Crunchy Backing on Carpet Mats

[Setec Astronomy]

In my lazy old age, I have wound up with all-season (hard rubber) mats in all my cars. I was looking for something in my basement and pulled up on the edge of a factory carpet mat from one of my cars and heard a crack--these mats are over 20 years old and the rubber backing is hard and actually cracked.

I unearthed the "mummified" mats, and of course found out that replacement mats are no longer available. Do you guys think if I soak the rubber backing in PDMS dressing (303, etc.) that I can soften them back up? I realize the spots that cracked are likely to let water through, so I'll have to be careful, even if I can get these back into usable condition.

I realize I can get custom-fit carpet mats, they just wont be exactly like the original ones...and I'm weird that way. The funny thing is I feel like if these were still in the car they would be ok, I think because I had piled them on something (thinking they were just going to be there for the winter...probably 10+ years ago) that let air onto the back sides...didn't help.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

I found some things online that recommend soaking hard rubber parts in a mixture of IPA and methyl salicylate (wintergreen oil). Since I can't really soak a floor mat, and if I did the carpet would probably smell like wintergreen forever (not to mention the methyl salicylate is highly toxic), I decided to buy some of the wintergreen and spray or brush the IPA mixture on the rubber backing, and see where that goes, I'll report back.

 

[Dan]

Any luck?

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Not yet, I have been brushing about an ounce on almost every day (cut 1:1 with 99% IPA), not sure if it is doing anything. I will try for a week or 10 days before giving up.