When it comes to car accessories, car floor mats top the list. And that’s a good reason to look for car mat cleaners. Let us tell you why. Your car mat faces the most dirt, dust, grime, and whatever it is that gets under your shoe. You constantly step on your floor mat, causing regular wear and tear that needs attention once in a while. You can argue by saying your car mats are cheap and thus replaceable. Well, yes. If there is a rip or crack, then it needs to be replaced. But in most cases, you can use car mat cleaners, and your car mats will be as good as new ones.

How to Clean Car Floor Mats?

You know how doormats can have quotes saying, “Please take your shoes off,” and we oblige. Sadly, you can’t do that for your car. You don’t know what you’ve carried with your shoes, and most of us clean only when it gets visibly dirty. Don’t you miss the new car days when it always looked clean, but not anymore? Now we have to put in the effort to clean and give it that extra oomph. 

As an automobile owner in Australia, you may keep the interior of your car clean and fresh. But your floor covering gets dirty each time you enter your vehicle. The material of these mats plays a major role in their durability and how often they need cleaning. Heavy-duty mats may last up to five years with proper care. But it’s good to check them for damage every year. 

Rubber, plastic, and foam mats have a lifespan of about twelve months. The amount of dirt and spills they can handle will be lower as compared to the heavy-duty mats. Depending on your use, in-depth or simple vacuuming can bring your floor mats back to life. If you’re struggling to find the best car floor mats, we’ve already written an article about them to help you. 

Read it here: How to Pick the Best Car Floor Mats For Your Car

What Makes Your Car Mats Dirty?

Your car frequently comes in contact with elements like dust, dirt, heat, and water. While the exterior of your vehicle is built to sustain against these elements, you need to protect the interior. Regular upkeep of your car floor mats is essential, irrespective of their material. Car mat cleaners will help you ensure that your car mats are clean and also extend their life. So let’s look at some of the things that can wear out your car mats.

When the temperatures are soaring, it can get hot and humid in Australia. Direct sunlight can damage the upholstery of your car. Over time, the fabric colour tends to fade and dulls the look of your vehicle’s interior. The humidity that accompanies the heat will leave dampness on your car floor as well as your seat. This dampness can cause the growth of mildew and cause permanent damage to the upholstery, with replacement being the only option.
If your car carpet holds moisture, it will eventually also start to smell. It is extremely difficult to get rid of this musty smell and will cost a lot of dollars.

The surface of your car mats and the base of your shoe comes in constant contact. If you’ve been hiking, fishing, or anywhere in the woods, you bring back mud and dirt to your car. These elements are collected in the ridges of your floor mats and start to accumulate over time. If not taken care of, this restricts the capacity to hold debris, and the floor mat loses its purpose. Similarly, food and drinks leave stains and spills that start to smell if not cleaned in time.

Many women wear stilettos and sandals that have sharp heels. These heels can leave holes in your floor mats and damage them permanently. Once the floor mat cracks or is torn, it gets difficult to save it from further damage. Pets tend to scratch and scrape on carpets and rugs as well. Car floor mats protect the original carpet from damage but need maintenance to survive if this happens repeatedly.

The Best Car Mat Cleaners Available on Amazon.au

  • 1 car fabric cleaner bottle A$90.55
    • Stain Remover
    • Removes foul odours
    • Restores fabric to look like new
    Buy on Amazon
  • 2 red and black car interior cleaner bottle A$37.89
    • Spotless cleaning
    • Safe for all fabrics
    • No smell or scent
    Buy on Amazon
  • 3 Cleaning liquid bottle A$80.53
    • Citrus-based Cleaner
    • Foam Activated Formula
    • Works Fast on Heavily Soiled Floor Mats
    Buy on Amazon

Adam’s Rubber Mat & Liner Cleaner

This citrus-based cleaner will leave your car interior smelling fresh. It cleans the dirt and grime to restore your car flooring. The instructions say that you must spray and let it sit for 30 seconds. Then using a brush, scrub the mat to get rid of everything. 

Buy on Amazon

 

Carfidant Ultimate Car Interior Cleaner

This is an all-purpose car cleaner that works with car carpets and upholstery made of leather, vinyl, cloth, or plastic. The packaging includes a microfiber towel that you can use to clean off the liquid. It is a very versatile and gentle cleaner that will take care of all your car cleaning needs, inside and outside. 

Buy on Amazon

 

Chemical Guys Foaming Citrus Fabric Clean

As an upholstery shampoo, this is the quickest and most effective spot and stain remover shampoo. It removes stubborn stains from fabric and car carpet like a pro. Its odor-eliminating elements provide lasting results. It does not contain any harmful chemicals and is safe to use on any fabric and upholstery. This product is concentrated and must be diluted before use. Chemical Guys has another one of their highly rated product that you can buy from their website Chemguys.com

Buy on Amazon

 

MICHELIN Fabric Cleaner to Restore Upholstery & Neutralise Bad Odours

It works great on all floor mat materials, like carpet and vinyl. But this product should not be used on leather floor mats or leather car seat covers. It’s efficient in removing tough stains from your car floor mats, and along with cleaning, this product also gets rid of odours. So if you’ve been worried about your car interiors getting smelly, give this product a try.

