Ross Vincenti wrote:
> Peter - If you know someone with a Hoover "Green Machine", borrow it
> and use it to clean the carpets while they are outside of the car
> (don't try this when they are installed - too much liquid gets in and
> it takes forever to dry). Otherwise, you can rent a carpet cleaner,
> although that is a bit of overkill.
>
> If all it needs is a gentle overall cleaning, pick a warm sunny day,
> spread it out on the driveway, use a bucket of WARM water and a carpet
> cleaning solution from a local auto parts store, dip a scrub brush
> into the bucket, gently scrub the carpet all over, and let dry. Once
> dry, vacuum thoroughly.
>
> BTW, I do not recommend the aresol foam carpet cleaner available from
> auto parts stores, as it is really only good for spot cleaning. If as
> you say it is not too dirty, the most important thing is to be gentle
> on the carpet.
After years of owning a Bissell carpet cleaner, I have a few tips. Avoid using
any cleaning solution. If you have to use cleaning solution rinse extremely
well. The any cleaning solution left will attract dirt and trap it in the
carpet. Any cleaning solution residue will cause the fibers to matte quicker.
Straight water used in one of these machines does a wonderful job on plain old
dirt.
Since you have the carpets out, hang and beat them the old fashion way, then
vacuum well. Next, hose down well and use a carpet machine with straight water
or even a shop vacuum to remove the bulk of the water. If this is not clean
enough, hand wash them with Woolite, the type for delicate undies, not the
carpet stuff. Rinse with a hose well and use a carpet machine or a shop vac to
extract as much water as you can.
When rinsing with the hose pay special attention to the back of the carpet.
Blast it from the back with the hose to loosen the years of crude build up. A
carpet expert I talked with said that most carpets fail because a layer a crude
forms on the backing and slowly shears the fibers off at the base. He also
said lanolin cleaners are bad for carpets (this is why I recommend trying just
straight water).
Peter J. Thomas
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