This article was co-authored by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. Chad is based in the Los Angeles, California area and uses his passion for auto detailing to teach others how to do so as he grows his company nationwide.
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WeatherTech floor mats and liners are a cinch to clean. If you have a garden hose, it’s simply a matter of spraying it down, scrubbing with mild soap, and rinsing it off. If you live in an apartment or just don’t have a hose, though, you can also easily clean it in the bathtub.
Things You Should Know
- Hose down the mats to loosen debris. Then, scrub each mat with mild laundry or dish soap and water.
- Alternatively, fill your tub with soapy water and soak the mats for a few minutes. Then, scrub each mat with a sponge.
- Rinse the mats with water, dry them off, and reinstall them in your vehicle.
Steps
Hosing Off Your Floormat
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1Remove and shake out your mat. First, remove the retention hooks from each hole in your mat. Then take the mat out of your vehicle. Give it a thorough shake to get rid of loose debris.[1]
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2Hose it down. Set your mat on the ground. If your hose has a spray nozzle, use its jet setting to blast away any dirt that just needs a little nudge to loosen. Otherwise, just give it a good soaking to get it wet.[2]Advertisement
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3Scrub with mild detergent and water. Add a few drops of mild laundry or dish soap to a bucket and fill it with water. Soak a sponge, cloth, or cleaning brush in the solution. Then scrub both sides of the mat down until it's clean.[3]
- Some people use degreasers and foam cleaners to clean their mats, but Weather technology advises against anything harsher or more abrasive than mild detergent. These may cause damage to the mats.
- Additionally, WeatherTech strongly advises against using any silicone-based agent. These may cause the mats to be slippery, even after drying, which is especially dangerous for the driver’s side mat.
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4Rinse clean, dry, and reinstall. Hose the mat off again until all traces of soap have been removed. Either allow it to air-dry or thoroughly towel-dry before reinstalling. When you put the mat back in, make sure it’s on the appropriate side of the car (driver’s side versus passenger side). Reattach all retention hooks to ensure the mat doesn’t slip out of place.[4]
- When you reinstall the driver’s mat, double-check that it doesn’t interfere with the pedals before you drive your vehicle again.
Cleaning Your Mat in the Bathtub
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1Take your mat out and give it a shake. Unhook the mat from its retention hooks. Shake it out once you’ve removed it from your vehicle. Get rid of any loose debris.[5]
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2Fill your tub with soapy water. Close the drain to your bathtub. Add a few drops of mild dish or laundry detergent to the tub. Then fill it about halfway with water.[6]
- Only use mild detergent. Harsher chemicals and abrasive agents may cause damage.[7]
- Do not use silicone-based products. These can make your mats unsafe and slippery.
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3Soak and scrub. Place your mat in the bath. If it’s especially dirty, give it anywhere from ten minutes to an hour to soak so the dirt can loosen. Then scrub each side with a sponge, cloth, or cleaning brush.[8]
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4Rinse with clean water, dry, and reinstall. If the bathwater is especially dirty after cleaning, drain the tub and refill with clean water to rinse. Air-dry or towel-dry thoroughly before putting it back in your vehicle.[9]
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5Reinstall the mat. Be sure to place each mat on the appropriate side of the vehicle (driver's side mat on the driver's side, passenger-side mat on the passenger-side). Reattach the retention hooks to hold it in place. With the driver’s floor mat, always make sure that the mat doesn’t interfere with the pedals before operating the vehicle again.[10]
Community Q&A
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QuestionI use Dawn dish liquid on my mats with a plastic bristled brush, but after I clean them and they dry, they are still dirty. What do I do?
Community AnswerI would pressure wash them off afterward to ensure that all the dirt and grime is washed away. -
QuestionIs there a protective spray or wipe on a product I can apply after cleaning the floor mats?Community AnswerI use 303 Aerospace Protectant. It keeps the mats from drying out and cracking.
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QuestionHow do I make my WeatherTech floor mats look brand new?
Community AnswerUse WD40––it takes off grime that is baked in and leaves a shiny residue.
Things You’ll Need
- Hose or bathtub
- Mild dish or laundry detergent
- Sponge, cloth, or cleaning brush
References
- ↑ http://assets.weathertech.com/assets/1/25/WT_FL___FM_Warning_67FLFMINS2_0115_ENGLISH_EU.pdf
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XGJAzoYYxQ
- ↑ http://assets.weathertech.com/assets/1/25/WT_FL___FM_Warning_67FLFMINS2_0115_ENGLISH_EU.pdf
- ↑ http://assets.weathertech.com/assets/1/25/WT_FL___FM_Warning_67FLFMINS2_0115_ENGLISH_EU.pdf
- ↑ http://assets.weathertech.com/assets/1/25/WT_FL___FM_Warning_67FLFMINS2_0115_ENGLISH_EU.pdf
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efdKTEPq0sc
- ↑ http://assets.weathertech.com/assets/1/25/WT_FL___FM_Warning_67FLFMINS2_0115_ENGLISH_EU.pdf
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efdKTEPq0sc
- ↑ http://assets.weathertech.com/assets/1/25/WT_FL___FM_Warning_67FLFMINS2_0115_ENGLISH_EU.pdf
About This Article
To clean WeatherTech floor mats, spray them down with a hose or soak them in a bathtub to remove any caked-on dirt. If you’re using the hose method, first remove the retention hooks from each hole in your mat and take it out of your car. Give it a good shake to get rid of any loose debris. Then, lay it on the ground and use a hose with a spray nozzle to blast away the dirt. If your mat is extra dirty, soak a sponge in a bucket of water with a few drops of dish soap and scrub both sides of the mat until it’s clean. Finally, rinse the soap off with the hose and allow it to air dry before placing it back in your car. For more advice on how to clean dirt off your WeatherTech floor mats using laundry detergent, read on!