Buy on Amazon

 

Buyplus Car Interior Cleaner

If you’ve been looking for a deep cleaning kit for your car, this product is just that and more. You can use it for your car auto detailing and other things around the house like watering plants. As a pressure cleaner, it avoids scrubbing, and the pressure can be adjusted according to your need. Simply fill the cannon with cleaning liquid and get to work.

Buy on Amazon

 

Adam’s Waterless Detailer Spray for Car Detailing

This Adam’s waterless spray is also known as the magic spray. It is a very versatile product and can be used on multiple surfaces of your car. When used with a microfiber rag or towel, it gives you the best results. A gallon will go a long way and also extend the life and shine of your car.

Buy on Amazon

 

NANOMAN Nano-Technology Car Fabric & Upholstery Care

This eco-friendly product is created to clean your car’s interior upholstery and is safe to use on all fabrics, including leather. It effectively gets rid of spills, stains, dirt, and mud from your car.

Buy on Amazon

 

Car Mat Cleaning Tools

Sometimes it is not enough to use cleaning solutions alone. There are many steps involved in the process of cleaning car mats. For example, vacuuming is the quickest and easiest way to maintain your car and keep dirt and dust away. For certain harsh stains, you need brushes and scrubs along with liquid cleaning solutions. And so, we’ve listed down a few cleaning tools that will come in handy on your next car cleaning Sunday!

Portable Car Vacuum Cleaner

  1. Portable vacuum
  2. Lightweight with a high suction power
  3. Sixteen feet cord
  4. Three nozzle heads
  5. Easy to reach nooks and corners
  6. Package includes a bag, a cleaning brush, one extra HEPA filter
A$52.88

 

DrillBrush Cleaning Tool Attachment Kit

  1. Four inches flat brush, especially for carpet and floor mats
  2. Flat brush is suitable to clean strong stains from car floor mats
  3. All brushes compatible with drills
  4. No questions asked 90 days money-back guarantee
  5. 14,655 ratings on Amazon with 4.6 stars.
A$28.35

 

COLOURLOCK Leather & Textile Cleaning Brush

  1. Manufactured in Germany
  2. Designed especially for leather covers and exteriors
  3. Work well with leather and other luxury floor mats
  4. Easily removes dirt and dust from ridges
  5. Can also be used to brush car seat covers
A$17.00

 

Holikme 19Piece Drill Brush Attachments Set

  1. Great set for auto detailing
  2. Includes six brushes, nine pads, and two sponges
  3. Nylon bristles ensure clean surfaces with no scratches
A$45.99

 

GreatCool Microfiber Mop Mitt, Brush Duster, Cleaning Tool Dust Collector

  1. Two in one chenille can be used in the interior and exterior of your car
  2. Multi-purpose tool can be used to dust, scrub and clean car floor mats
  3. Can be used on wet and dry surfaces
A$43.50

 

Silicone Gloves with Wash Scrubber

  1. Great for when you don’t want to get your hands dirty while cleaning your floor mats
  2. Can be used as a scrubber and gloves
  3. Protects your hands from cleaning sprays
  4. Available in four colours
A$9.99

 

MR.SIGA Microfiber Cleaning Cloth

  1. Microfiber cloths to clean liquid spills
  2. Easily stored in your car for emergencies
  3. Quickly absorbs water
  4. Lint-free cloth dries quickly
A$23.99

 

Microfiber Plush Drying Towel for Car Cleaning

  1. Premium microfiber cleaning towel
  2. Quickly absorbs liquids and dries fast
  3. Soft texture cleans dust
  4. Can be used for cleaning interiors and exteriors
  5. Available in three colours and sizes
A$6.80

 

Different types of mats will need different types of treatments. When selecting car mat cleaners and cleaning tools, be mindful of your fabric and material. As stated above, most cleaners are compatible with all materials except for leather. Since leather falls under the luxurious category, it needs specific cleaners like the Carfidant Ultimate Car Interior Cleaner or the NANOMAN Car Fabric & Upholstery Care.

Rubber car mats are a top choice for many car drivers in Australia. A big reason for this is their durability and resistance to sustain everyday life. For the best results, remove your car floor mats from the car before you clean them. To begin with, use water to soak or spray them. Then depending on the kind of stain, you can choose to scrub or not. You can get rid of dust and dirt with just water and pressure cleaning. But if you have elements stuck in the ridges, you may want to be more thorough. Rinse your car mats with water as the final step before you leave them to dry. Ensure that your car mats are completely dry before you put them back in your car.

If you are using a cleaning solution or spray to get rid of stains, you need to follow a few extra steps. Some cleaners must be mixed with water before you can use them. Therefore, don’t forget to read the instructions before using any car mat cleaners. If your cleaning solution leaves a strong unpleasant smell, you may need to use a fabric cleaner or an air freshener to get rid of the smell. Again, whether you are using water or a cleaning solution, you must ensure that the floor mat is dry before you install them in your car.

If you give your car for auto detailing, you don’t need to worry about any of this. But if you do it yourself, please be mindful of your interiors and the instructions given on the cleaning products. All in all, a clean space makes a happy place, and you want to be happy when you’re driving.