Is this a bad idea for cleaning carpet?

[Mosnowman]

So as the season is unfortunately growing shorter I started thinking about seasonal cleaning...specifically my carpet. My boat is less than 6 months old so carpet is pretty new but I have a few stains on the carpet. I was thinking since this carpet is "marine grade" could I take it to the local car wash and powerwash it with car wash soap and then rinse it real well? Or should I stick to treating it like indoor carpet cleaning? I'm lazy thus my question.....thanks!

[plane jim]

I have a small electric washer at home that does a nice job-I do not know about your coin operated car washes but here around Houston they recycle the water and it smells bad. I guess that happens when you see someone washing the horse trailer out in the car wash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Redneck_Randy]

With our old pontoon I would just drop the trailer tongue on the ground and use a soft bristle brush and scrub the carpet down and rinse with the water hose. Then I used a window squeegee to get the rest of the remaining water out of the carpet. Worked very well.

With the new boat, I bought Bissell Little Green and use it now.

[gramps]

I would just treat the spots that need cleaning, why clean the whole thing if it doesn't need it.

[Badger]

The boat I recently bought had been used and abused by some raccoons. The carpet was spot treated in the worst areas then all of the carpeting was cleaned with a Rug Doctor and very hot water. It looks like new again.

[Heatman]

Just use the powerwasher. I always have. Mine is gas, 2800 psi, use it a few times a year for 8 years with no problems. No soap is really needed. Just be careful around the seats.

[dockholiday]

Yep the psi at the car washes typically don't have the psi to do a real good job. Think I would rent a pressure washer for the day that way you might be able to do so other stuff around the house with it. I saw a 2800psi at Sams today for a little over 2 hundred dollars. The prices for those thing have come down alot since I purchased mine.
Oh, northern tool also has some good prices along with a pretty good selection
doc

[ronb]

Just last weekend I did exactly what you are asking about. It worked great and cost me only $6.
I spot treated the carpet bad spots, then used the high pressure wash to completely soak the entire carpet. Then using a spare bucket (visible in one of the pictures) I washed pontoon and trailer while the carpet soaked. After everything was lathered up I plunked in some more $$ and high pressure rinsed everything. The carpet turned out great (I wish I had before and after pictures, I can get some 'after' tonight)

The biggest issue I had was physically fitting the pontoon through the wash bay. With an 9' door and a 8'6" wide pontoon you really don't get a whole lot of wiggle room, and it should go without saying that the 'pucker factor' was very high, and on several occassions I though to myself "WFT have I just done, how am I going to get this all the way through and out without denting/damaging something" Luckily I did make it all the way through, but if you attempt to do this try and find a wash with an outdoor bay, or at least very wide berth leading up to the door and on the way out. And try to avoid obstacles...

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And to negotiate the final turn I had to turn as sharp as I could, then I almost hit a huge boulder, then I had to back up ever so slightly and crank it hard again, thank god I was able to negotiate this turn. the driver side trailer tires almost pivoted right where they sat by the edge of that concreted in-place vacuum.. not fun.

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-ron

[BobG]

Sure glad we know of a few car washes with outside bays! That looks TRICKY!

[oldmn19]

I have a Karcher electric 1200 PSI pressure washer i got at Lowes 5 years ago for around $100.00, use it around the house and on the boat. does a good job on carpet, toons to get scum off, have been very happy with it, just be careful if you buy a pressure washer, your tempted to get a higher pressure unit, but you can really damage things with them. It works good to get the scum off the motor too. I buy Orange cleaner at the Dollar Store, spray the spots good let set 15 minuites or so them pressure wash till I get no more suds, carpet still looks good after 6 years.