Wet Carpet!

[McLarryBob]

Hey all, I was 4x4ing in my Landcruiser and managed to get stuck in a slight puddle that came upto my headlights. I kicked off my muddy shoes in the foot well and crawled to the back to grab the old snatch strap and throw it to my mate to tow me out. But when i crawled back into my seat, i put my feet on the floor and found a nice little puddle of muddy water which not only soaked the bottom 5cms of my carpet but also my socks and shoes!
I have figured out how to dry out my socks and shoes (supprisingly not very hard) but i currently still have wet carpet. Has anyone else been in this situation and fixed it themselves? The only way i can think of it to strip the interior out, rip out the carpet and let it dry out.
Is there any other way to remove the wetness? Or does anyone know how long the carpet would take to dry completly. Also while the carpet is out i may as well clean all the mud and crap off of it, anyone got any ideas on how to do this? I'm not quite sure the standard vacuum cleaner is upto the job.

Thanks

[Dexter]

When I did the same I got one of those wet/dry vacs I think I hired it from somewhere and sucked as much as I could out of it which made a big difference. I then made sure to crack the windows open on hot days to let the moisture out as there was still alot in it.

[MrGrim]

you can do as dexter said plus get one of those moister absobant buckets of power just leave it sit in the back foot well thay work well i drowned a car and it worked well once i got most of it out i put about 10kgs of dry rice on the floor and left it for the weekend and then vaced it out was almos perfect rice sucked out heaps

[DamTriton]

Old hand here

Strip it out and wash everything in soapy water, leave to dry in warm but shaded area (garage on a warm day). Gerni/high pressure water or steam to get stubborn mud off. Make sure underfelt gets cleaned too as this can retain moisture better than a camel, and smell just as bad.

Strip out you door trims and make sure the drain holes in the bottom of the door are clear. Wash out door cavities and leave to dry. Make sure electric window motors and mechanism are free of dirt and moisture, lubricate parts.

Wash out firewall-A pillar area behind front wheel, ditto for rear door-C pillar area.

Don't forget all oils and filters in eng/trans/tfer/diffs

Count the "oops" for the number of times I've "gone sub"

[hyzook]

Remove all carpet and underlay and strip any underlay from the back of the carpet, then using soapy water and a scrubbing brush wash carpet and hose of then hang out to dry (will take 1-2 days depending on weather) then visit a local trimmer and buy some new underlay and cut to size and glue back in place once all is thoroughly dry (if you plan on swimming regularly then use a foam underlay as it wont rot and smell like normal underlay)

We do this with flooded cars and works a treat.

Check you electrical plugs while stripped and make sure they are dry.

[Goatse.AJ]

Assuming it's the Feroza in your avatar, then it's a pretty thin nylon "carpet". It comes out pretty easily.

Pull it out, hose it and give it a bit of a scrub with a broom and some soap, let it dry, et VOILA!

[McLarryBob]

Assuming it's the Feroza in your avatar, then it's a pretty thin nylon "carpet". It comes out pretty easily.

Pull it out, hose it and give it a bit of a scrub with a broom and some soap, let it dry, et VOILA!

I have changed my pic because the feroza is misleading. I have bought myself a real 4x4 now and It's the 80 that is now my picture. And i did do the same to the Feroza but i just ripped the carpet out and threw it in the bin.

I will try the 10kgs of rice as a start though. And if it dosen't work i guess I'll pull out the carpet and underlay.

Thanks guys.

[deano86]

just leave it, it'l dry itself or use a towel to scrub some of the moisture off it'l dry in a few days

[Sammyboy]

Take your carpet out and take it down to the car wash! Start spraying it with the 'tyre and engine cleaner' and then leave it to soak for a minute or two when the credit runs out. After this, spray it with high pressure soap, and then either high pressure or spot free rinse. Your carpet will be as good as new then. I have also done this with my car seats, and the results can be pretty amazing! I would have never thought to do this but somebody on another V8 forum mentioned it to me, so i gave it a go...

[DamTriton]

just leave it, it'l dry itself or use a towel to scrub some of the moisture off it'l dry in a few days

= Rust and mould. Rust will get in to the seams of the floor pan, and the mould will consume the underlay and stain the carpet.

Not a good option, let alone the stink for weeks on end. Did that the first above. The next five I learnt.....

[crunk81us]

take it to carlovers/etc and use their vacuum cleaner.. and never ever go back

[Gwagensteve]

You'll eventually have to get the carpet out and dry out the underfelt. The stench will get you to in the end. Once that underfelt is wet and starts to breed/ferment/whatever it does it will stink for MONTHS.

Pull the interior, wet vac the felt ( you will pull LITRES of water out of it) and then let it dry in the sun.

do it sooner rather than later, the longer you leave it, the more the stench gets under the bitumen deadening the harder ir will be to get the smell out of the car, even once the carpets are dry.

There's a reason I won't have carpets/moulded in floor mats in a 4WD ever again.

Steve.

[Zookrider]

One word "hippo" I keep one in my soft top to prevent a jungle of mould and fungus growing. I left it for 4 months and needed a weed wacker and a machete to get in.

[chimpboy]

You've got to pull it out. It will stink to heaven for a long time otherwise.

[loosecanon]

or just learn to love the stink!!!! you find a new nick name for youre truck ahahaha

[jemmos]

i tryed the rice and it did 2/5 of bugger all. just pull it out and dry it!!!

[ferog]

Either way, you'll need to wash it, either using a carpet washing machine or pull it out and do it by hand, the smelly bacteria in it will be breeding like mad and it'll stink if you don't clean it before you let it dry.