I'd like to do a little mildew maintenance, and detail the hell out of my car. I figure that since I'm home from college and tend to spend too much money when I go out, I should take on a project like this.

So, I've used the search and I can see that the carpet can be removed, but there are no instructions. I have a 98 GXE, and am wondering if anyone can give me some help with this.

 

you have to take out all the seats front and rear, the center arm rest, and the door guars or whatever they are called. Then just take out the carpet, it help in by come clips. Have fun

 

I had to take out the console to put in a new leather e-brake boot. To do this I had to take out my passenger seat (was jammed or something - I fixed that too). It's pretty easy. The console has just 5 screws counting the one for the ashtray, and the seat's only 4 bolts, easy to get to. Tear-out and replace took me about 20 mins.

If you have some shop gloves, wear em. There was something under the console that cut my finger pretty bad. It was a clean cut and didn't notice until I saw a few drops ab AB+ on the carpet (under where the console goes). Just an FYI.

Another side note: I don't know what shape your car's in, but after taking the seat out of mine, I could see that there wasn't too much junk down there. You can see the areas where you'd need to clean when the seats are out. I think if you just took the seats out and ran a shopvac around there, you'd get 99% of the stuff you're worried about. I can't imagine there'd be too much under the carpet.

 

Did you buy the car used? That's the only was I can imagine it is growing mildew. Used car dealerships have cheap tactics, one of which is soaking the carpet in soap-water to give it a new-car smell. Although they dry the carpet afterwards, they cannot soak up all the water and when the car sits closed for a day or two mildew will grow quickly. As a tip, DO NOT do this when you are cleaning the car! Use a carpet-cleaner like Blue Magic, which is formulated so it will not create mold spores. Stupid dealers and their tactics.
-Cyrus