You can put car mats in the dryer, as long as they don’t contain rubber or plastic. When exposed to the high temperatures in the dryer, these materials can melt or deform, thus rendering your mats unusable.
Before cleaning any component of your car, the mats included, you need to check the label for instructions on cleaning them.
Car mats made of rubber or plastic will indicate that they are not machine washable. Putting them in the dryer can result in damage, and the manufacturer will not be liable.
So, How Do I Dry Them?
No part gets dirtier than the mats in a vehicle’s interior. It’s where people step on. Therefore, the dirt from your shoes will be left behind when you step out of the car.
Also, because of their location, everything else from the upper parts of the vehicle falls and accumulates on the mats. Therefore, they are bound to become dirty every once in a while.
The biggest challenge with washing car mats is the drying part. If they contain both rubber and fabric, it becomes even more difficult to dry them.
A washer-dryer may seem like the easiest and fastest solution for drying your car mats. But, it is not suitable for some materials.
If the mats comprise only fabric, then yes, you can machine-dry them. If there is plastic or rubber, the mats will come out from the dryer looking deformed. Depending on how long they were in there, they can be completely damaged and unusable.
To prevent that from happening, the best solution to dry car mats with plastic or rubber is by using the natural source of heat – the sun.
After washing them, identify an area outside your home receiving direct sunlight. Place them there for a while. They should dry without being damaged.
But Won’t That Take Longer?
When you use the sun’s heat to dry car mats, it will take much longer than when you put them in a washing machine. Are you willing to risk damaging your mats? If the answer is no, you have no other option but to dry them in the sun.
A pro tip that can help you out is always starting with the mat whenever you wash your car. When you clean the mat first, they will have a longer period to dry before you are done washing the entire car.
By the time you are through, the mats should have dried completely, and you can put them back in your vehicle.
Alternatively, if the mats aren’t very dirty or stained, you can clean only the surface. Instead of soaking the mat in water and soap, scrub the surface with a damp cloth.
This should remove surface dirt, and since the mat isn’t soaked, it wouldn’t need a lot of time to dry. You can even put them back in the car immediately and open the windows so that the vehicle doesn’t smell damp.
How Often Should I Dry Car Mats?
Ideally, car mats should be dried after every wash. This, however, depends on the intensity of the wash.
If you have just performed a surface wash, then you don’t have to dry them in the sun for hours or put them in a dryer. If the mats are soaked, you have no option but to dry them using the most appropriate method.
Can I Machine Wash Car Mats?
Some stains on your car mats can tempt you to put them in the washing machine. That is quite understandable because it will get rid of the stains faster and easier.
This only applies to carpeted car mats. If you dare put rubber mats in the washing machine or dryers, they will become deformed or damaged. When it comes to machine-washing car mats, you have to be very careful with the material you are dealing with.
Can I Handwash Carpeted Car Mats?
Sure you can. Hand washing car mats has been the conventional way of doing things for the longest time. Even though it requires a lot of effort and takes longer, it effectively gets rid of dirt and stubborn stains.
If you don’t have a washing machine around, or your carpeted mats contain rubber parts, then you can wash them by hand. This is safer, and there is no risk of damage.
The process of handwashing car mats is slightly different from cleaning them using a washing machine.
First, you have to vacuum the carpet mats. This removes dirt, debris, and other contaminants. Next, rinse the mat with running water to soften mud or dried dirt. This should be followed by applying an upholstery cleaner and scrubbing using a brush.
Scrub until all dirt is removed, then rinse the mat before taking it out to the sun to dry. If the manufacturer recommends it, you can dry the mats in a dryer since it will be faster.
What is the Best method of Washing Rubber Mats?
Before we go further with rubber mats, you have to know that these shouldn’t be placed in a dryer. As we have mentioned earlier, the high temperatures in the dryer can melt the mat.
Therefore, the best method is to wash them by hand. Rubber or plastic is very easy to clean. Unlike carpets, where dirt can settle deeper inside the fabric, with plastic and rubber marts, dirt accumulates on the surface. This makes washing them relatively easy.
Even though rubber mats don’t require as much attention as carpeted ones, you should avoid using harsh cleaners that contain bleach. Also, don’t use a lot of force when scrubbing. You can accidentally tear the rubber.
Another popular method used to clean rubber car mats is using a pressure washer. The pressure does a commendable job of removing dirt without having to use a lot of effort in scrubbing.
Pressure washing cleans mats faster. But you have to be mindful not to use a lot of pressure that can damage the mats.
Why Do I Have to Clean Car Mats?
Irrespective of the material your car mats are made of. It would be best if you kept them clean at all times. This is why some people prefer to use dryers because they speed up the cleaning time of car mats.
Back to cleaning car mats, the more you do it, the better your interior looks and the more you avoid mold growth and rot in your vehicle’s interior.
If the mats are dirty, there is a big chance that the dirt will spread to the carpet beneath, which can be quite dangerous.
Also, the mats are an integral part of the car. If they are unclean, your entire car will be dirty and dusty.
What Will Happen If I Put Mats Back in Without Drying Them?
Even if you are in a hurry, you should never put wet car mats in your car. This, however, doesn’t justify putting them in a dryer as well.
If your mats haven’t fully dried, and you put them back inside, they will produce a damp and moist smell.
This can make your car interior unbearable. The moisture in the mats can also spread to the carpet beneath, and after a while, your entire car will smell damp.
After cleaning the mats, put them in the sun to dry if they are made of plastic or rubber. If you are lucky enough to have mats made only out of carpet, you can put them in the dryer.
As a result, they will dry much faster. Even if your mats have fully dried up, remember to leave the doors and windows open for a while after putting them back inside your car.
This ensures the car mats and interior carpet are fully dried and don’t smell damp.
Where is the Best Place to Clean Car Mats?
Where do you often clean your car mats? Inside or outside the vehicle? If you do it inside, then please avoid doing that from today.
When you clean the mats when they are still inside, there is a good chance that you often leave the carpet beneath soaked with dirt and water.
The best place to clean car mats is outside the car. This way, you avoid spreading dirt to other parts of the vehicle.
And you also get an opportunity to clean the mats thoroughly. Inside the car, you may not have a lot of room or space to scrub every inch of the mat.
What’s the Best Cleaner for Car Mats?
There is no particular cleaner that we can say is best for cleaning car mats. In most cases, regular soap and water often do a great job.
You can also make your homemade mat cleaner using vinegar and baking soda. If you often find stubborn stains or your car mats are made out of thick carpets, then you may have to invest in an advanced cleaner.