In the Seattle winter, you get used to dealing with icy streets and all the safety measures that come along with colder temperatures. Road salt and ice melt can help make driving conditions safer....but they can also leave a mess in your car. Tracking road salt into your Subaru is zero fun for your carpets-especially when it leaves behind salt stains. Thankfully, there's solution to remove salt stains from your car's floor mats and carpets-here's what to do.
How to Remove Salt Stains from Car Carpet in 3 Steps
When rock salt gets tracked onto your carpets, it can be a pain. Here are 3 steps to removing the mess and getting your Subaru's interior in tip-top condition.
Step One: Mix an at-home solution.
Mix up a quick at-home solution of items you already have in your home: hot water and white vinegar. Grab a spray bottle. Add 50 percent hot water; then add 50 percent distilled white vinegar. You'll want to mix this right before you plan to clean your car's interior.
Step Two: Vacuum the interior, then spray.
Vacuuming your car's interior can help get all of the remnants of winter out of your seats and carpets anyway...but it's especially important for removing salt stains. First, vacuum the salt stained area to remove dry pieces of salt that might be hanging around. Then, spray the at-home water and vinegar solution. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, then pat dry. Vacuum again to lift the fibers from your carpets and extract the stain.
Step Three: Have a backup plan.
If the stain remains after the initial mix, spray and vacuum routine, you may need to mix up a second at-home solution as a backup plan. Simply mix two teaspoons of dishwashing liquid and two cups of cool water together. Then, dip a bristled sponge into the at-home solution and scrub the remaining stain. Blot with a dry paper towel to transfer the stain off of the carpets, then rinse the soapy area with cool water.
My Car Smells Like Vinegar-What Do I Do?
After the initial cleaning process we've described, it's not uncommon for your Subaru's interior to have a lingering vinegar smell. Not the best odor, we know. If your car's interior smells like vinegar, here's what you can do.
First, you should take out your Subaru's floor mats and let them air out. Hanging them outside to dry will help you eliminate odors from being trapped inside your car. Live in an apartment or in the city? If there is nowhere to hang your car mats outside, you can also roll down your windows for a bit and let the car air out over time.
Once you've aired out your Subaru, we also recommend spraying your car with an air freshener to mask any leftover odors.
Suburb Service: We Are Seattle's Top Subaru Technicians
Winter can be hard on your Subaru-espeicially in Seattle. Cold temperatures, snowy roads, and rock salt can all be a little difficuly to handle sometimes. We like to make winters easier for you and your Subaru.
During the coldest season of the year, make sure your Subaru is ready to endure snow, ice, rock salt, and more. Schedule your regular maintenance appointment with us now or have us look at a repair you need fixing ASAP. You can now schedule your appointment online or give us a call at (206) 705-8695 . Show your Subaru some love.