Teach me how to clean carpets (salt, oil stains)

Heat and Chemicals can be just as dangerous if not used properly.

If I were working on high end vehicles, I would probably upgrade to something a little less invasive. But for the DD's I work on, the carpet is not in good condition to begin with.

For example, the last interior I did was a 99 s10 blazer. 187000 miles, never had the interior cleaned besides a quick vacuum at the car wash and some armor all on the dash. Oh, and they also have 2 kids

Needless to say, that extraction alone took close to 4-5 hours.

 

help me understand.

what extractor did you use? you suggested that I upgrade to something a little less evassive, what would you suggest?

what chemicals do you use for protein based stains and which chemicals do you use for heavily soiled carpets?

have you ever used a steamer like the vx5000 to presteam the carpets before then using an extractor? this method does not scold the carpet or burn it. with the the heated water vapor and heat everything disolves out of the carpet rather then melting off and potentionally bonding further to the carpet.

always looking to learn the methods of others and would love to hear how you cleaned the interior of an s10 blazer that has been thrashed so badly.

thanks

godoman

 

lol. I meant my personal tools. I have no steamer, and my "extractor" is a bissell little greeen machine proheat. I meant I myself would upgrade to a vx5000 and a good extractor if I were working on higher end vehicles.

I see nothing wrong with your process, in fact quite the opposite. I just felt it should be said that without the proper knowledge, those tools you use can potentially damage the carpet as well. I didn't want a novice to read this, get a steamer and extractor, and potentially damage the carpet by using improper chemicals, or improper process.

Sorry for the misunderstanding. :thumb:

 

no worries, I was confused because I thought my process with the steamer and the extractor was great and really fast. you mentioned upgrading and I was thinking there is an even better/faster way of doing it. for me speed and quality is everything so I was looking forward to hearing your method.

as for damaging the carpet goes. you would have to leave something like megs all purpose cleaner (the green stuff) on the carpet soaking (which would bleach if not diluted properly) and then steam the carpet in one place not moving the steamer back and fourth/up and down.

the most important thing to understand with using the vx5000 steamer is that for the really bad floor matts (front matts) they usually get saturated with water from the steamer (on very high setting), this is because the hot water vx hot steam is much more effective. the truck is to have the strongest water lift on your extractor to pull all of this out and then re-steam the carpet again.

the rest of the carpet in the car/truck can be extracted using the old fashioned method of lightly brushing and then using "just" the extractor with its 100psi (+) solution spray and extraction as most of the dirt and grime is on the floor matts.

so, focus hard core on the floor matts with this method and treat the rest of the car with just a pre-spray (maybe) and the carpet extractor of your choice. for me the hard part is finding the smallest extractor with the most water lift.

good luck

godoman

 

Nice treads, and tricks. I bought a brush for my rotary from CG's and use it on an old rotary before vac.. Then in bad areas I use it again to scub my soap in before extracting. I also have next put anything in my Mytee Spyder. I mix my soap in a weed sprayer and apply it in that manner. Scrub it down and extract it up.

 

what would you use on rubber all weather mats? tire cleaner?

 

APC, brush and I use 303 protectant to make them look better. its dries nicely

 

Do a search here for Grouse and carpet cleaning. i think he gave some very good advice on how to clean carpets and leather.

what you read a lot when carpet cleaning is to vac, vac, and vac to pick up the loose dirt. then you pre-treat stains, then if you do not have an extractor then use a insecticide sprayer the 2 gallon type with your chemicals/carpet shampoo to spray down your carpet, now use your shop vac to extract. then use your rinsing water to remove soap from carpet, extract again with your shop vac then dry with fan.