der3wuste3fuchs
Active LVC Member
So I hated how nasty my carpet was from (more than likely) the last slob of an owner. The car is a great car with a ton of potential and a great deal but it needs the junk (food) dug out of the crevices.
I chose to go up to my local OReilly's to purchase the paint since everything on amazon will not ship to Hawaii. I ended up getting their Duplicolor flat-black carpet/vynl paint. There were better out there, I just decided one day to do this
http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-HVP106-Black-Performance-Fabric/dp/B00098PO3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363741234&sr=8-1&keywords=duplicolor+flat+black
I'd recommend about 4 cans of this stuff. I didn't paint the side panel carpet or the carpet on top of the rear seats but I did my job with three.
As for supplies there isn't anything too fancy you need, but here are some of the things I had on hand:
1.) Bucket with warm water and detergent
- any thing like dawn dish soap will do, the company sells a "prep" solution but you do not need it as it's just a normal degreaser
2.) scrub brush
- I used a bath scrub brush with nylon threads that worked well.
3.) Tape to seal off the edges
- I used good ol' masking tape which worked well. Ideally, you can remove most of the center console and other trim components but I didn't feel like taking them out at the time. I also used plastic wrap to help wrap and protect things from loose particles.
4.) Handheld vaccum
- I used this since after taking out the seats I couldn't drive up to the vacuum station, and they would have a fit if I tried to do the whole process at the station ha. It's also handy if it has an extension to get into crevices.
5.) Blow dryer
- I used this to speed up the drying process after cleaning in conjunction with the vaccum.
6.) Needle or similar small object
- you will need this to disconnect the rear seat belt.
7.) (1) Ratchet with 5/8" socket and 6" extension
- depending on how difficult it is for you, you might also need a u-joint.
8.) Small utility/pocket knife
9.) A good playlist
I started by taking the front seats out. First slide the seats all the way forward and taking your ratchet, undo the two rear bolts exposed on the rail.
After the rear bolts are removed, slide the seat all the way back in order to see get to the two front bolts. This is where I used the extension and a u-joint since they are under the seat a little bit. I felt like an idiot at first for not finding them however they are underneath the carpet. my carpet was so nasty you couldn't tell the slit was there to pull up the carpet, but once you dig around and pull it up they should come right out.
After that you can lean the seat forward to ease taking them out but I had them straight up without a problem.
At this point I shut the car off and removed the (+) terminal cable from the battery. I waited a few minutes and then presumed to disconect the cables from the seats. I then started to disconnect the cables from the seats.
tilt the seat up from the back and remove the grey cable. Use something small and flat to press on the bottom latch and lift out. This was quite complicated as I screwed my arm up in a motorcycle dance recently but still possible. Helps if you have a second person. Then you can disconnect the yellow cable. This guy is a jerk. I used a very small knife to press against the side latch. You'll have to dig it in between the latch and the housing and push left or right.
I didn't bother with the SRS power down procedure, and everything turned out fine. I guess I'll find out if I'm in a crash though.
Lift the seats out. The seat belts will still be attached but it doesn't matter as you have enough slack.
Once you get the front seats out you should find all kinds of nice goodies and
oddities. Mostly you'll see stains of spills from the right side of the driver seat or opposite in the passengers. I had enough for a happy meal.
After that you can take out the rear seat. It's fairly easy, just use a small needle or anything of the like to stick in the pinhole and unlatch the seatbelt. Once you take that out, push the two latches (under the lip of the seats, located left and right) inboard and the seats should come up. You'll have to wiggle the seat belt clasps through the seat whole.
You might find another happy meal.
After that you can start vaccuming/collecting/eating everything you can off of the floor. Once you get all the girl hair and cookie crumbs out, you can start washing.
I wrapped the seat harness plugs with plastic wrap and taped the outside so I wouldn't directly put tape on them.
Use your detergent and hot/warm water and give it a good scrub down. Don't miss anything. I concentrated on my nice mustard stain from, what I'd like to think, a backseat hot-dog lover.
[img=http://s23.postimage.org/3o3n5nex3/asdfasd.jpg]
Once you let the floor dry (you can vaccum again thoroughly and use a blowdryer), start taping up all the trim. More than likely your console pieces and a few others are very loose so it's easy to get a good covering. I used a bit of plastic wrap on other things, however the spray is not very loose at all and the particles don't seem to scatter and stick.
After you have everything covered, spray away to your heart's contempt. when I first did a spray, I sprayed a little too close and spots were noticeably stiffer and darker. Avoid this and stay about 6-8 inches away even if it looks like not much is going on. All spraying rules apply; use even strokes, etc.
I painted over the foot pedals and foot rest and it seemed to look quite good. When you use any of these spray paint dyes, the fabric clumps up slightly, however don't be scared as after the carpet dries you can take your hand and give a good co-ed rub down with your hands and the carpet will smooth out. The paint dries fairly quickly so you can get one side coated, give a good rub down and another coat to move around the fabric.
After your all done it should look quite good. 3 cans should do the job with another for touch-up. (I did not paint the rear seat carpet and the door panel carpet as mentioned earlier).
I actually only had 2 cans of paint thinking I could get away with it. Ended up having to wake some friends and have them drive down and get some more, so I micro-managed and left under the seat out until I could get my hands on a third can.
After it's all said and done, just reassemble everything and enjoy your new carpet. The paint has held up pretty well, however where my feet move around I've noticed it's a little bit lighter. I think if you touch it up and get all the moved fibers it'll keep up. I'll be painting the interior pieces sometime anyway so I'll probably give it another light coat then.
I just decided to write this up as my experience, less than a how-to. however I started talking in the first person so there you go I guess. A ghetto way to do things but it is drastically better in my case and I don't have to shell out the cash for a new carpet, so pretty happy. And, the overseas fish market small is gone of course.
