A car carpet can be wet for several. Downpour, spilling, leaks, it can be anything. There’s no question that it will spoil your mood. If you’re wondering you will have to seek professional care, you’re probably mistaken.
We know that a wet carpet may wreck your car’s interior in some cases, but the good part is that you can dry it yourself. Follow these simple DIY steps and rejuvenate your car carpets like new ones!
What Materials Do You Need Before Moving Forward?
It is very easy to dry your wet car carpet with a few readily available tools. Mostly, you will need to arrange the following materials-
- Vacuum
- Table fans (2-3)
- Soft towels
- Hand tools
- Detergent or vinegar
- Baking soda
- Brush (normal one with bristles)
- Works best in places like a garage or a low humidity environment to work
How To Dry Wet Car Carpet
Now that you’ve arranged all of these essentials, let’s get started with the DIY. We will enlist the causes coupled with the necessary steps.
Step 1. Park your car in a low-humidity zone
Before moving ahead with the process, park the car in a safe place like a garage. Since your vehicle needs more airflow, opening the doors, trunk, and windows is essential. Do this only if it’s sunny outside.
If there is a heavy downpour outside and you don’t have low humidity, shut the doors and windows and turn on your car’s heater. It will help in drying out the excess moisture from your carpet.
Step 2: Dry the moisture
If there is no downpour and you’ve parked the car in a garage, use a wet vacuum cleaner to dry out the excess moisture. You should first dry the surface of the damp carpet with a dry towel and then switch on the vacuum. You can keep the towel under the rug, and it will soak the moisture.
Vacuum drying after this will remove 100% moisture from the surface. It would be more convenient to purchase a vacuum with a handle to ease the process. You will easily find cheap vacuums online.
If you’re high on budget and don’t want to purchase a vacuum, then using a towel would also do the job.
Step 3: Remove the stain and make the carpet odorless
You can remove the stain and foul odor using two materials- detergent and baking soda.
Detergent/soap-
- Pour a detergent powder or soapy foam on the carpet.
- The chemicals will remove the bacteria and bad odor from the damp carpet.
- Wash the carpet.
- After that, gently press the soft towel against it and let it dry.
The other material, i.e., baking soda, effectively removes foul smells and stains. Pour the baking soda on the carpet and leave it for 1-2 hours, wash and then vacuum it. It is the best method of absorbing the moisture content from the damp carpet.
Baking soda is a common household material whose paste is even more effective than powder. Not sure how to make it? Follow these steps-
- Mix warm water with baking soda and stir.
- Stir it till the paste becomes thick.
- Now, apply the paste to the dirty area and spread it gently with a toothbrush.
- Leave it for 15-20 minutes and clean the surface with a damp towel.
Step 4: Table fans will dehumidify the carpet
Place table fans/electric fans near the doors of your car. The fans will help evaporate water from the carpet. Please note that it is a time-taking process, and you may have to keep the fan on and leave the carpet like that for at least 24-48 hours.
You can use a dehumidifier that works as a catalyst. Also, a blow dryer can be helpful in case the electric fans are not available and the damp area is small.
Step 5: Check beneath the carpet to see if water has been absorbed
If the floor mats are not made of cloth and any other material, let’s say plastic, then remove them from the car first.
- The backside of the carpet would collect some water on the doormat, so shake it off and let it dry up against the wall.
- Next, remove the carpet from the car with the help of a hand tool if necessary.
- After making it upright, dehumidify the backside of the carpet or use a fan for drying.
- Carpets have foam technology, so there are high chances that the backside will store the water underneath.
- Dry them with a towel and leave them for some time until no moisture is left on the surface.
- Please do the same with the plastic mats and ensure it is scorched from the soft towel.
- Now put them back in their original positions and check if no damping is left.
Step 6: Double-check everything, and you’re finally done!
Pat, you are back! You’ve finally dried the wet car carpet. Now have a final check if everything is on point and no moisture is left. You can also use other drying materials like dry rice and damp rid bags if the abovementioned resources are not available.
Now that the carpet is clean, dry, and dehumidified, you can finally close your car’s door and enjoy your ride.
Conclusion
Now you know how to dry the wet car carpet like a pro! Drying a wet carpet is as simple as drying a house carpet.
Not just water, but you will have to dry the carpet in case of any spills that stain the mat. Especially if your kid is accompanying your ride, then food spills are common in this case. If not this, then maybe you’ve forgotten to close the cap of your Tupperware, and the food spilled out from the loose lid.
It can be any situation, but the steps to clean and then dry the carpet remain the same. Instead of taking your car to a professional, follow this easy DIY guide to dry your wet carpet next time.
