Carpets tend to be one of the most neglected parts of a car. Owners drag in rain, mud, and snow during the winter—and that's before adding in kids and dogs! It's easy to see why a lot of people come to the conclusion that cleaning their automotive carpets is a wasted effort. In reality, carpet cleaning is an important part of a car detail. Otherwise, all of that accumulated grit and grime keeps getting embedded deeper and deeper into the carpet fibers. So even if the carpet will start getting dirty again right away, it's still important to start over with a clean slate now and then!
Even people who know how important it is to keep their carpets clean sometimes have questions about the right way to do it. The first step, of course, is to vacuum the carpets to remove as much loose debris as possible. After that, car owners have a couple of choices, both in method and in execution of that method:
Steam Cleaning
Some people regard steam cleaning as the gold standard when it comes to cleaning automotive carpeting during a car detail. During a steam cleaning, super-heated steam is blown deep into the carpet to loosen debris and stains, which are then suctioned out. This happens without leaving the carpet sopping wet, which could lead to mold. The problem, however, is that steam cleaning isn't safe for all types of automotive carpet. In fact, in can do significant damage to a variety of carpet fibers. When it comes to steam cleaning, the risks aren't worth the benefits, especially since there's another method that works just as well (if not better): heat extraction.
Heat Extraction
Heat extractors are also known as carpet shampooers. Some people lump them in with steam cleaners, but that's not accurate as heat extractors use hot water, not steam. That may seem like a minor detail, but hot water extractors are much better for your carpet. Hot water mixed with a chemical cleaning agent is forced into the carpet. Then, a strong vacuum removes the solution, the dirt, and most of the water. However, sometimes the carpet is still a little damp and, if the floor mats are replaced before the carpet finishes drying, that provides an invitation for mold and mildew.
Heat extraction the Mr. Clean Car Wash Way
Mr. Clean Car Wash's car detail packages do use heat extraction—with an added bonus: The cleaning solution contains chemical drying agents that speed up the evaporation process, reducing the chance of damp carpet creating further problems. Visit Mr. Clean Car Wash today to learn more about how the heat extraction used in our car detail process can improve your automotive carpets appearance.