Least work method to pull driver's carpet

[Theotherotter]

I remembered today that I need to pull the driver's carpet up and clean the spilled coolant under it from when the heater valve broke.

I know that to remove it from the tunnel, I have to take the console off and take the AC blower out again. Not my favorite thing in the world, but I've done it once already, at least.

Can I reasonably get under there without doing this? For instance, by pulling it up from the door sill and kick panel side.

All I need to do is get rid of whatever moisture is under there.

[Mike W.]

You don't say where you are, which is significant. Next to the Olympic Rain forest or Phoenix are different.

What I would do. I would saturate the carpet on the drivers side, perhaps pulling out the accelerator pedal first, which if it hasn't been done in some time can be difficult due to dirt and grit. But I would saturate the carpet with a shop vac vacuuming at the same time. You want to clean the carpet. Then it gets more complicated. Originally it was a thick, heavy foam under the carpet with a thick plastic coating on top, maybe 2+MM? Depending on it's life, it's probably powder by now. Literally, that insulation turns to powder. I'd pull the drivers seat, and the door threshold molding, but not the console etc. And vacuum under there. If it is powder as I suspect, I'd put some insulation back in before replacing the carpet. If you're in a reasonably dry area, residual moisture will dry out just fine. But anti freeze is oily and won't dry out well unless you try to flush it with water first.

Keep in mind I'm just a guy who has worked on his own cars for a long time. Usually, but not always successfully. YMMV.

[Theotherotter]

Saturating the carpet to help pull the antifreeze out is a good idea, and I hadn't thought of it. I have done one round of cleaning with my wet/dry carpet vac, but I didn't use water.

I live in Chicago, so neither the Olympic Peninsula nor the Sonoran desert.

The amount of coolant that got into the carpets is, I'd say, on the order of half a cup. I don't know if the carpet has ever been pulled up, but it's the original carpet, so I doubt it.

[Mike W.]

Half a cup? Yeah, just rinse, vacuum and repeat. Maybe use some cleaner like simple green if you want, but anti freeze is water soluble. I wouldn't bother pulling it up. Chicago should be warm enough to dry out what's left this time of year.