How to Get Rid of Salt Stains in Your Car

If you live where winter is a five-month-long ice and snow storm, you shouldn’t wait until summer to give your cabin a well-deserved deep cleaning. While cleaning out the interior, you may notice unsightly road salt stains. Here’s how to make quick work of this cleaning task.

How to remove salt from car carpet and floor mats using vinegar

Step 1: Gather your supplies

• 1 spray bottle
• 1 bottle of household distilled white vinegar
• Hot water
• Scrub brush with hard bristles
• Dry cleaning cloth
• Wet/dry vac

Step 2: Make the solution

1. In the spray bottle, make a cleaning solution consisting of 50 per cent vinegar and 50 per cent hot water. (Don’t miss these other brilliant uses for vinegar all around the house.)
2. Spray the solution onto the affected areas (car carpet and floor mats will likely have the most salt stains).
3. Let the solution sit for a few seconds, then scrub vigorously with the scrub brush.
4. Soak up the remaining mixture with a dry cleaning cloth.
5. Use a wet/dry vac to suck up any remaining solution and salt residue.
6. Hang floor mats to dry. If parked inside, you can keep the windows rolled down to air out the vinegar smell.

How to remove salt stains from your car using foaming carpet cleaner

Step 1: Gather your supplies

• Foaming carpet cleaner
• Scrub brush
• Wet/dry vacuum

Step 2: Apply foaming carpet cleaner

1. Spray the foaming carpet cleaner generously on the salt stains.
2. Use the scrub brush to gently work the salt up to the surface.
3. Allow the cleaner to dry.
4. Vacuum up the dried residue.

Now that you know how to remove salt from car carpet, find out how often you should wash your car in the winter.

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