It Stinks!!! The worst Memorial Day weekend project ever!

[samannac]

Today, my wife and I embarked on the toughest job I have ever had to tackle in my BMW's and VW's to date. I decided it was finally time to take out the seats, the carpet, and the 12 Carmel Frappachinos that the previous owner spilled during her ownership.

Of course I started with the seats. That was nice and easy. Next up was the center console. Not so easy. After spending a good 3 hrs pulling out the seats and rear portion of the carpet, I was able to take a full assessment of the damage. Ill be damned if there wasn't a square inch of the floor pan that wasn't covered in some sort of Carmel substance. Well, my wife and I started to clean it out with Tuff Stuff, and scrub brushes, and were still no where near being finished.

For the big question now... What is the best way to clean out the carpet? It has an inch of foam that is attached to the bottom side of it and I'm afraid to get it wet. If I get it wet how long will it take to dry out? Will it dry out if I leave it in the sun for 2 days?

[Alan]

It will dry out, but it also might come apart from being left in the sun and wet. I'd consider renting one of those chemical based shop vacs like you can get at the grocery store. Of course it might also come apart then too.

[Mblaster]

The Bimmer gods will smile knowing how hard you worked on your car.
Now quit typing and get back to work, you've only got 2 more days.

:stickoutt :stickoutt

[e39dream]

there is this stuff called host carpet systems- its a dry cleaner that comes in a foil seal pack, you sprinkle it on and vac it up about an our later when its dry- works great and smells good. Now would be a good time to check out how the A/C system is smelling too-

[E30Beamer]

Well I used Oxy-clean on my carpets and it pulled up all the stains. Good Stuff but only use it on the carpet.

[samannac]

The Bimmer gods will smile knowing how hard you worked on your car.
Now quit typing and get back to work, you've only got 2 more days.

:stickoutt :stickoutt


Domo Horigato!
I have all the way up until Tues off so I'm in the clear!


Well I used Oxy-clean on my carpets and it pulled up all the stains. Good Stuff but only use it on the carpet.

It wasn't so much that there were stains other than around the seat rails (the carpets black and the Carmel chunks were well Carmel colored), but the smell of Carmel in the car and that it went all the way to the bottom depths of the 2 inches of foam, and all the way down to the floor pan.

Last night I broke down and decided that I only had one option... The pressure washer. I brought the carpet in my wifes E36 (you should have seen her face when I told her "were going to have to put the wet carpet back in your trunk to get it back from the carwash..."

So this morning after letting it dry out all night on top of the BBQ drill I would have to say that I didn't choose the worst route. I think that it will be dry by Mon and ready to be put back in the car.

[gunksny]

One suggestion for much faster drying times is to place a fan at one end of the carpet and blow air straight across the top of it (not directly at it). Flip it over and repeat on the backing. Works great.

Other thing you can use are towels to pull as much moisture as possible from the carpet before you start drying it.

[drew900]

Another thing you can use is a wet dry vac to suck water out of the carpet to help it dry faster.

[Brewtech]

I didnt like caramel that much before but now i really dont like it. Do you think that the spills were due to the lack of proper cup holdage.

[samannac]

I didnt like caramel that much before but now i really dont like it. Do you think that the spills were due to the lack of proper cup holdage.

Either the fact that there are no suitable cup holders, or the last owner left the windows and sunroof down and someone decided that they were going to vandalize the car with a bakers dozen of Carmel Frappachinos

[MJFX328]

I use simple green and a brush on my carpet.