How to Clean a Flooded Car Carpet | Easily & Quickly

A car is one of the valuable and prestigious assets. We need to maintain it properly to ensure its longevity. A challenging environment is a car’s worst enemy—for example- too much sunlight, primarily floods, frequent thunderstorms, etc.

A vehicle can be flooded in such periods. Even if you keep the window down without any notice, it starts raining and wet the carpet. If heavy rainfall raises the road’s water level, then water can leak into the car, and the rug ends up soaked. 

These incidents can happen anytime, and many car owners remain with one central question-how to clean, dry, and make the vehicle odor-free after such a mishap. It is undoubtedly challenging work, but using the right cleaning equipment, it a little bit easy to accomplish. However, we are here to guide you towards the right way to clean a flooded car carpet by following some easy steps. So keep reading us. 

How to clean a flooded car carpet

Flood water does not ruin only your car interior, but your mood also. Now you just have to clean your carpet as soon as possible. If you do not know how to clean and dry a flooded car carpet quick and easy way, here we are to guide you. 

Gather cleaning supplies

1. One wet-dry shop vacuum cleaner
2. Bucket
3. Brush
4. Paper towel
5. Hydrogen peroxide
6. Water

Cleaning process

Step 1

Usually, a flooded carpet holds huge water, and before you start your cleaning work, you need to soak the water as much as possible. Use a wet-dry shop vacuum to suck remain water in the carpet. To ensure sucking out the maximum moisture, you can also use a paper towel.

Step 2

In this step, you have to make a cleaning solution. Take a bucket and pour one part water and one part hydrogen peroxide into it. Mix all products well and pour the solution over the entire carpet. 

Step 3

Take a brush and gently scrub the stained areas. Leave this homemade mixture on the carpet for at least 30 minutes. It is crucial because, during this period, the carpet needs to soak the cleaning solution deep into it and the underlying pad to kill mold spores. 

Step 4

Again use the wet-dry shop vacuum to remove the residue cleaning solution from the carpet. Repeat the whole process until the stain and mold are completely removed.

Step 5

Now it’s time to dry the carpet properly. It is an essential step because if you leave the carpet wet, then it will grow a foul smell and even mold very soon. And within a few days, your carpet will become unusable. It will ruin soon. 

So, dry the carpet thoroughly. You can run an electric fan in the car to dry the carpet. You should also keep your concern in growing odor. Yes, the carpet locks moisture for a long time; it often grows a very unpleasant smell. Sprinkle about one cup of baking soda over the carpet. It will eliminate any remaining odor. Remove the residue of the baking soda from the carpet using the vacuum on the dry setting. 

How to dry a flooded car carpet

A flooded car carpet needs special treatment as it holds water for a long time. Just follow the above-stated cleaning process and clean all stains. Now needs to dry the carpet thoroughly. Here is a short guideline to dry the flooded carpet properly.

Step 1

At first, take your car to a covered area like a garage or under the porch. It is necessary to prevent your car from the rain. Keep open car windows and doors to ensure enough air circulation. It is one of the best natural ways to dry the carpet. 

If it is a sunny day, then you should leave the car open and allow the sunlight to evaporate some moisture out from the carpet. 

Step 2

As we already said, before you start your cleaning work, you should suck up water from the carpet as much as possible. Use a wet-dry shop vacuum and paper towel to suck remain water in the carpet.

You can also use cat litter to dry the carpet. Just pour the litter on the carpet and cover the entire wet area. Make a thick layer and leave it for 2 to 3 days. Hopefully, the water of the carpet will be absorbed. Now vacuum out the litter. 

Step 3

Now clean the carpet properly following the above-listed steps. After clean the carpet, you need to pay more attention to dry it. 

As we already said, you can use baking soda to soak up excess moisture from the carpet. Baking soda can also help to eliminate tough and bad odor. 

Step 4

Fans are also an easy and effective way to dry the car carpet. You should arrange fans as much as possible, depending on the amount of moisture your carpet has. Set your fans inside your car so that the wet area gets enough air-flow and dry quickly. Do not close the car’s doors and windows. It may take one or almost two days to evaporate all moisture. 

If you do not have fans, then you can also use a hair-dryer. But this idea will not work in many cases. This drying process will only if the wet area is relatively small. 

Wrapping up

Flood water is undoubtedly harmful to the vehicle. It can damage much more parts of the car along with the carpet when it stands for a long time. If you are facing such a problem, do not panic. You just have to keep patience and carefully follow the above-stated cleaning and drying method. Do not forget to give concern on removing odor if there is. All the best. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What happens to a flooded car?

If you drive under the heavy rain or into a flooded area, water can be entered into the engine. Minor flooding can lead to stains, mold, rust, and other issues. If the damages are really minor, then your insurance company will try to fix them. But significant flooding even can damage your vehicle permanently. 

Does flood damage total a car?

If your car gets flooding and the water is higher than a few inches off the ground, it can cause severe damage. If the floodwater rises more than 6 inches to the foot level and stays for a few days, it can cause total damage.

How do I know if water got into my engine?

If you suspect that the water is reaching the car’s engine, you should check the engine oil. Use your dipstick to check the water level. If there are water droplets on the dipstick, there is water in the engine. 

What does a flooded car smell like?

A flooded car usually smells musty. Most of the time, this smell can not be covers even with a strong air-freshener.