Date:         11 Sep 1996 08:22:38 -0700
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         "Harvey Chao" <Harvey_Chao@smtp.svl.trw.com>
Subject:      Re:  Brake fluid cleanup

Jeff Carver asked:  "Any recommendations on how to clean up carpet and the
padding 
underneath that is soaked with brake fluid?"

In my diesel Vanagon, the "pad" under the carpet in the driver's side footwell
is a hunk of fairly solid foam material (as opposed to a typical jute or home
type carpet pad.  

When I have had brake fluid spills, what I have done is park the van so that
when the driver's door is left open, any water in the foot well will drain out
the door frame opening.  I then rinse/flood the carpet with water until the
water drains clean and without foam.  The carpet can be partially lifted to
get at the pad underneath and to rinse off the metal flooboards.  When done, I
use an old towel to wipe the floorboards dry.  I wipe the pad dry because it
has some kind of coating that seems to prevent water from penetrating.  If
yours is different , leave it in the sun to dry.  I leave the carpet raised to
allow air circulation between the carpet and floorboards as well as across the
top surface  of the carpet.  Usually I use my hand to "squeege" off as much
excess water from the nap of the carpet  as possible first.  Leave the van
open to promote air circulation.  This is something best done on a warm sunny
day.

You will find not only that you are rinsing out the brake fluid (it gets kinda
foamy) but increadible amounts of old fashioned dirt as well - typically the
water drains muddy/gray at first, inspite of rubber floor mats over the
carpet..  This process works just as well on the front passenger side (for
spills) if you reorient the van so the water drains.  In the case of the
carpet in the rear seating areas, if you take up the threshold plate by the
sliding door, the carpet can be removed from the van, placed on a suitable
surface (concrete cdriveway) and hosed clean and allowed to dry.

Harvey