cleaning cockpit carpet

Steve Franklin

Steve Franklin

Member
Mar 19, 2010
92
San Diego
Boat Info
2003 420
Engines
twin cummins
Whats the best cleaning product and method of cleaning the snap-in cockpit carpet. I did a search and couldn't find any thing. Thanks in advance guys.
 
Power wash them. Be carefull not to get too close but it works great. Been doing this for years and the rugs don't seem to mind one bit. Use any mild soap (dish, boat, liquid laundry) BUT use VERY little. A little goes a long way and it can take a lot to rinse it all out if you go heavy. Soap residue can attract dirt.
 
For over 14 years and 4 Sea Ray's I have used hot water and Tide, soaking them first with light marine brush then rinsing with my 2500psi presure washer at approx 6" to 8" on the driveway or dock surface, then hang to dry. They will look like new.

Good luck
 
I just did mine. I used the soap feature(nozzle) of pressure washer. I used Simple Green and soaped it down good, then let it sit for 10 minutes, then switched to my 40 degree nozzle, and went over the carpet thoroughly not getting too close as Jack mentioned rinsing thoroughly, then used our home Bissel carpet cleaner to extract as much water as it could. I let it dry outside in the sun on the driveway for a few hours, brought them inside and vacummed them. The look like new (they're only a year old now) but I want to keep them that way.
 
I used "Purple Power" degreaser on my previous carpets with a semi stiff scrub brush and rinsed thoroughly and let dry in the sun. Got em clean but I think the degreaser shortened their life a little more than normal. It seemed like after they dried, they were a little brittle feeling. I just got new Corinthian Marine carpet in April and I believe I'm gonna try with the pressure washing method minus the soap, if I can help it.
 
from corinthian marine carper website:

http://blog.corinthian-marine-carpet.com/marine-carpeting-how-to/how-to-clean-marine-carpet
How To Clean Marine Carpet


By hharrison, on September 28th, 2010
Marine carpet is inherently stain resistant because it is manufactured from solution-dyed Polypropylene fibers. That’s a good thing because any carpet in a boat takes a lot of abuse in a very concentrated area. To keep the carpet in your boat looking good for as long as possible, follow these steps:
1. Vacuum regularly to remove dirt from the surface. Carpet is prone to staining when particles become embedded over time.
2. Before cleaning your marine carpet, vacuum it to remove any loose dirt or particles.
3. Clean with standard carpet cleaner being sure to follow their instructions for spot testing first.
4. For spot cleaning:

  • When there is a spill or a stain, it should be treated as soon as possible.
  • For wet spills, blot the area to remove excess liquid. Treat as soon as possible with a standard carpet cleaner solution (follow their directions for spot testing first).
  • For a dry stain, vacuum it first.
  • After you have rinsed the residue off, blot dry.
5. The key to successfully cleaning your boat carpet and in removing a stain is to be sure all the soap residue is rinsed off. If you leave any residue, it will draw more particles that will attach to the carpet fibers causing the stain to reappear.
6. Anytime you get the carpet in your boat wet or after cleaning, you want to let it dry thoroughly before covering or storing in an enclosed area. Remember that basic maintenance of your marine carpet is the easiest way to keep it looking good. Residue of any kind will attract more soiling and the more time it has to set, the harder it is to clean.
 
I agree with the prior posts about using the pressure washer with the "gentlest" nozzle you have, held about 6 to 8 inches away. I have a sears pressure washer and they have a rotating nozzle that does a great job. The pressure washing lifts the fibers and makes then look like new again. Even in the high traffic areas, the fibers fluff right up like new.

I start by hosing the rugs off with the hose. Then scrub the surface with a deck brush that i dip into a bucket of warm water and laundry detergent. After that i use the pressure washer.

The only thing to add is that when done going over it with the pressure washer, i then use the hose with no nozzle and flood it with a lot of water to make sure i rinsed all the soap out. I then drape them over some lawn furniture to dry. I do this each fall before i put them away.

JohnG
 
jgoedd99 said:
I agree with the prior posts about using the pressure washer with the "gentlest" nozzle you have, held about 6 to 8 inches away. I have a sears pressure washer and they have a rotating nozzle that does a great job. The pressure washing lifts the fibers and makes then look like new again. Even in the high traffic areas, the fibers fluff right up like new.

I start by hosing the rugs off with the hose. Then scrub the surface with a deck brush that i dip into a bucket of warm water and laundry detergent. After that i use the pressure washer.

The only thing to add is that when done going over it with the pressure washer, i then use the hose with no nozzle and flood it with a lot of water to make sure i rinsed all the soap out. I then drape them over some lawn furniture to dry. I do this each fall before i put them away.

JohnG
Click to expand...

I have used the pressure wash method and it works well although takes a lot of time in the sun to dry. The carpets weigh a ton when saturated like this. My Genny tech recommended recommended Blue Magic from Advanced Auto Parts. For spot stains, this stuff is just amazing. Probably available from other sources. I have used it on my tan carpet mats on my car with great results.
 
jgoedd99 said:
I have a sears pressure washer and they have a rotating nozzle that does a great job. The pressure washing lifts the fibers and makes then look like new again.JohnG
Click to expand...


a word of caution about using a 'rotary nozzle' on a pressure washer for this type of cleaning...this is one of the most powerful nozzles available....the rotary nozzle uses the highest pressure 'jet' stream and rotates it a very high rate of speed to cover a larger surface area of the object being cleaned....this allows the powerful 'jet' stream to be used to clean the object in a shorter period of time as compared to just using a stationary 'jet' stream.....i'm not saying you should not use the rotary nozzle to clean the carpet but you should be careful about how close you hold the nozzle to the carpet....if you use a 2500 - 3000 psi power washer on the highest pressure setting along with the rotary nozzle i would bet you could do some serious damage to the carpet very quickly if you are not careful.....

cliff
 
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