All You Need to Know About Auto Carpet Mats

Adding an auto carpet to your vehicle will go a long way in protecting it and preventing inadvertent damages because of rough footwear, dirt or carelessness of your passengers. Apart from being functional, well-chosen carpeting in your vehicle can transform its interiors and make it look luxurious, even if your car is a basic model.

With lots of functionality benefits, the many colors in which these carpets come just add to the reasons why you should consider them. After all, with the many types open to you to choose from, you will certainly not be left wanting.

Types of Auto Carpets

  • Molded carpets:
    These carpets are usually molded so that the contours of the floor pan fit exactly. There is padding included in places, and there are heel pads as well. These carpets may also come with kick panels, door panels, tail gate pieces and wheel wells. They add sound control as well as heat to the car, and are easy to install.
  • Cut and sewn carpets:
    These carpets are cut using Computer Aided Design (CAD) and they are controlled using CNC equipment to get the correct fit for your car. These have surge or vinyl bound edges and padding and heel pads. Available in ultra plush variants as well as cut pile, these auto carpets give the interior of your car a very posh look. On the other hand, there are heavy duty vinyl alternatives for taxis, cabs, SUVs, jeeps and utility vehicles.

Maintaining Your Auto Carpets

Your auto carpets can last you for a long time if you maintain them well. When carpets get threadbare or worn out, you need to replace them. Carpet replacement may seem easy but it is a lot of work. Whatever is on the carpet, such as seats, seat belt anchors, center consoles, kick plates, sill plates, rear seats, side panels as well as electrical connectors are to be removed. Next, rust or corrosion at the floor pan is to be repaired or painted so that the rust is stopped before a new auto carpet is laid.

All auto carpets are susceptible to stains. Rather than just discarding your carpet because of stubborn stains, use these tips to get rid of them.

  1. Coffee spills should be diluted immediately with cold water and should be blotted with paper towels or a clean cloth. If the stain still remains, it should be sprayed with glass cleaner and then blotted.
  2. Grease stains are removed by rubbing paint thinner on them with a cotton cloth. The stain should then be covered with salt so that the grease is absorbed, and it should then be vacuumed. An alternative is to cover it with cornmeal overnight and then vacuum it in the morning.
  3. Hairspray is used to remove pen ink stains. Salt, too, can be used to remove stains from your auto carpets.
  4. Carsickness stains should be diluted with a mixture of water and baking soda or with diluted club soda.
  5. Blood stains are easy to remove with dry laundry starch and cold water. Dry the area and brush it off.
  6. For general stains, a gallon of hot water and generous amounts of dish detergent should be used, along with a cup of white wine vinegar. Next, a bristle brush should be used to work this into the carpet fibers. It should be left for 30 minutes and then blotted with rags or dry towels.

While an auto carpet can make your vehicle look way more luxurious and classy, you need to take the right care of your carpets so that you get good value for your money. Choose the carpet that suits your needs and get it installed by a professional, and maintenance will be all that you need to worry about.

Image credit: Lexis carpet on Flickr

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