How To Clean Car Carpet Without Extractor | 6 easy steps to clean like a pro

We use our cars hundreds of times a week, whether it’s to go to the gas station or to pick the kids up from school. As a result, they can get dirty pretty quickly! 

While commercial car carpet cleaning is tempting, it can be expensive for something that needs to be done regularly.

Now, many of us have been conditioned to believe that we need an extractor to get our car carpets cleaned. That’s simply not the case, however. You can absolutely clean your car without an extractor – some prefer it that way!

To clean your car carpets without an extractor, you can use some car cleaning solution and a hand brush. This method, although more time-consuming, works great for getting dirt out of your car. 

Step 1: Remove the Trash

Removing trash and personal belongings from the car is a step you’d have to take even if you were using an extractor. 

That’s because it clears that path for you to get in and access your car’s floors.

Removing the trash means picking up as much dirt and debris as you can with your fingers. Trust me, this will make your job easier down the line. 

You should also remove personal belongings. Getting these out of the car will make it easier for you in the long run. 

Step 2: Vacuum

After you’ve got all the trash out of your vehicle, remove the mats from your car and run the vacuum cleaner over them. This process shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes but is a critical part of cleaning your car’s carpet.

You can also lift your vacuum into the vehicle and use it to clean out the parts of the carpet that are easily accessible. 

However, without an extractor, you may not be able to get a whole lot out of the floor. If that’s the case, just focus on vacuuming the mats. 

Step 3: Apply Cleaning Solution

Once you’ve vacuumed the vehicle it’s time to apply a cleaning solution to the car. You can either use a commercial carpet cleaner or can make your own by mixing one cup of distilled white vinegar with one cup of warm water in a spray bottle. 

If you use a commercial carpet cleaner you may need to dilute it before you get to work. Read the bottle and follow the instructions on the label to make sure that you don’t damage your carpets. 

Next, cover the entire carpet with the cleaning solution. Be careful not to saturate the carpet, however, as you don’t have an extractor to speed up the drying process. 

Allow the mix to sit for a minute or two before moving on to the next step.

Step 4: Brush the Carpet

After you’ve applied the cleaning solution it’s time to brush the carpet. You can use a standard hand brush that’s available at most grocery and hardware stores. 

Make sure that you don’t miss any part of the carpet. You can go over each section of the carpet a few times to ensure that you’ve properly scrubbed it down. 

You should also note that if there are any tough stains, you’ll want to spend a bit of extra time on these areas. 

Step 5: Wipe With a Microfiber Towel

After agitating the carpet with the dry brush, you’ll need to clean up all the dirt. Agitating the carpet should have pulled dirt to the surface of your carpets. 

Grab a microfiber towel and wipe down the entire car’s carpet. Applying a bit of pressure to the carpet as you wipe helps ensure that you get all the residue out of the carpet. 

Step 6: Air Dry

After you’ve got as much of the dirt out of the carpet as you can, it’s time to let the car dry. Open all the doors and windows in the vehicle and wait for the carpets to dry. 

The time of year, weather, and climate can all affect how long it takes your car to dry. However, it usually takes just an hour or two for you to fully dry out your vehicle. 

Remember, it’s important not to get into the vehicle until the carpets are fully dry. Doing so could track more dirt into the vehicle, undoing all your hard work. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Hand Clean Carpet in a Car?

Brushing the carpet and using a commercial carpet cleaner is perfect for hand cleaning a carpet. It’s quite a time-consuming process but can work just as well if you don’t have an extractor on hand. 

How Do You Clean a Car Seat Without an Extractor?

When cleaning the car seats, make sure to really get deep into the crevice between the seat base and the seatback. Use your brush to pull out any built-up dirt and really deep clean the area.