My car is a kid mover, and they're small and messy. I have a Dyson that I drag out periodically, but it doesn't do that great a job.

i've tried brushing the carpets with toothbrushes to get the junk out of narrow crevices along the floors, but it never works that well.

I've just learned that the professional guys take the seats OUT to clean tHe carpets. Genius! But I doubt my skills in getting them back in safely.

Tips for getting the carpets cleaner?

Thanks much.

 

I think Griot's Garage has some type of Carpet Cleaners. Have you taken a look @ WeatherTech Floor Mats they hold a lot of Crud and keep the Carpets from being pulverized!! Best part is they clean up great with a 50/50 solution of Simple Green, then a Vinyl/Rubber Protectant will keep them looking like new.

 

Thanks so much.

Having spent some time poking around this forum I think my so-so results are due to my not spending all that much time working on my detailing efforts.

Small children keep wanting stuff from me.

I actually have the rubber mats (and now I know how to clean 'em, thanks) it's the narrow spaces between the seats that I can't get into, but I've learned there are special detailing attachments you can get. Who knew?

Thanks again. I'll spend a little more time next time.

 

Life happens and your MINI is used for what it was intended, it can't blame you for that!!

 

Get a brush for the vacuum, & a crevice tool. Go over the same area multiple times, pull out all the mats, move the seats all the back/forward.

You might want to get a wet/dry vac for the car, & use a carpet shampoo to loosen up some of the deep dirt. Spray, brush, vacuum, repeat.

 

I would avoid a 50/50 mix of simple green thats pretty strong if not completely removed it could delaminate the backing of the carpet and cause it to wear out quicker.

 

Uhhh...NO!! That's why you use a 50/50 Solution, 50% SG/50% Water, it's diluted. Spray directly on the textured side of the mat, wipe off, then use the MF to wipe down the rest of the mat...CLEAN...DONE!! To protect Mat use a 50/50 Solution of Rubber/Vinyl Protectant
(I use Prima Nero), the same way!!

 

Be very careful with Simple Green. It is a corrosive! It also doesn't like to come off/out of things. It will soften adhesives, & corrode bare metal, & alloys.

After you use SG, go over the carpets with 100% water 2-3 more times, to get out all the SG.

Cleaning rubber mats out side the car, SG is fine for that! However, a good rubber cleaner is even better.

I don't like using it, & have seen the damage it can cause over time.

 

The MSDS would disagree. Daily exposure during a 3 week period produced very mild irritation on the skin. Hell, you can drink it and get nothing worse than an upset stomach. You get worse travelling to Mexico.

http://www.simplegreen.com/pdfs/MSDS...oseCleaner.pdf

 

Yes, it's not "acid" based, but to high Alkaline can also corrode. This is from my personal experience. I have seen HRE (naked Aluminum) dull & oxidize from SG use, & have also seen ALU engine parts do the same with SG use. Unless you are cleaning skin off the car, what it does to skin is not a yard stick for cleaning power, or accumulated use.

It is also hard to wash out of fabrics with out using a lot of water (like carpets). This can leave them sticky, & attract more dirt. It can also over time separate the glue & fibers from carpets.

Now will a one time use, or a couple of uses kill your car? NO. Of course if you do dilute it, it will also lessen the damage. But then diluted it doesn't clean worth poop.

If you put it up to a good APC (all purpose cleaner), you will see SG is not only a poor cleaner, but will also take more time, & has potential for damage down the line. My point is, there are far better APC's out there made for you car, & will work better, have more uses, & most importantly be safe.

 

Are you sure you know what "corrode" means? Aluminum, by it's nature, oxidizes almost instantly upon exposure to oxygen (contained in water, soil, air, whatever) but once it oxidzes it's pretty much impervious to anything and I am absolutely sure it didn't corrode anything.

I'm not saying SG is the greatest cleaner in the world, and I agree that is a PITA to get it out of fabrics, but your "sky is falling" warning about SG are baseless and unfounded. If EVERY governmental classification body in the country doesn't classify it as a corrosive (be it a base or an acid) and it's safer to drink that the water in some areas of the U.S. then it's NOT a corrosive.

 

Been using diluted simple green for years, best cleaner I've used (and I have tried tons) and I've never seen any damage done. Nothing cleans my rubber floor matts better then letting them soak in simple green, and then spraying on 303. But to each his own.

 

Safer then water? I get the point you are making, but drinking something, & using something to clean, are not the same. Hardly "sky is falling", but you even admit, it's not the best.

Ok, maybe "corrode" like acid etch is a bad word to use. But it can leave pock marks, turn it dull & leave a whitish covering, like heavy oxidization. This is commonly known in the detailing community.

Found this on SG web page, so hardly "unfounded"

Simple Green's website says; "The aqueous-base and alkalinity of Simple Green or Crystal Simple Green can accelerate the corrosion process. Therefore, contact times of All-Purpose Simple Green and Crystal Simple Green with unprotected or unpainted aluminum surfaces should be kept as brief as the job will allow - never for more than 10 minutes."

The US Army says; "Don't use Simple Green to wash aircraft or aircraft components. ... This product has been through DoD testing and was determined to be highly corrosive on aircraft aluminum. It can also be a catalyst for hydrogen embrittlement in high strength aircraft alloys."

 

It will work well on rubber mats, not say it doesn't work on stuff, it does. I personally would never spray it on a car, or in a car. Rubber mats outside the car go for it.

