Vehicle: 2000 C280 - SOLD 2006 E350 - Returned 1993 400E 2007 SLK55 AMG 1994 S500
Posts: 258
Cleaning carpets with TIDE
My 1994 S500 has parchment (light tan) interior and the carpets are due for a good cleaning. The problem is that I can't trust anyone in Charlotte, NC to do ANYTHING right.
So I'm looking around my garage and laundry room for a good way to clean the carpets.
I have a shop-vac and plenty of clean, white cotton towels.
Would I be crazy for pulling out the dye-free, fragrance-free TIDE and use the towels to scrub my carpets clean using some warm water and Tide?
I figure it should be okay because my clothes are fine and detergents don't leave a residue due to their chemical nature.
The dye-free, fragrance-free detergent should ensure that the car smells better than those other carpet cleaners out there anyway.
I wouldn't, but it's your car. I opted for a professional carpet cleaner using a truck mounted rig. The cost was $50. I took the car to his office. It was finished in one hour. Every nook and cranny was clean.
Vehicle: 2000 C280 - SOLD 2006 E350 - Returned 1993 400E 2007 SLK55 AMG 1994 S500
Posts: 258
Quote:
Originally Posted by gold benz
I wouldn't, but it's your car. I opted for a professional carpet cleaner using a truck mounted rig. The cost was $50. I took the car to his office. It was finished in one hour. Every nook and cranny was clean.
You used the word "professional." That must be nowhere near Charlotte!
I had some time on my hands and did a little test under the front seat. It's working like a champ! Just make sure that the detergent is diluted enough so it doesn't leave the fibers too slippery while it air dries.
Vehicle: 90 300SE (84k Miles) 08 Lexus ES350 Ultra (5k Miles) 07 GMC Sierra SLE (6k Miles) Sold list -->
Location: FL
Posts: 2,141
Either bring it to a detailer or hire a pro carpet cleaner. If you are just throwing Tide mixed with water onto the carpet, it isn't going to do much except growing mold. You would have to mix the Tide with water in a bucket and use a brush to work it into the carpet fibers (remove all dirt before you do this). Then extract it with a wet/dry vac. Once complete, then crank up the heat on high floor mode and let it bake for an hour or two. It will dry.
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Previous Rides:
89 560SL sold at 45k miles
04 C240 sold at 25k miles
05 Mini Cooper S sold at 50k miles
01 Audi S8 sold at 65k miles
00 Audi A4 sold at 75k miles
06 Chevy Silverado LT3/Z sold at 60k miles
99 Chevy Silverado LT sold at 85k miles
I'm sure if you really search, you'll be able to find a good car detail shop in the Charlotte. Even though you think the Tide solution should work fine, you still have to remove that detergent residue. Find a local car club, they'll know where the good detailers are.
What I picked up from my San Diego MB specialist over 1o yrs ago and has served me well.
Take Simple Green.... mix the concentrate 50/50 with water in a good spray bottle.. spray a area of the carpet with 50/50 mix until well damp...rub back and forth with clean microfiber towel until the dirt is pulled up and out..patient elbow work and clean towels are the keys to the clean carpet kingdom...when clean, then move to another area...
Take reasonable care NOT to overspray Simple Green onto plastic, painted, or aluminum trim pieces .. NOT to be used for leather or MB Tex seats..and NOT to be used for dash...
The Simple Green 50/50 mix also also deodorizes carpet real well..
Has worked safely for me for all my MB carpet from early '60's wool to the more modern synthetics..
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