You know how the more you clean a rug or carpet, the worse it gets? I used to have a $30 area rug that was fairly decent-looking but offwhite. So it often needed cleaning, which bugs me. The Rug Doctor didn't work that well and took a lot of time and energy and at least $25. The car wash worked at least as well, took about 1 hour, and cost about $7. (The one hour includes hauling.)
This is not like the commercial where they take the recliner through the automated place. This is done at the old-fashioned spray-nozzle-style car wash. SEE WARNINGS.
HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:
This is for cheap, easily replaceable rugs only, as I am sure is obvious. Who knows what could go wrong?
Also, choose off-hours when the car wash is not busy.
Roll up your area rug (no bigger than about 9x11, depending on your car's size), tie it securely to the top of your car, and drive it to the car wash.
Once you get into the bay (hopefully one you can close!), untie the ropes, shut your car up, and unroll the rug, leaving it draped over the top of your car.
Activate the car wash. Turn it to soap or rinse. Spray the water for a while under the car, hoping to clear the nozzle of wax.
(If you are unsuccessful, well, you will have wax on your rug which you can [maybe] take care of on your next trip to the car wash.)
Turn the dial to "soap" and soap down your rug to the best of your ability. You want to try to spray from the center outward, which, depending on your height and the height of your car, can be a challenge. It does take time, so be sure to bring lots of quarters. Then move to the edges, spraying any particularly dirty areas a few extra times.
(The strength of the spray may damage rug fibers; only do this with a sturdy rug.)
Turn the dial to "rinse" ("No-Wax Rinse"!) and repeat the whole process with the rinse water. This will probably take longer than the soap. It is probably better to soap it only until the entire rug has been covered with the soapy water, because you may have to rinse repeatedly. This is in effect like washing anyway.
When you think all the soap is out of the rug, let the car wash run down. Take as much time as you can, allowing the rug to drip off before rolling it up. Obviously, if people are waiting, you will have to roll the rug back up, re-tie it to the roof, and head out with water running out the ends. Activate windshield wipers if this is the case. Park outside the bay and await further drainage. Only drive home when the rug has stopped pouring water.
DO NOT OPERATE YOUR VEHICLE WHILE THE WINDOWS ARE OBSCURED BY THE RUG. THIS WOULD ENDANGER PROPERTY AND LIFE.
Once you're home, hang the rug over a fence or something if possible. If it hasn't drained sufficiently, you may not be able to lift it. The process can't really be rushed. When it is completely dry, bring it in and put it back on your floor.
Ta-Da!
OUTCOME: PRETTY GOOD.
One nice thing about this: I understand that our carpets are full of heavy metals, from what we track in on our shoes from roadways. (No, of course not YOU if you take shoes off in the house.) I never like pouring water down the toilet from the Rug Doctor, thinking about this. Someone (not a car-wash OR environmental professional) told me that they think the water at car washes has to be at least filtered before going into the sewer system, and perhaps even recycled. I don't know; they might have been messing with me. I really would like to think that's the case. If so, this may be ecologically superior to cleaning your carpet at home with water that goes into the sewers.
ANOTHER TWIST:
I have also taken dining room chairs to the car wash to use the upholstery shampooer. It was a good idea but my results weren't that good; the fabric just didn't get clean. I did this by putting one or two chairs inside the car and transporting them in a safe and normal manner, then getting them out once there. This might work for you; these particular cushions have never become clean by any means, as it turns out.
WARNINGS:
This is not foolproof. See above warnings. Use common sense.
One time I seemed to get wax in the rug even though I was careful not to, suggesting a malfunctioning car wash or maybe just some careless attendant.
The rug could also fly off the car if you don't have it tied down well enough, endangering you and/or other motorists or passers-by.
Tons of other things could go wrong; if you try this, you try it at your own risk. I bear no responsibility for any problems that arise.
Do not try to lift a rug that is too heavy for you, wet or dry.
Do not try to roll up a rug with furniture, pets, children, or other objects still on it.
Also, if you do this in the winter, be sure to get home well before sundown. We had our rug frozen by a giant, "flowing" ice chunk to the top of our car for several days once when I cleaned for just a little too long.
Good luck! No guarantees here! No kidding! All I am saying about this is that it got my rug clean enough for a cheap rug, and that it saved me time and money.
Also, you might be greeted by an angry attendant or the car wash might have rules against this kind of thing. Naturally, you would inquire with the owners or attendant before trying to wash something as unconventional as a rug at the car wash.
If there are gritty particles on the bottom of your rug, YOU MAY DAMAGE YOUR CAR'S FINISH. Use a car you don't care that much about, like your spouse's.
