How to Clean Rubber Car Mats

Veronica GrahamVeronica GrahamUpdated: Jun. 24, 2022

Cleaning the dried mud and spilled coffee off your rubber car mats is quick and easy with a high-pressure garden hose and a squeeze of dish soap.

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Bucket and brushVeronica Graham for Family Handyman
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Introduction

Rubber car mats may not be as attractive as cloth mats, but they're a lot easier to clean. A highly pressurized garden hose will do the heavy lifting, and you can use that bottle of soap by your kitchen sink to erase the memory of your spilled coffee.

Cleaning rubber mats too often or with harsh soaps will actually wear them out sooner than your own feet, but a simple cleaning once a year will help the mats protect the carpeting underneath.

Tools Required

  • Five gallon bucket
  • Garden hose
  • Garden hose spray nozzle
  • Soft-bristle brush
  • Vacuum with crevice tool

Materials Required

  • Mild dish soap

Project step-by-step (4)

Step 1

Remove the Mats

  • Take all of the mats out of the car and lay them on a flat surface.
  • Vacuum the floor carpet underneath the mats.
Step 2

Spray the Mats

Spraying floor matsVeronica Graham for Family Handyman

Step 3

Scrub with Soap

  • Squeeze a generous dollop of liquid dish soap into the bucket.
  • Fill the bucket with an inch or two of water to mix with the soap.
  • Dip the soft-bristle brush in the soapy water and then scrub the mats, paying extra attention to any stains and scrubbing in all the grooves.

Scrubbing floor matsVeronica Graham for Family Handyman

Step 4

Rinse the Mats

  • Spray the mats again with the high-pressure garden hose to rinse away the soap.
  • Let the mats air dry completely by laying them flat in full sunshine or hanging them over a railing.
  • Re-install the clean mats.

Rinsing floor matsVeronica Graham for Family Handyman

Originally Published: May 07, 2020