So With the engine just about done, So I started getting the rest of the little quarks worked out, including the really gross heavy stains and 90's funk all over the interior, The PO was a complete slob, so needless to say the car did not get much attention. Having worked at a detail shop every summer for most of highschool I know a little about elbow grease and little tricks to get a car looking fresh off the lot clean. This car is rough so I am taking a lot of pictures and documenting all that I am doing. I started with the carpets.


Tools used, Coarse bristled brush, Shop vac, towels, and CORAL BLUE CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANER.

First use the brush to brush the carpet( I work one section 100% at a time)
Brush the carpet to loosen the dirt and grime that is stuck on the carpet, then vacuum the section you are working on, Then apply an even coat of the carpet and upholstery cleaner, let it sit for 45-60 seconds, then use the coarse brush to work the cleaner into the carpet, working in small 10"x10" sections at a time, I like to use a cross pattern,(all front to back then left to right) doing this over and over for about 2 minutes, once I have worked the entire area that I am focusing on I let it dry a bit, you can use a folded towel to soak up some of the moisture, or if you have a nice high power WET/DRY shop vac you can use it to vac the entire area that you are focusing on. If you still have visible stains use a spot treatment method on the stained areas. Repeat the process for each area in your car. Here is a picture(more to be added tomorrow) of the first area I worked on. BEFORE AND AFTER CARPET CARE.

 

I would pop that carpet out and hit it with a pressure cleaner, seriously.

It works very well. That carpet is trashed.

 

I considered it! Haha

 

try OxyClean......really. I bought a car a few years ago that had a nasty stain in the passenger front seat.....coffee or coke, something along those lines, on a Ivory cloth interior. I used OxyClean and it worked great.

BUT try it first on a part of the carpet that you don't see, like under the seat. make sure it won't harm it and if all is well, then go for it! really, the stuff is amazing. just follow the instructions.........

 

a power washer (at the carwash used on the soap mode) cleans carpet extremely well. I tried using a little bit of elbow grease on these caked on stains but after 10 minutes of no progress I took the carpet out of the car and down to the car wash and used their power washers. here are the before and after pictures (I know it isn't black grease in this picture, but on the floor mats it was and they came out exactly the same...except that I did not take before or after pictures of those...

Before




After



Was well worth the $10 I had to spend, and now the carpet is back to being completely fresh smelling! One tip though, be sure to rinse it thoroughly after the soap.

 

That is way easier haha! I had considered it before but never had the time to take the carpet out, well I am defitinitley going to time this with my new stereo wiring and dynamat the floors and doors and trunk all at the same time.

 

Yep -- that is why I recommended it to you.

 

Don't worry Crispin, I will always pay credit where do. If it works as well for me as it did for him I will pay credit otherwise I wont say anything HAHA