How to Remove Odor from Car Mats?
Your car is like a second home. You spend more time in it than in your room. Isn’t a clean car like a dream come true?
If that is the case, you have come to the right place because I will talk about how to remove odor from car mats and make them smell fresh, new, and clean throughout the day.
Cleaning a smelly car is not fun. It’s even worse if your car mats are causing the smell. Car mats collect a lot of dirt, bacteria, and odors. To remove the odor from them, you’ll have to use the right product, as well as the right process.
In this article, I will share some cool ideas about removing odor from car mats using simple household items. They may not be the most glamorous options, but these simple tricks will have your car mat smelling fresh once again.
Common Causes of Odor in Car Mats
A variety of factors cause car mat odors. Your first step should be to identify the cause. Here are a few common causes:
1. Mold and Mildew
If you’ve ever driven your car through a large puddle, you may have noticed a musty smell from your floor mats.
Moisture trapped under floor mats can lead to mold and mildew growth. Mold and mildew are not toxic, but they can produce unpleasant odors.
2. Eating or Spilling Food or Drink
Whether leftovers from a fast food meal or a drink spilled during your commute, food or beverages spilled onto your car floor mats can leave an unpleasant odor. In particular, these odors can become challenging to remove if not removed promptly.
3. Pets
If you frequently travel with pets, they may leave behind more than just hair. Pets can track in mud and dirt, leaving behind unpleasant odors.
Pets can urinate on floor mats while inside a vehicle. It is especially common in puppies and kittens that are still potty training. The acidity of pet urine can permanently discolor and damage carpeted floor mats.
4. Smoking
If you smoke cigarettes in your car, the smell will get into the fabric of the seats, floor mats, and air vents, making it extremely difficult to remove.
How to Remove Odor from Car Mats?
People often wonder if there is magic they can sprinkle over the car mats to make the smell disappear. But it isn’t that simple. You can get rid of smelly car mats with multiple solutions.
Using Baking Soda
Mats in a car can have an unpleasant smell, especially if wet or soiled. The most common remedy for this problem is to sprinkle baking soda on the mats and vacuum them off.
- The first step is to remove your car’s mats. Next, sprinkle baking soda over them.
- Add generous baking soda to the car’s mats and cover them evenly with the powder. Sprinkle extra baking soda on any particularly smelly spots.
- Let the baking soda sit for 2 to 4 hours to deodorize the car mats. Leave the car in a garage or other covered area so that the baking soda does not get wet during this time.
- Tap the baking soda off the mat before vacuuming it up. Give both sides of the mat a good shake to remove anything that has fallen into them during use.
- Vacuum up all of the baking soda from inside your vehicle. You can use a hand-held vacuum or take your car to a full-service car wash where vacuums are available and remove every last bit of powder before driving away.
Using Essential Oil
The best way to remove odor from car mats is to use essential oils. Essential oils are natural, biodegradable, and non-toxic. These are widely used as fragrances in cosmetics and beauty products such as soaps, lotions, and deodorants.
- The method is inexpensive and easy to use. Add a few drops of the essential oil to a small bowl to do this.
- Spread the floor mats from your car in the bathtub and sprinkle the essential oil on them. Let the mats sit for five minutes or longer.
- Shake off the excess oil outside, or use a vacuum cleaner to clean it off on low suction.
Using Vinegar
If you are looking for a homemade remedy that will leave your car mats smelling fresh, try using white vinegar and warm water.
- After you have removed your mats from the car, shake them out vigorously outside. It will remove any loose dirt that has accumulated.
- Next, fill a bucket with warm water and add one cup of vinegar for every gallon of water.
- Submerge your mats in the mixture after mixing well. You can use a sink or bathtub if your bucket isn’t big enough.
- After your mats soak for an hour, rinse them thoroughly with clean water and remove them from the solution.
If the odor is terrible, you can also make a stronger solution by adding one cup of baking soda to one gallon of water.
Baking soda can be used as a natural deodorizer. Sprinkle baking soda over your mats and allow them to sit overnight before vacuuming them in the morning.
Thanks for reading this article. I hope that you found it helpful. Consider the above simple solutions before you invest in expensive odor removers.
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