Favorite method for cleaning rubber Volvo mats?

454cid · Post by **454cid** » 10 Sep 2023, 18:54

When I bought my S70, I found the original rubber mats in the trunk looking rather gross. I flopped them in the garage and put my Renzi mats in the car. Now, I want to use the OEM mats. I scrubbed them with Mean Green, and then Bleach White, and pressure washed them. The Bleach White got them cleaner than the Means Green, but they could still use some work.

What works best for you? A certain chemical? A certain type of brush? A powered brush?

Post by **scot850** » 12 Sep 2023, 20:30

New ones.............!

Pretty much what you have done. I take them with me to the self wash car wash and use the upholstery cleaner brush and pre-soak first with the paint pre-soak and then soap wash and then this. Finally another pressure wash. They usually end up pretty clean. I also have a carpet steamer which helps remove some of the worst stuff.

Neil.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 13 Sep 2023, 00:07

I wonder if the tire cleaner at the coin-op
carwash would have a beneficial effect?

Post by **foggydogg** » 13 Sep 2023, 06:37

Depends on what the stuff is. If it's food spooge, try Dawn straight out of the bottle. Good enough for crude oil on a baby ducks bottom...
Some pretty persistent stuff on the backside of a carpeted mat once yielded to Krud Kutter, and goo gone took off something that I think was chewing gum, but that stuff can discolor some plastics.

454cid · Post by **454cid** » 14 Sep 2023, 12:23

After letting them dry for a couple of days, I finally got the mats into the car. I hadn't looked at them since cleaning them. The rubber does feel kind of dry, and I notice the driver's side is chewed up a bit from feet. Replacement probably would be best for aesthetics, but that's not going to happen for this car. Factory rubber mats are discontinued, aren't they?

I notice that the center of the little squares is pretty clean but the edges are not, and that's after scrubbing in multiple directions. I may try another brush.

I'll also look to see what else I have as far as cleaners. I might try Simple Green, as I don't think it would be as drying to the rubber as a lye based degreaser. Dish soap seems like a good idea to me, too.

Post by **scot850** » 14 Sep 2023, 15:59

Do they look anything like these? These have never been cleaned by me but are not bad as they are. I have 3 or 4 sets, and only one has a wear mark for the heal on the driver's side, so I am looking for a replacement one for that one mat to improve that set. These are getting harder to find as someone is now removing every mat in every Volvo that I see in the junkyards locally. Also age/wear is becoming an issue. Hopefully if it bugs you you can find a better set.

: Volvo rubber floor mats; PXL_20210202_231444245.jpg (388.01 KiB) Viewed 540 times

As we are not allowed to wash cars here on our driveways, I take a set each time (I remember) to the car wash and clean them to get the worst off and then do a final clean with the Bissel carpet cleaner hand wand. I don't use anything on them after that as most protectants make the rubber slippy.

Neil.

454cid · Post by **454cid** » 15 Sep 2023, 02:30

scot850 wrote: ↑14 Sep 2023, 15:59 Do they look anything like these?

Yes, but mine are tan.

Post by **scot850** » 15 Sep 2023, 13:01

Unfortunately I am 1 short of a full set (no comments please....!

) I have the 2 rear and a worn front but for some reason the passenger front was missing from that car?

: Tan rubber mats; PXL_20210203_001009596.jpg (370.83 KiB) Viewed 494 times

If I find a nice passenger side front I'll let you now!

Now if anyone wants a set of beige 740/760 mats I have a set of those as well! Why? They arrived in a job lot of parts I bought!

Neil.

jsrnsis · Post by **jsrnsis** » 28 Sep 2023, 06:15

scot850 wrote: ↑15 Sep 2023, 13:01 Unfortunately I am 1 short of a full set (no comments please....! ) I have the 2 rear and a worn front but for some reason the passenger front was missing from that car?

If I find a nice passenger side front I'll let you now!

Now if anyone wants a set of beige 740/760 mats I have a set of those as well! Why? They arrived in a job lot of parts I bought!

Neil.

The ones that came in one of my car were nasty, 3 had hardened and cracked, and the drivers one was melted into the carpet, with a chunk I still can't get out. If anyone knows how to get the nasty coolant color out of carpet I'd love to know, or clean car carpeting without it becoming a matted mess.

I have not been able to find a place that sells mats cut to size for these cars, those generic mats are just awful, especially for the back seats.

Post by **scot850** » 28 Sep 2023, 12:39

I'm assuming you have tried an industrial rental steam cleaner to try cleaning those carpets? Short of removing the seats and the carpets the other options are limited.

Neil.