how much to clean/deoderize carpet

previous owner got rear-ended and the repair job was piss-poor. I paid $10,500 last year for a 2004 fully loaded prius with 41K miles, the KBB private party good value was $16,000 and the title was clear so I can't complain about the following problems:

first, the tail panel assembly wasn't replaced as it should have been, as a result the quarter panel, tail light and bumper doesn't fit properly, causing finger-sized gaps which allowed water to get in all winter. My favorite body shop is ordering the part ($325) and is charging me $300 labor to RR it (its a welded in part) and then put the car back together properly.

second, I had 2 gallons of water in the spare tire compartment, 1 in the 12V battery, 2 gallons in the right rear footwell, and 1 gallon in each of the other 3 footwells. I removed the rear seat bottom cushion, front seats, DENSO GPS head unit, JBL amp and center console, I then removed the entire carpet and finally 4 individual pads (toyota calls them silencers). the pads are moldy and will be replaced, I can order them for $140 despite a list price of $190. I've temporarily removed the drain plugs and put the car back together with no pads and carpeting, just floor mats.

I have some questions:
first, while on the web I noticed that there was also a silencer under the center console but I didn't notice it when removing and replacing the center console. Does anyone know since the center console is raised up 6 inches if it should be fine? and why didn't I see it?

second, i plan to have the carpet professionally cleaned, does anyone know how much this costs approx? and there is additional padding behind the carpet, are they able to clean this? is this sold separately? it seems to be adhered with glue, can it be removed, soaked in bleach water, dried, and replaced?

does anyone know if you can just buy a roll of automotive carpet padding and cut it yourself?

I know a lot of people have had water in the prius so hopefully some people that have gone thru this experience can help me. My whole life I have been a big fan of rubber floor mats, and I can tell you that after decades of driving I have finally found their weakness in addition to not being as comfortable as carpeted floor mats: You can't detect water under the rubber floor mats so water in the cabin can go unnoticed for months or years.

 

hey cookieguru, thanks for the lower grilles, I received them today, you used DHL packaging to send something usps, silly rabbit. My car is going to look more contemporary with those old fashioned fog lamps gone, I may even drill holes thru the grilles you sent to put in some LEDs for that German look.

that carpet you have pictured is exactly what is sprawled out on my living room floor, only mine is upside down to allow the little bit of foam padding underneath it to dry out. I was actually referring to the 4 individual silencers that fit under the carpet in each of the 4 floor wells. they resemble padding that's underneath household carpet. only because mine is soaked thru & thru, I was actually wondering if anyone knows how to get automotive padding (or silencers as toyota calls them) or if household carpet padding will substitute just fine.

I actually went to Menards today and bought a product called Moldex, 64oz industrial-grade concentrate makes 16 gallons of "one-step cleaner, disinfectant, fungicide & mildewstat" $20 on sale for $11, gotta love Menards. I think I'm gonna use it a little stronger and make 10 gallons, or whatever it takes to soak each of the silencers in a plastic bin and fill my garden sprayer to soak both sides of the carpet a few times. if there is a strong residual chemical spray I will then steam/soak/spray everything with water and/or carpet cleaner, than a month hanged up in the garage and everything should be good as new, it'll also give me an opportunity to put my underused handheld steam cleaner to use. Who knows, maybe it won't cost me anything other than the Moldex and my own time removing, replacing & cleaning everything.

There was also a little water on the bottom of the rear seats, so that'll get cleaned as well. I'm gonna start in a few days so if anyone has any reason to object to me using the moldex on the carpet and padding, speak now or forever hold your peace. thanks & sorry everybody, I know my posts are usually longer than most others here.

 

then i will make every effort to save the silencers I have with the Moldex.

first disconnect negative 12V battery lead, leave hatch open or you will have to climb back thru the back seat (LOL personal experience) to reconnect it later

second, remove the rear seat (bottom only) by firmly lifting it up at the front (the 2 mounts I think are located right b/t your legs if you were sitting in either of the outboard seats)

third, remove front seats, other directions say to tilt forward but I found tilting back and going from the front is much easier to disconnect the wiring harnesses to the seat (3 drivers, 2 passenger). The rear bolts are hidden behind plastic snap on/off covers.

fourth, remove JBL (if equipped) and Nav (if equipped) head units, the 2 front bolts are obvious (& also 12mm as opposed to the 14mm bolts used for the seats), each has a single rear bolt hidden under a flap of carpet.

fifth, remove center console by removing 2 bolts at the bottom of the big storage bin with a deep 10mm socket, then lift the cupholder assembly (take this inside to give a nice wash in the sink) to expose 2 phillips head screws on the bottom outside edge of the front. remove them and tilt center console back, 2 harnesses, one of them is a really tight fit when tilting back with one hand and trying to remove with the other, so having a helper will help here.

sixth, pry the dead pedal off, remove the bolt for the gas door release and just let it dangle there.

seventh, remove the carpet, the front is very difficult so start at the back, as you lift the side sill covers remove easily, do not force the carpet out of these side sills, there is a black plastic thing you simply lift and the carpet slides out. with the back and sides removed this allows you to wiggle it to create gaps to allow your fingers into the trim up front that's holding the carpet in place, there are several round plastic retaining clips that pop out.

well as I said its at least another month till I replace my carpet so i have no experience installing it, just do the reverse, if you can get the front in the rest will be a peace of cake, I would have a helper "fold the carpet" upwards so you can thread all the cables thru the appropriate holes.

some hints: take a picture of the cables coming out of the holes in the carpet so you know where they go when trying to put it back together. DON'T LOSE ANYTHING, use sandwich bags or whatever. Don't start this a couple hours before you have to be somewhere, leave yourself at least 4 hours just to be safe. pictures below, trouble lamp I was able to do this easily at night although daytime would be much, much better.

The previous owner ran over something as I noticed an upward indentation in the metal of a floor board so I'm actually going to hammer that down with a rubber mallet so a passenger doesn't wonder why his left foot is an inch above his right foot.

first picture is with the carpet, second is with the bare metal, its coated with something so it doesn't look too bad, and I've the floor mats back in so its not even noticeable at night (feet aren't as comfy though!!) good luck.

by the way I often encase things in Fed Ex bubble mailers before putting them in usps priority mail boxes so I am just as guilty as you are on that regards, pot, kettle, black.

 

i forgot to mention to:

make sure to have the ability to remove the bolts inside the center console bin before starting so you don't need to make a trip to the hardware store with your car interior all apart.

and its very tempting to grab the bar of the seats that allow the seat to slide forwards and backwards . . . DON'T!!! If you do and the seats are tilted at some weird angle the 2 sliders will slide differently and no longer be in line with each other like when they are bolted down.

i hope you have a set of metric ratchet wrenches, a rubber mallet is my preferred way of getting a tough bolt loose as it doesn't damage your wrenches.