Five Ways To Keep Your Car's Carpet Fresh
Keeping your car's carpet clean ensures the inside of the vehicle looks great every time you use it. It can also ensure you get the highest possible value for the car if you subsequently decide to sell or trade in. If you've just bought a brand new car, then consider these five tips from Hall Acura Virginia Beach to help ensure the floor carpet stays in tip-top condition.
Buy good quality mats as soon as possible. For most makes and models of production car, there are a host of different mats on the market. Car mats are extremely useful when it comes to keeping your carpet clean, because they provide a physical barrier between the upholstery and any water, spills, dirt or debris. Buy the best mats your budget can stretch to. The better quality the mat, the longer it will last and the more likely it is they will fit very snugly. Our dealership is able to give you details of mats supplied by our manufacturer. Remember to consider the cost of mats in both the front and rear of the vehicle.
Have a clear food and drink policy. Stains on your car's carpets are likely to occur as a result of food or drink spilt or trodden into the upholstery. One way around this problem is to ban eating and drinking in the car, or limit it to food and drink items that are easily cleaned up. Even if you are on a long car journey, you can always leave the road to have a snack—there is no real reason anybody needs to drink or eat in your car.
Carry emergency protection. You can't always predict extreme circumstances. A sudden downpour outside might leave your passengers with wet, muddy feet, for example, and if you haven't got mats for protection, you should make sure you carry the next best thing. Sheets of newspaper can offer some protection, but they're not terribly waterproof. Opt instead to carry empty carrier bags or plastic sheets, which can quickly be placed on the floor to avoid stains. This is particularly useful when pets are concerned, as you cannot normally persuade dogs to wipe their feet before they jump in your car!
Set up an emergency cleaning kit. With the best will in the world, you can never quite predict when accidents happen. Some substances are fairly easy to remove straight after they have been spilt, but if you leave them too long, they can permanently damage the carpet. Carry a cleaning kit in the trunk so that you can quickly react to spills. Keep a trigger spray of glass cleaner on hand, as this can be very effective on stains like coffee. A small tin of paint thinner will be useful if you spill anything greasy on the carpet. Hairspray can lift ink out of a carpet, and simple baking soda and water is a good antidote if anybody is sick on the carpet.
Protect the carpet. If your carpet is brand new, or you have recently had it professionally cleaned, you might want to consider investing in Scotchgard™. Scotchgard™ provides a range of chemical treatments intended to protect upholstery. This includes fabric and upholstery sprays, which apply an invisible layer onto the carpet's surface. This subsequently repels oil and water by causing liquids to form small beads on the surface of the carpet that you can then easily wipe or dab away with a cloth. You can buy products for use at home, or talk to us about having your car's entire upholstery treated.