Plastic mats are loved not just because they are cheaper but because they are easier to clean and maintain. However, that does not stop them from being one of the dirtiest things in your car. Without regular cleaning, you can end up with unsightly stains and unhealthy germs that will stick to the surface of the mat and multiply over time. If you're looking at how to clean plastic car mats, here's our guide for the best result.
Just like in any other car mat cleaning process, you should remove the mats out of the car. This stage of cleaning should be carefully done so you don't leave dirt on the inside your car. Follow this with shaking and hitting the mat on a hard surface to get rid of all loose food and dirt particles on the car mats. Be careful if you have lightweight plastic car mats as they can tear with rigorous shaking.
Vacuum the plastic car mats
Vacuuming the plastic car mats should be your next step. This removes dirt and food particles with a vacuum cleaner even as you scrub the mat's surface with a brush. Scrubbing the surface loosens stuck particles as the vacuum cleaner sucks the dirt. By the end of this process, you'll have gotten rid of heavy soiling.
Use water and soap
We can't finish a how to clean plastic car mats guide without using soap and water. Use a mild soap and water solution to clean the mat with a sponge or a piece of cloth. An example of a mild soap and water solution is 1 gallon of water, 1/4 cup of detergent, and 1/4 teaspoon of ammonia. You might need more or less of this, so use this ratio as a point of reference. Here is how to go about cleaning your mat:
- Soak the mat in a solution of water, detergent and ammonia for at least 15 minutes.
- Then, use a sponge or a piece of cloth to apply a soap and water solution to the mat and scrub it to remove any dirt or oil accumulated on the mat.
Cleaning oil or grease off plastic mats
One of the biggest inconveniences for vehicle owners during the process of cleaning their car mats is getting rid of oil or grease from the mats. Oil and grease can't just be scraped off your mat and can be a hassle to clean up without leaving marks. That's because water doesn't mix with oil. If you use cold water, you spread the oil or grease even further, which doesn't help with the problem.
The best way to get it off is to pour a handful of baking soda on the grease stain while it is still wet. Let it stay for about 15 minutes and scrape it off after the cooking oil dries. Follow this up by vacuuming to leave a clean mat surface. If this doesn't work, try wiping the mat with a solution of warm water and dishwashing detergent.
Cleaning plastic mats that smell gross
Though this doesn't often happen with plastic car mats, it's not a strange thing to deal with your car mats smelling like wet dogs. You might have spilt food or some liquid on them.
Luckily, most mat smells go away with the usual cleaning processes we have mentioned above. But if your smell persists, you may have to take other measures to get it to go away. Soak your mats in a solution of water, baking soda and vinegar for thirty minutes or so and then rinse them.
Rinse and dry your mat
Rinsing your mats won't be a hard task. Just run plenty of clean water over it. Use a hose pipe or pressure washer to blast out dirt and cleaning residue from all corners of the plastic mat. The next obvious step is to put your car mat in a suitable place so it dries off.
You can hang them on a line or lay them on a surface in an open space. Plastic mats take just a few minutes to dry.
Dress your plastic car mats to fully restore them
You should get a quality plastic sealer that's specially designed for plastic mats. It's critical that you get a designated plastic mat sealer to avoid making them greasy and slippery. Using an incorrect sealer may expose the users of your vehicle to accident risks. A good sealer will maintain the shape and thickness of the mat to prevent tears that can damage it. You also want sealers to be easy to clean when they get grimy.
You should apply the sealant on the surfaces of your plastic car mats. This will help you to avoid stains from spills and dirt from getting embedded.
A summary on how to clean plastic car mats
Among the many things you should do to keep your car looking and functioning well is to take care of your car mats. Cleaning and regularly maintaining your mats ensures that you have fresh space in your vehicle. This guide shows you exactly how to clean plastic car mats and get the best results. Applying a good coat of sealant on them once a week will ensure that there are no dirt and oil stains to gum up the mat.
If you're after more tips regarding cleaning your car mats, why not see our ultimate guide on how to clean car mats? Providing an in depth guide on how to thoroughly clean your car mats.
