So my front floor mats seem to have picked up a faint odor from all our outdoors trips. I suspect they've gotten wet one to many times over the years.

I've tried washing them out with a turtle wax carpet cleaner, then cleaned with an oxie based cleaner, plus regular laundry soap and some baking soda. Nothing has gotten this smell out.

Most of the time it cannot be smelled, but on a really hot day the car smells a little off. It really bothers me as the car is otherwise kept immaculate.

Any thoughts on what I might use to get this taken care of?

 

Fabreeze?

 

I'd say Fabreeze too. If that doesn't work you might try renting an ozone generator.

 

new mats?

 

new mats?

 

Was thinking of trying this...



New mats are $100, and I'm thinking I want to do the legend calipers before I get new mats.

 

You've probably got some nice mildew colonies going down in the fibers. It's going to be downright impossible to kill it off now without damaging the mats. Step one is definitely getting them bone dry.

 

Also, check your trunk for wet towels. I usually wipe-dry my car with a towel and toss it in the the trunk...and that's a no no!
For a while I couldnt figure out what it was...rolled down windows when I go to lunch, but after parking and it's time to go home after work the smell was back. I guess the mix from all the bug carcasses and juices and the dirty water in the towels fermented in the oven-turned-trunk and the 'aroma' seeped through the back seat into the cabin! Yuck!

 

So here is my plan, coat them in this new cleaner. Risen and leave out in the sun for 2 days.

Think that'll get them dry enough?

Thoughts on getting them really dry?

 

I SOAKED mine in cleaner, and pressure washed them until there was no more suds coming off them. I squeezed the water out of them, and let them hang dry for a day. Works like a charm

 

Quick rinse and sun dry outside for a day ... works wonders.

 

When I worked at a detail shop we used to use the pressure wash on them and it worked well.

 

Yup, I learned to do that when I owned a detail business.

 

This seemed to work, carpets have no smell.