"NoneOfYourBiz" (goawaynowkthxbye)
04/11/2015 at 23:26 • Filed to: None
1
9|
"NoneOfYourBiz" (goawaynowkthxbye)
04/11/2015 at 23:26 • Filed to: None | 1
| 9 |
But first, a Mercedes-Benz for your time:
Today was a whirlwind of car-related (and non car-related) activity.
remove snow brush from car (yes!)
wrecker for trim pieces
TSC for some Formula-3000 anti-rust spray
pick up birthday presents for parents
pick up detailing supplies
parents' house to drop off presents and detail car
stop at corner store for snack
help store clerk with a flat tire
home to soak and scrub car floor mats
out to dinner with friends (making them use a lint roller on their butts to get fur of "tiny-white-dog" off (half of my time detailing was removing fur of tiny-white-dog)
back home to bring mats in from clothes line
making this post
Spotted on the road: Telsa Model-S and Jaguar Type-F, in the suburbs, a few blocks from each other.
The Merc' above was at my first stop, the auto-wreckers. These guys are always great; when some punk kid threw a rock through a side window of my last car, they had a replacement for a fraction of new cost, and helped me remove it. This time around, I didn't need much but they gave me a couple of rubber trim plugs for free knowing I'd be back for more, sooner than later it seems as I noticed a broken trim piece while I was detailing the car later in the day.
On the way home from detailing the car, I stopped for a snack at a corner store and noticed a car with a flat that appeared to have just had summer tires put on. Turns out it was one of the store staff's car; I offered to pump up the tire for her since I had a 12-volt pump dying to be put to good use. As I was packing up my pump and pressure gauge, she shook my hand and pressed a $10 bill into it. I insisted on giving it back but she wouldn't hear it. I would have felt bad knowing she ended her shift after dark only to be stuck without a drivable car, in a rough neighborhood no less.
Noting my floor mats were filthy, I beat them against a brick wall to get the caked salt off, followed by scrubbing with a dry brush which removed the last of the visible salt.
Even after soaking them in a tub of hot water with laundry detergent and Oxi-Clean and rinsing them several times, a final rinse bath still came out looking like this:
Gross.
Well, this is as good as they get:
Which leads to my questions for you, Opponauts:
How can you protect floor mats and carpets from salt stains and wear?
I would love a set of OEM rubber floor mats for this car but, being a 2006, Hyundai doesn't seem to have even one dusty old set sitting on a shelf, anywhere. (2004-2006 Elantras are all the same so if you have a line on OEM rubber mats for any of those years, I'm interested) Weathertech doesn't make "digital fit" mats for this particular model year either, otherwise I'd spring for those.
I was thinking of spraying these things with some kind of rubberized coating. I'd even thought of taking the fabric off entirely and sewing or fusing another rubber layer on top of the rubber backing. Scotchgard has never really seemed effective to me but I'm open to having my mind changed on that.
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Back to the junkyard:
I get that all cars all end up at the scrap yard. Digging through several, you invariably come across personal effects left in the vehicle by previous owners. Susan Boyle CD, anyone?
(I dreamed a dream I found the trim piece I needed...)
I didn't take photos of the rest of what I found but some of it, if you let your head run with it, is kind of heartbreaking. There was a police report of what was presumably the accident that sent the car to the wrecker, and a statement of claim for medical assistance from the government, perhaps also due to the car accident. The cars were like snapshots taken at low points in some peoples' lives. I dunno. Maybe the overcast day or the mud surrounding the cars contributed to the feel but it seemed really bleak.
It's been a long day. Nite Oppo.
norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
> NoneOfYourBiz
04/11/2015 at 23:32 |
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Someone needed a head I guess.
XJDano
> norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
04/11/2015 at 23:42 |
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Just the valve cover.
bob and john
> NoneOfYourBiz
04/11/2015 at 23:43 |
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pro tip:
find a coin op car wash, hang the mats and use the power washer on the mats. its works an absolute CHARM and it take you 45 seconds each.
I've done it to all of my parents cars, one of which didnt have clean floor mats for...i dont know, 7 years?
seriously, it just powers the dirt right off. I didnt even bother with the soap. After, the matts were nice anf luffy and looked like new.
I couldnt really do anything about the wear and tear, but meh
Luc - The Acadian Oppo
> bob and john
04/11/2015 at 23:46 |
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Yes what he said! that's the very best way to clean floormats! I do it all the time.
Mr. Ontop, No Strokes, No Smokes...Goes Fast.
> norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
04/11/2015 at 23:51 |
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Everyone likes a little head, you know.
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NoneOfYourBiz
> bob and john
04/11/2015 at 23:56 |
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That's a great idea.
My dad has a power washer he doesn't mind my using so I can even do this in their driveway next time the mats are due for a cleaning.
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norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback
> XJDano
04/11/2015 at 23:58 |
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True.
VincentMalamute-Kim
> NoneOfYourBiz
04/12/2015 at 22:27 |
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+1 Karma.
re: " How can you protect floor mats and carpets from salt stains and wear? "
You're inviting snarky answers here:) Your driver's side mat looks like it's going to wear through in a few more years anyway. I say cut and customize some generic rubber floor mats when that happens.
CalzoneGolem
> NoneOfYourBiz
04/24/2015 at 09:10 |
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Yes, this is how I will clean my floor mats from now on.