I am leaving it up to your common sense as to how to tie a rug to the top of a car in a way that allows you to drive safely.
This is not like the commercial where they take the recliner through the automated place. This is done at the old-fashioned spray-nozzle-style car wash. SEE WARNINGS.
HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:
This is for cheap, easily replaceable rugs only, as I am sure is obvious. Who knows what could go wrong?
Also, choose off-hours when the car wash is not busy.
Roll up your area rug (no bigger than about 9x11, depending on your car's size), tie it securely to the top of your car, and drive it to the car wash.
Once you get into the bay (hopefully one you can close!), untie the ropes, shut your car up, and unroll the rug, leaving it draped over the top of your car.
Activate the car wash. Turn it to soap or rinse. Spray the water for a while under the car, hoping to clear the nozzle of wax.
(If you are unsuccessful, well, you will have wax on your rug which you can [maybe] take care of on your next trip to the car wash.)
Turn the dial to "soap" and soap down your rug to the best of your ability. You want to try to spray from the center outward, which, depending on your height and the height of your car, can be a challenge. It does take time, so be sure to bring lots of quarters. Then move to the edges, spraying any particularly dirty areas a few extra times.
(The strength of the spray may damage rug fibers; only do this with a sturdy rug.)
Turn the dial to "rinse" ("No-Wax Rinse"!) and repeat the whole process with the rinse water. This will probably take longer than the soap. It is probably better to soap it only until the entire rug has been covered with the soapy water, because you may have to rinse repeatedly. This is in effect like washing anyway.
When you think all the soap is out of the rug, let the car wash run down. Take as much time as you can, allowing the rug to drip off before rolling it up. Obviously, if people are waiting, you will have to roll the rug back up, re-tie it to the roof, and head out with water running out the ends. Activate windshield wipers if this is the case. Park outside the bay and await further drainage. Only drive home when the rug has stopped pouring water.
DO NOT OPERATE YOUR VEHICLE WHILE THE WINDOWS ARE OBSCURED BY THE RUG. THIS WOULD ENDANGER PROPERTY AND LIFE.
Once you're home, hang the rug over a fence or something if possible. If it hasn't drained sufficiently, you may not be able to lift it. The process can't really be rushed. When it is completely dry, bring it in and put it back on your floor.
Ta-Da!
OUTCOME: PRETTY GOOD.
One nice thing about this: I understand that our carpets are full of heavy metals, from what we track in on our shoes from roadways. (No, of course not YOU if you take shoes off in the house.) I never like pouring water down the toilet from the Rug Doctor, thinking about this. Someone (not a car-wash OR environmental professional) told me that they think the water at car washes has to be at least filtered before going into the sewer system, and perhaps even recycled. I don't know; they might have been messing with me. I really would like to think that's the case. If so, this may be ecologically superior to cleaning your carpet at home with water that goes into the sewers.
ANOTHER TWIST:
I have also taken dining room chairs to the car wash to use the upholstery shampooer. It was a good idea but my results weren't that good; the fabric just didn't get clean. I did this by putting one or two chairs inside the car and transporting them in a safe and normal manner, then getting them out once there. This might work for you; these particular cushions have never become clean by any means, as it turns out.
WARNINGS:
This is not foolproof. See above warnings. Use common sense.
One time I seemed to get wax in the rug even though I was careful not to, suggesting a malfunctioning car wash or maybe just some careless attendant.
The rug could also fly off the car if you don't have it tied down well enough, endangering you and/or other motorists or passers-by.
Tons of other things could go wrong; if you try this, you try it at your own risk. I bear no responsibility for any problems that arise.
Do not try to lift a rug that is too heavy for you, wet or dry.
Do not try to roll up a rug with furniture, pets, children, or other objects still on it.
Also, if you do this in the winter, be sure to get home well before sundown. We had our rug frozen by a giant, "flowing" ice chunk to the top of our car for several days once when I cleaned for just a little too long.
Good luck! No guarantees here! No kidding! All I am saying about this is that it got my rug clean enough for a cheap rug, and that it saved me time and money.
Also, you might be greeted by an angry attendant or the car wash might have rules against this kind of thing. Naturally, you would inquire with the owners or attendant before trying to wash something as unconventional as a rug at the car wash.
If there are gritty particles on the bottom of your rug, YOU MAY DAMAGE YOUR CAR'S FINISH. Use a car you don't care that much about, like your spouse's.
I am leaving it up to your common sense as to how to tie a rug to the top of a car in a way that allows you to drive safely.
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