OverlandZJ
NAXJA Member # 101
- Location
- Bristol,PA
I found i didnt want to drop $300 into ordering up a replacement carpet, so i started searching my options. In the past i have pulled and used car wash wands, pressure washer here at home etc. It worked but was very tough to get bad stains out of a light colored tan carpet.
So, with building the ZJ i decided to try something else. My carpet was light grey and in decent shape.. it got pulled last summer and cleaned to find it's way into the wifes ZJ with newer leather seats i picked up.
So i found a carpet a guy was giving away, it was dark grey and heavily UV faded. It had quite a few heavy stains. I knew i wanted a darker carpet after 10 years with the tan...
I found a write up on the net about a guy who redid his interior in a Lexus, and it looked good. I followed his advice and tried it. First on a carpet that was UV faded belonging to my bud who was cleaning up a newly purchased Scrambler. RIT dye is not available in a dark grey/Agate so i opted for black.
I went to Walmart and picked up 6 8oz bottles of RIT fabric dye.
Mixed the dye with WARM water and dropped it into a plastic tote filled enough to cover the loosly folded carpet. You dont want it too tight or compacted.. you want the dye to be able to get to everything.. you'll see why soon.
I let it soak for 24 hours. Occasionally picking up a corner and letting it settle back down, making sure there were no air pockets and the dye was getting into it well. Pulled it out... and let it DRY. Once dry rinse thoroughly till the water runs clear off the carpet. You want this or anytime the carpet gets wet... whatever touches it may get some residual color. Once rinsed well, let it thoroughly dry again. Now it's ready for reinstall.
Remember.. the above is a smaller carpet that came from a Scrambler. I wanted to test the technique before i did mine, which has a much more dense carpet. So, i took my carpet and using the same dye bath dropped in my ZJ carpet for 48 hours. It showed spots of purple, this is from being folded too tight and compacted. But that was ok, i learned i needed a larger tote and i was planning a double dip anyway.
So back to WalMart and 6 more bottles of RIT and a larger 45 gallon tote. Again filled with WARM water and dye mixed in. Let the carpet soak another 24 hours.
I failed to get picks of rinsing this one out. I also removed the jute backing/insulation before dropping it in the dye bath. After rinsed and dry i used some 3M spray adhesive and reattached the jute backing.
Then installed in the Jeep.
I couldnt be happier with the results. The guy who did this to his Lexus reports no fading in over three years now.
The RIT dye costs $3 per bottle, $18 and a tote if you have one gets this job done. I think in total i spent $50 to dye two carpets and buy the larger tote. I still need to source and dye to match a rear carpet section. Hope others may find this usefull.
So, with building the ZJ i decided to try something else. My carpet was light grey and in decent shape.. it got pulled last summer and cleaned to find it's way into the wifes ZJ with newer leather seats i picked up.
So i found a carpet a guy was giving away, it was dark grey and heavily UV faded. It had quite a few heavy stains. I knew i wanted a darker carpet after 10 years with the tan...
I found a write up on the net about a guy who redid his interior in a Lexus, and it looked good. I followed his advice and tried it. First on a carpet that was UV faded belonging to my bud who was cleaning up a newly purchased Scrambler. RIT dye is not available in a dark grey/Agate so i opted for black.
I went to Walmart and picked up 6 8oz bottles of RIT fabric dye.
Mixed the dye with WARM water and dropped it into a plastic tote filled enough to cover the loosly folded carpet. You dont want it too tight or compacted.. you want the dye to be able to get to everything.. you'll see why soon.
I let it soak for 24 hours. Occasionally picking up a corner and letting it settle back down, making sure there were no air pockets and the dye was getting into it well. Pulled it out... and let it DRY. Once dry rinse thoroughly till the water runs clear off the carpet. You want this or anytime the carpet gets wet... whatever touches it may get some residual color. Once rinsed well, let it thoroughly dry again. Now it's ready for reinstall.
Remember.. the above is a smaller carpet that came from a Scrambler. I wanted to test the technique before i did mine, which has a much more dense carpet. So, i took my carpet and using the same dye bath dropped in my ZJ carpet for 48 hours. It showed spots of purple, this is from being folded too tight and compacted. But that was ok, i learned i needed a larger tote and i was planning a double dip anyway.
So back to WalMart and 6 more bottles of RIT and a larger 45 gallon tote. Again filled with WARM water and dye mixed in. Let the carpet soak another 24 hours.
I failed to get picks of rinsing this one out. I also removed the jute backing/insulation before dropping it in the dye bath. After rinsed and dry i used some 3M spray adhesive and reattached the jute backing.
Then installed in the Jeep.
I couldnt be happier with the results. The guy who did this to his Lexus reports no fading in over three years now.
The RIT dye costs $3 per bottle, $18 and a tote if you have one gets this job done. I think in total i spent $50 to dye two carpets and buy the larger tote. I still need to source and dye to match a rear carpet section. Hope others may find this usefull.
