joemomma22

So I got my new XJ, traded the other one to the previous previous previous owner (as i've posted about prior).

This XJ is stock and rust free. 225k miles so it has its wear but overall its in amazing shape. That being said she definitely wheeled it stock a couple times and the carpets are all filthy, damp, muddy, and sandy.

Just wondering what you guys do to get the carpets back to "new". I cant put enough emphasis on the air quotes around """new"""

Thernlund

I have a carpet shampooer for home with a scrubber wand attachment. I use that, judiciously, making sure to get all the water out, then a fan/airflow to dry quickly. You don't want to saturate the carpet and foster rust.


-T.

EEVEE

honestly id rip that carpet out and check for rust and such if alls good judge the condition of the padding underneath if it looks somewhat clean then id hang it on a wall and pressure wash it i used simple green on mine, Spray on liberally and then scrub like you never scrubbed before and spray it off and dont get to close or youll ruin the fibers. But if you do it right itll clean up nice. I used a shop vac to suck up the water in it and let it air dry for a day to a week depending on weather mine was constantly rainy so i had it on the patio drying and took a week. Put in and while the padding smelled a wee bit it finally went away after a week and smelled very good after. I have a thread about it somewhere. ill find it

EEVEE

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/f2/pre...arpets-238428/

joemomma22

I'm gonna have to try something like this

honestly ripping out is my worst case scenario here. I'm really not looking to do that at the moment but I have before and i will if i absolutely have to. Just looking to get them cleaned up and dried nicely without ripping them out lol

MonacaYankee

Pull the seats, center console, and side plastic trim, and remove the carpet. I pressure washed mine and scrubbed with purple power and the carpet looks great. If you are not going to pull the carpet then I would not bother.

jessenator

Whatever you do, don't take it to a "detailing" shop. Spend the $50, or however much they go for these days, and rent a rug doctor with the upholstery attachment. Give it a good vacuum first.

Good friend of mine spent $100 on a detail and the stench was still there, carpets still nasty—he rented a RugDoctor the next week and it was pulling up black/brown sludge into the waste tank.

Also, if there's a pervading odor, see if you can rent an ozone generator— they kill organic things that most soaps won't wash out— mildew, mold, feces, cigarette smoke, pet smells, etc.

EEVEE

to bad my friend isnt near by he has a steam vac and that thing is epic

jessenator

THAT would do it too!

Yeah, use the hottest water you can (or that's allowed) in the rug doctor. They make cold-water detergents, but if the upholstery can take it…

01Show&Street

Bissell Little Green worked well for me. I've done both pulling the carpet (on my Comanche) and leaving it in while cleaning (on the Cherokee). If you're leaving it in, the hottest water possible like mentioned above is key. I'll be pulling the Cherokee carpets in the summer and doing a combination pressure wash and Little Green cleaning.

LadyKenai

that is the best way you never get everthing clean with leaving it in and you be amazed how much dirt still comes off when it just looks clean, ive used Simple Green and Dawn works great.

Marc

edit: it is actually not that much work, i had the seats and middle console out and seatbelt receivers then removed the carpet and put the seats back in for 2 days while i cleaned it and let the carpet dry really good. didnt even use a power washer just good brush and rinse with water. in the main time you can look for leaks very easy on the plain metal if any

LadyKenai

and yes for a 24 year old carpet it looks like ""new""

joemomma22

Great points. I work for an Electric and HVAC company I'll see what I can do in the realm of IAQ, but there isnt a horrible smell or anything right now. I just noticed when i got her that the carpets were a dirty and damp. obviously o3 would be the way to go to prevent mold and such.

Damn! I think I we might have a rug doc at work now that i'm reading it. Might see if i can borrow it.

I know I've done a full rip out on my last one. I sank in a swamp pretty badly. It was quite nasty.
All dank mud under the insolation and uhg that was gross. i actually took everything out and powerwashed the tub prior to bedlining it.
That said I plan on leaving this carpet in lmao.