How to Remove Car Floor Mats?
3 Answers
Remove the car seats. When removing the car seats, prepare the necessary tools and sequentially unscrew the seat armrest screws and remove the plastic cover of the adjustment knob. First, take out the rear seats, then unscrew the two screws at the door threshold area and pull out the sealing strip. Remove the clips, then take off the footrest, and also remove the engine cover handle.
To remove car carpet, first prepare the tools. I used a 10mm socket wrench and a plastic pry bar. Start by emptying everything inside the car, even the rear floor mats must be taken out. Then remove the bolts of the front seats—the number of bolts varies by car; I've seen some with four and others with six. Be extra careful with the clip positions when prying the sill trim panels; lifting slowly from the door frame side is the most stable method. When lifting the carpet later, you'll find it tucked under the center console, so you'll need to remove the side panels of the console first. It's best to have two people work together when lifting the carpet—roll it up slowly and avoid yanking, as wiring harnesses are hidden underneath. Last time when helping a friend remove mold, I forgot to disconnect the battery first, and the airbag warning light stayed on for hours. Before reinstalling, remember to dry any water accumulation on the floor—this is also a perfect time to route new audio cables if you're upgrading the sound system.
Having removed the carpeting from three cars myself, I found the rear seat section to be the most challenging. First, you need to lift the rear seat cushion upward and then push it forward to remove it. Some cars also have child seat anchors that require extra attention. For the door sill trim, using a plastic pry tool starting from the seams is the safest approach—metal pry bars can easily leave scratches. The carpet retaining clips are particularly brittle; I always twist and lift them simultaneously, stopping as soon as I hear a 'click' sound. When lifting the carpet, I noticed that some models also require removing the B-pillar trim panel, right where the seatbelt is located. If the carpet is moldy, never rinse it directly with water. Instead, use an interior cleaner to scrub it gently and let it dry for two days before reinstalling. Remember to wear gloves throughout the process—those metal burrs can be quite sharp.