Ian
I chose to go up to my local OReilly's to purchase the paint since everything on amazon will not ship to Hawaii. I ended up getting their Duplicolor flat-black carpet/vynl paint. There were better out there, I just decided one day to do this
http://www.amazon.com/Dupli-Color-HVP106-Black-Performance-Fabric/dp/B00098PO3G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363741234&sr=8-1&keywords=duplicolor+flat+black
I'd recommend about 4 cans of this stuff. I didn't paint the side panel carpet or the carpet on top of the rear seats but I did my job with three.
As for supplies there isn't anything too fancy you need, but here are some of the things I had on hand:
1.) Bucket with warm water and detergent
- any thing like dawn dish soap will do, the company sells a "prep" solution but you do not need it as it's just a normal degreaser
2.) scrub brush
- I used a bath scrub brush with nylon threads that worked well.
3.) Tape to seal off the edges
- I used good ol' masking tape which worked well. Ideally, you can remove most of the center console and other trim components but I didn't feel like taking them out at the time. I also used plastic wrap to help wrap and protect things from loose particles.
4.) Handheld vaccum
- I used this since after taking out the seats I couldn't drive up to the vacuum station, and they would have a fit if I tried to do the whole process at the station ha. It's also handy if it has an extension to get into crevices.
5.) Blow dryer
- I used this to speed up the drying process after cleaning in conjunction with the vaccum.
6.) Needle or similar small object
- you will need this to disconnect the rear seat belt.
7.) (1) Ratchet with 5/8" socket and 6" extension
- depending on how difficult it is for you, you might also need a u-joint.
8.) Small utility/pocket knife
9.) A good playlist
I started by taking the front seats out. First slide the seats all the way forward and taking your ratchet, undo the two rear bolts exposed on the rail.
After the rear bolts are removed, slide the seat all the way back in order to see get to the two front bolts. This is where I used the extension and a u-joint since they are under the seat a little bit. I felt like an idiot at first for not finding them however they are underneath the carpet. my carpet was so nasty you couldn't tell the slit was there to pull up the carpet, but once you dig around and pull it up they should come right out.
After that you can lean the seat forward to ease taking them out but I had them straight up without a problem.
At this point I shut the car off and removed the (+) terminal cable from the battery. I waited a few minutes and then presumed to disconect the cables from the seats. I then started to disconnect the cables from the seats.
tilt the seat up from the back and remove the grey cable. Use something small and flat to press on the bottom latch and lift out. This was quite complicated as I screwed my arm up in a motorcycle dance recently but still possible. Helps if you have a second person. Then you can disconnect the yellow cable. This guy is a jerk. I used a very small knife to press against the side latch. You'll have to dig it in between the latch and the housing and push left or right.
I didn't bother with the SRS power down procedure, and everything turned out fine. I guess I'll find out if I'm in a crash though.
Lift the seats out. The seat belts will still be attached but it doesn't matter as you have enough slack.
Once you get the front seats out you should find all kinds of nice goodies and
oddities. Mostly you'll see stains of spills from the right side of the driver seat or opposite in the passengers. I had enough for a happy meal.
After that you can take out the rear seat. It's fairly easy, just use a small needle or anything of the like to stick in the pinhole and unlatch the seatbelt. Once you take that out, push the two latches (under the lip of the seats, located left and right) inboard and the seats should come up. You'll have to wiggle the seat belt clasps through the seat whole.
You might find another happy meal.
After that you can start vaccuming/collecting/eating everything you can off of the floor. Once you get all the girl hair and cookie crumbs out, you can start washing.
I wrapped the seat harness plugs with plastic wrap and taped the outside so I wouldn't directly put tape on them.
Use your detergent and hot/warm water and give it a good scrub down. Don't miss anything. I concentrated on my nice mustard stain from, what I'd like to think, a backseat hot-dog lover.
[img=http://s23.postimage.org/3o3n5nex3/asdfasd.jpg]
Once you let the floor dry (you can vaccum again thoroughly and use a blowdryer), start taping up all the trim. More than likely your console pieces and a few others are very loose so it's easy to get a good covering. I used a bit of plastic wrap on other things, however the spray is not very loose at all and the particles don't seem to scatter and stick.
After you have everything covered, spray away to your heart's contempt. when I first did a spray, I sprayed a little too close and spots were noticeably stiffer and darker. Avoid this and stay about 6-8 inches away even if it looks like not much is going on. All spraying rules apply; use even strokes, etc.
I painted over the foot pedals and foot rest and it seemed to look quite good. When you use any of these spray paint dyes, the fabric clumps up slightly, however don't be scared as after the carpet dries you can take your hand and give a good co-ed rub down with your hands and the carpet will smooth out. The paint dries fairly quickly so you can get one side coated, give a good rub down and another coat to move around the fabric.
After your all done it should look quite good. 3 cans should do the job with another for touch-up. (I did not paint the rear seat carpet and the door panel carpet as mentioned earlier).
I actually only had 2 cans of paint thinking I could get away with it. Ended up having to wake some friends and have them drive down and get some more, so I micro-managed and left under the seat out until I could get my hands on a third can.
After it's all said and done, just reassemble everything and enjoy your new carpet. The paint has held up pretty well, however where my feet move around I've noticed it's a little bit lighter. I think if you touch it up and get all the moved fibers it'll keep up. I'll be painting the interior pieces sometime anyway so I'll probably give it another light coat then.
I just decided to write this up as my experience, less than a how-to. however I started talking in the first person so there you go I guess. A ghetto way to do things but it is drastically better in my case and I don't have to shell out the cash for a new carpet, so pretty happy. And, the overseas fish market small is gone of course.
Ian
