A product to soak up moisture in the carpet?

[Jand3rson]

When the heater core valve on my wife's 89 325i blew, it subsequently unloaded a substantial portion of the car's coolant under the driver's side carpet. Well, since coolant doesn't just evaporate like water would, I need some way to get rid of all the moisture, as the carpet is still wet to the touch with coolant When the weather gets nice again, and I feel like sitting on the ground with a hair dryer for the better part of a day, I'll dry it out properly. But right now, I need to get some of it soaked up. Is there any kind of product I can buy that will absorb it?

[bmwm3n528]

When the heater core valve on my wife's 89 325i blew, it subsequently unloaded a substantial portion of the car's coolant under the driver's side carpet. Well, since coolant doesn't just evaporate like water would, I need some way to get rid of all the moisture, as the carpet is still wet to the touch with coolant When the weather gets nice again, and I feel like sitting on the ground with a hair dryer for the better part of a day, I'll dry it out properly. But right now, I need to get some of it soaked up. Is there any kind of product I can buy that will absorb it?

I've heard one of the only ways to really dry it out is to lift the carpet up, stick something under it so it's not resting against the floor thus letting air get under it. In conjunction, let it sit in the sun on a warm day.

Imagine you could just take out all the carpet and dry it out also, but this would take a lot less time.

BTW, where exactly is it damp at?

[Digitalwave]

Sopping it up with a towel worked for me when mine went out.

[e30Matt]

Kitty litter, perhaps? Let it soak up then vacuum out with a shop vac? Or maybe they have finer grained activated charcoal or something.

[mrsleeve]

Take a bunch of papre towel and press hard where the major part of the coolant is. After you get the bulk of it out, take the hose off you shop vac and put it on the outlet side so you have a blower. Put the hose under the wet carpet put the whole vac in the car shut the door leave the sun roof cracked a bit and turn it on. the vac makes a good bit of heat and the air coming out of the hose is pertty warm, let it run for a few hours and all the moisture will be gone. I like to shove a couple of pices of wood under the carpent in places to keep it off the floor pan and give the air a chance to circulate a little better. All dried out without hours with a blow drier, and a numb ass from sitting on cement all day.

[optimusp517]

I'd recommend what the guys are saying. First go over it with a shop vac and maybe a towel. Then go to home depot to pick up a product called "dry air" I believe. It's a moisture absorbant and you'll be able to find it in the plumbing dept. or you can ask a customer service rep and they'll be able to help you out. Those things did magic for me when I had a leak in my trunk. I left it in the garage for a couple of days and oh man it sucked up a lot of water.

Couldn't find a link for it, but any home depot will carry it :)

[UNHCLL]

remove the carpet is the only way.

You can also close the car up 100% and leave a dehumidifier running inside the car for a day or 2.

[DarkWing6]

Couldn't you suck it up with one of those carpet cleaners? You can use those on home carpets and they lay down water and pick it up. Might be worth trying.

[bmwm3n528]

Couldn't you suck it up with one of those carpet cleaners? You can use those on home carpets and they lay down water and pick it up. Might be worth trying.

Problem is, the foam backing on the carpet is so thick, it's near impossible to suck it all out with a 'shampooer', i've tried.

[Jand3rson]

Couldn't you suck it up with one of those carpet cleaners? You can use those on home carpets and they lay down water and pick it up. Might be worth trying.

I tried that initally, Derek, it hardly soaked up anything at all. It picked up some of it, maybe like 1/2 a cup. I'll go with the ideas that some of the other guys have posted, I just need a nicer day.

[BahnE30]

pull the carpet, let it sit in the sun, who cares if you have to drive around for a couple days without carpet, whoopie....

[PeaveyBassist]

Tampons or pads... Duh

Will

[Dave]

pull the carpet, let it sit in the sun, who cares if you have to drive around for a couple days without carpet, whoopie....

They just finished like 30 days straight with rain. You think they get sun there?

[Jand3rson]

They just finished like 30 days straight with rain. You think they get sun there?

Werd. Lots of rain, and in the last few days, another fresh dumping of snow and ice.

[optimusp517]

seriously give the dry air from home depot a shot, dried up my back seat in a jiffy, just leave that stuff overnight inside the cabin of your car and it should start accumulating water, just do it for a whole week to be safe.