I just did this recently and the console is indeed a pain. I suggest you pull the carpeting out from under the console, clean it and try to tuck it back up under the console. If that fails you'll have to partly disassemble and loosen the console.

My carpets were so bad I took them to professional detail shop. They did a nice job for $30.

The seats have to come out to pull the carpets, and the sills have to come off, ditto the side kick panels. CAUTION: before doing any work on the driver's side front seat, disconnect the battery and wait several minutes. This will power down the airbag crash sensor, which is right under that seat. Those first generation airbags explode with frightening force.

For the console...(first, disconnect battery):
You have to remove the cig. lighter trim piece then the two Phillips screws it hides, then pull out the lighter/coin cubby, left side first. Free the fuse/relay tray from its clips and pull it out - the wiring bundle has slack to allow this.

With it out you can see the bolts in there that hold the two console sides to some framework. You can now also access the hidden large Phillips screws that secure that metal strip you see in front of the shifter - they are at either end and screw into the plastic console material. They point to the rear of the car. If this doesn't give you enough console flex to remove and reinstall the carpets, you'll have to remove the radio and undo a lot more console securing bolts up in there.

Not a fun job, but satisfying to get it behind you.
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Bob (son's 81-244GL B21F/M46, my 83-244DL B23F/M46 and 89-745(LT1 V8): dtr's 94-944 B230FD; hobbycar 77 MGB, and four old motorcycles)