mytee HP-60 to extract all water then I just hang them to dry..works for me :shrug:
     
  4. yukonon22

    yukonon22 Wax on..Wax off

    hang them after you extract the water out works for me. over a railing is best so the water drips out two sides
     
  5. shiny

    shiny Jedi Nuba

    shop vac / MF works for me
     
  6. sumdetailer

    sumdetailer Birth of a Detailer

    Even the carpets that are under the matts? You guys take them out and hang them up? :p:
     
  7. Bernhard

    Bernhard Birth of a Detailer

    If you don't have a vac for wet you can also use newspapers....
     
  8. shiny

    shiny Jedi Nuba


    lol. no. But the shop vac will get a majority of the water/cleaner out. Then you can use MF to absorb the rest. For carpets/wheels etc, I use the cheapie MF from Costco/SAMS club as they seem to work well for that purpose.

    Sometimes the carpets don't need to get very 'wet' either. Spray the cleaner into the carpet, agitate after a min or so and then wipe up with MF.
     
  9. Brent

    Brent Birth of a Detailer

    Newspapers? Wouldn't towels work better?

    Regardless, I would still recommend someone getting a wet vac. Would be much easier. Between wiping up the carpet cleaner and wiping up each time you rinse, you could go through a ton of towels (or newspapers).
     
  10. shiny

    shiny Jedi Nuba

    Never tried this.... I guess your carpet better be black.
     
  11. sumdetailer

    sumdetailer Birth of a Detailer

    I have a Lowes wet/dry vac 5.5 hp 12 gal, and it seems to take forever to dry up the "main" carpet and that is just from spraying 303 on a milk stain.

    It just seems not to dry it up, how long do you leave the hose on each spot before moving it? I swear i left it on for a good minute or so on each spot and still didn't dry it.
     
  12. Brent

    Brent Birth of a Detailer

    Yeah, no kidding. Ink everywhere.
     
  13. Brent

    Brent Birth of a Detailer

    The wet vac you have should be fine. Your wet vac will not dry up the carpets completely, only remove most of the water. After getting as much as you can get up with your vac, I would recommend rolling down the windows and having blowers directed at the carpet to dry the rest.

    Since I only own one blower (for now), I will generally only clean my carpet in fourths (ie the drivers side, then the passenger side, then the rear drivers side, then the rear passenger side. It takes me a course of a few days to do the whole car. I need to get about two more blowers so I can do the entire car in one afternoon or evening.
     
  14. pektel

    pektel DB Forum Supporter

    Just curious, what type of blower are you guys using?
     
  15. sami

    sami Virgin Detailer

    Hi guys,
    just a small advice.Don't overwet the carpet when you pretreat it and you want have any problems.
     
  16. Brent

    Brent Birth of a Detailer

    This is what I use:

    LASKO Utility Pivoting Blower Fan - 655702 at The Home Depot

    The blowing part revolves (if that make any sense). I put it on the edge of the seat and point it towards the floor. I let it blow over night. Several hours is probably enought but I don't want to risk mildew so I let it go all night long.

    I wish I had one or two more of them so I could have one or more areas drying while moving on to the next area. With just one of them, I generally clean the driver's side area first and then let the blower do its job over night. Then clean the passenger side the next day and let the blower dry it all night, then do once side of the rear carpet the next day and finally clean the other side of the rear carpet.
     
  17. Charlies02GLS

    Charlies02GLS Jedi Nuba

    Lowes carries those utility fans too, for me they're ~$20.00 less than HD.
     
  18. sumdetailer

    sumdetailer Birth of a Detailer

    Charlies, is this the one you were talking about?
     
  19. MWAUTOPRO

    MWAUTOPRO Jedi Nuba

  20. PERFECTION

    PERFECTION Birth of a Detailer

    I get my carpets very wet when cleaning them so using 6 inch wedges that I make from a 2x4 is the answer. After I finish vaccuming the car out and mf drying then I pop off the plastic that is between the door jamb and the carpet lift the carpet up and slide the wedge as far as it can with out getting my arm stuck then I repeat this wear ever there is access to the car. turn on a couple fans and let it sit for the night.
     

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