Carpet Cleaning 101

[thomas91169]

Anyone got a good writeup and product to use?

My carpet has gotten soaked due to a blown heater core spewing its contents out over a long period of time, and years of standard use.

The nice looking part is how it *should* look. The rest is stained and ugly after 14 years of existence. Didnt notice it until I popped off the dead pedal on how bad it really was.

Ive heard of people putting the entire carpet mold into a large 55gal drum and soaking it in the hottest water possible with detergent and degreaser and letting it sit for a few days. Then removing, rinsing and agitating any still there spots and repeating if necessary, then letting air-dry and re-installing.

Wondering if anyone has any pointers on a good product to use for this sort of task. Id like to restore it to as new as possible, the alternative is a $200 aftermarket carpet mold from stockinteriors.com. Let me know, thanks!

 

[07COBRAVENOM]

SO honestly the only method I have ever used worked ok at best for me. However mine was a bit more extreme then yours. Try being fully submerged in a watering hole type of damage. What I ended up doing was renting a rug doctor and getting the portable attachment and going to town on the carpet. Just a idea.

 

[Fox-4]

I use the manual attachment on my Bissell spot bot. It works fine but I want a steam cleaner.

 

[ryan071587]

Id use a degreaser like purple power along with a power washer will get a lot of it out hardest part is getting it dry

 

[zaxjax]

I have a Bissel Little Green Machine that is awesome. You can add in cleaning solutions and makes the carpet brand new again.

I use Woolite for gentle cleanings and Simple Green or Krud Kutter on tough stains

 

[Evan5469]

I have a Bissel Little Green Machine that is awesome.

+1. That thing works great.

 

[thomas91169]

Someone on another forum entioned taking it to one of those car wash shacks and using their shampoo and a spot degreaser/cleaner and powerwasher when done.

Guess I got some options on the table with this one.

 

[Fox-4]

What about renting a rug doctor?

 

[thomas91169]

I dunno, it sounds a bit overkill and cumbersome to use on a 5x8 swatch of carpet thats molded with vertical and rounded areas.

Plus I think I can get a 55gal can and solution from home depot for cheaper.

 

[offroadkarter]

I used a bissel spot bot + simple green on my bronco, and the spot bot by itself for my brothers explorer. I didn't get every last stain out but it made a huge difference.

Before

After

Explorer:

The camera flash always brings out any wet spots and makes the carpet look like a mess :bored:

Before:

After

 

[thomas91169]

I have it soaking in a big new garbage bin with a 25/25/25/25 mix of Simple Green, Laundry Detergent, Zep Spot Cleaner and Oxy Clean. Going to let it soak for a few days and agitate daily and see what happens.

more pics

 

[thomas91169]

Finish and Dried:

Id say a HUGE improvement. Thats as clean as this carpet is ever going to get.

cant wait to get a damn heater core (trying to not spend any $$$ going to vegas in 2wks) and get the interior back in. Have some other stuff going in as well (gauges, new speakers all around+wiring, etc) so itll be a nice changeup.