I use this, for everything, just dilute for strength, & it works a little better on rubber/vinyl then SG.

http://www.detailersdomain.com/1zein...erblitz-2.aspx

For degreasing & harder to remove stuff

http://www.detailersdomain.com/1zeinszett-w99.aspx

 

Hi there modimum,

I drive my kids daily also. They are ages 5 and 10, so not really little, but the car still gets dirty. My crevice attachment for my vacuum workds great to get into those tight spots between the seats and I use it almost every week. When I got my new MINI in May of last year, I also changed the rules about snacks in the car. No things that make crumbs, and no drinks except water, which I keep near me to minimize spills. Basically the kids are on a tic-tac and water diet in the car. At least they are big enough that they don't need snacks every time we get in the car.

Good luck!

 

"Aqueous nature" means "because it has water in it. That water has oxygen in it. That oxygen, like I said above, it what causes the oxidation. Aluminum is unique in that the oxidation it produces seals the metal and prevents further corrosion. Basically, it CAN'T be pock-marked by it. It's used in sea walls specifically for this reason.

Aircraft aluminum is slightly different than the aluminum in an engine bay. Having said that, we in the Air Force use it to clean all kinds of stuff, including the bombs and missiles I work with on a daily basis.

Check this link out regarding hydrogen embrittlement. Basically, processed aluminum doesn't suffer from it because the vacancies necessary are only present in bulk aluminum.
http://www.seas.harvard.edu/ekaxiras..._94_155501.pdf

Simple Green will cause some surface oxidation, but it can not, and will not, pit the aluminum. That "whitish covering" is surface corrosion and is what seals the aluminum against further damage. Thing of the rust your brake rotors generate from a wash. That's pretty much the same thing here except that rust on steel will cause further corrosion. The patina on aluminum prevents further corrosion.

I understand the "detailing community", I've been in it since the early 90s when I did it professionally before enlisting. There are a number of things that are accepted as fact with no basis in reality. Detailers can be a bit... special.

 

Well, we will agree to disagree on this. Even SG says to be cautious with it. I have some Magnesium parts, that SG has turned white. Aircraft aluminum is being used a TON in aftermarket parts now. Almost every AIO is mostly water, still doesn't mean I want to drink it.

From my experience, I know not to use it, & use something that is not only better, but safer.

My Sister is over there @ the base with you.

 

I have a question vaguely related to this thread... more about kids than cars.

We are so far childless, but considering it. The thought of snacks and crumbs crunched all over my shiny new MINI, or my husband's MINI, make me cringe. I am sort of obsessive over dirt in my car.

Why do little kids need snacks in the car?? Can't I have a water-only rule as soon as they are past bottles? (yes I am clueless about kids and their needs) Maybe I can just get a PoochStyles seat cover for them LOL

 

What cars are using aircraft aluminum?

That white on magnesium is surface corrosion. It's nothing serious. It's like the patina on copper. It turns the surface green but won't hurt anything.

What does your sister do?

 

Unless we're on long trips my kinds have a no food or drink rule in the car. They're getting better (14 and 10 now) but the only drinks they can have in the car are water and nothing that can melt into the seats.

 

Tic tacs and water- great idea.

Even if my girls- 2 and 8- do not have goldfish crackers, the crackerss somehow multiply in the crevices of the car seats and get into my Clubman.

 

We have a 3month old. So far she is just spitting up in the car. I got a dog seat cover, that well, covers the entire back seat, up to the headrest, to the end of the seat cushion. I just pull it out, wipe it off, or vacuum it.
So far so good. Since having a child in the back seat, the car gets dirty real fast! Getting in & out of the back seat seams to attract a disproportionate amount of mud & dirty.

Not "cars" but aftermarket part makers. But a lot of high end cars are starting to come with aluminum body panels, hell my old Mitsubishi had a alminum hood. Just about every suspension arm, camber plate, strut bar, etc....

Yes, I know about the surface stuff on magnesium, but this is much deeper then that, & will hardly come off with a brass brush. I really wish I took a picture of it.

My Sister right now is a House Wife (can't find a job over there), they just got transferred over there last month. Her Husband is in Intel, I think he is a E6 now.

 

Aluminum yes, not aircraft aluminum. Aircraft aluminum is MUCh too expensive to be used on cars.

My 2010 M3 has only three steel parts on the entire car (chassis, and one control arm on each side of the rear suspension) and NONE of them are aircraft aluminum. if a car that expensive sin't using it, there are hardly "a lot" of cars using it.

Yeah, the job market for dependent spouses blows over here because the local nationals get first dibs on jobs. My wife works with a girl that used to be Intel and then cross-trained into CE. Don't get that move at all, but whatever. I'm an AMMO guy.

 

Actually, the beach sand and grit from the preschool parking lot is way more of a problem than the gold fish. My kids generally don't eat in the car, they're 2 and 5, but sometimes they will open a lunch box on the way home and finish up.

Seat protectors are not advised by any car seat manufacturers, but the seats are the easy part really. (Read any car seat manual, and they will say not to put anything between the child seat and the car seat, Yes, I know companies maufature them, but they're not crash tested.)

It's the sand and grit in the carpet in those narrow spaces that even the narrowest vac attachment can't get into. Like between the seat and the door.

 

Have you tried coming from under the seat? I've never owned a car that I couldn't vacuum to my OCD satisfaction. Sometimes you have to get creative, but raising the seats and moving them forward and back is necessary to really get into some of the little nooks and crannies.