How To Prevent Carpets From Smelling

What Causes Carpets To Have A Bad Odor?

Carpet fibers can soak up odors in the same way they absorb stains, allowing them to persist in your house. Consider the following potential causes of odor if your carpet has a terrible stench.

Dampness Or Moisture

Moisture can seep beneath the carpet and into the padding, causing damp smells. Humidity, spills, or dripping potted plants can all cause moisture to accumulate on the carpet. When a carpeted basement becomes flooded following a downpour, it can also cause odors. If not handled immediately, prolonged moisture exposure can lead to mold and mildew growth beneath the carpet padding. It will not only make the room smell worse, but it will also put your health at risk.

Crumbs Of Food And Spilled Drinks

Smells can be caused by spilled food and drinks on the carpet. Bacteria are attracted to these organic materials. The bacteria release noxious gases as they break down. The easiest way to get rid of the odor is to hire a professional carpet cleaner.

You can determine the best solution for the carpet odor once you’ve identified the source. Consider getting two professional cleanings for organic odors to get rid of the bacteria completely.

Old Age

Fibers are used to make carpeting. These fibers deteriorate with time. There isn’t much that you can do when your carpet starts to smell musty because of deterioration.

Carpet cleaning will not be able to remove the old, musty odor. When this happens, it’s time to replace it. Aside from the smell, ancient carpets begin to shed dust, which can aggravate indoor allergies.

Cigarette Smoke

If someone in the house smokes, the stench of cigarette smoke can settle in the carpet. While the residents may be oblivious to the stink since they live with it, guests or potential buyers will detect the smoky odor.

Although a skilled carpet cleaner may eliminate the stench, a carpet deodorizer may not be sufficient if the smoking is severe, and you may have to replace the carpeting.

Pet Odors

The scent can linger for a long time if pets use your carpet as a toilet. The odor of pet pee may resurface even after cleaning the carpet. This is because the microorganisms breaking down the urine emit gases. The carpet fibers will continue to stink if any pee lingers in it.

Vomit, another typical concern related to pets and carpeting, is the same. Water activates the bacteria, which is why the stench may worsen after a thorough washing.

The easiest way to get rid of pet odors is to employ dry carpet cleaning procedures or solutions that use enzymatic odor removal formulas. Enzymes are very effective since they kill bacteria, removing the cause of the odor.

How To Prevent Carpet Odors

You must keep smells from setting in your carpet if you’d like to avoid having to clean it every few weeks. Here are a few things you can do to keep your carpet from smelling bad:

Make Sure There Is Adequate Ventilation

Keeping a carpeted space well ventilated might assist in eliminating smells before they become lodged in the fibers of your carpet. This is as simple as opening a window and letting in some clean air.

You can produce a more effective crosswind if you have a couple of windows opposite each other. One of them can be opened by a crack, while the other can be fully opened. The wind will be blown through, giving you a refreshing breeze.

This will also aid in reducing interior humidity. You will keep mold and mildew at bay if the humidity is kept low.

Keep Your House Clean

Consistently cleaning your carpet, as well as your entire house, will minimize the foul smells. To begin, vacuum the carpet once a week to remove the dust and debris. By putting some detergent granules in the bag, you can also help to deodorize your vacuum. As you vacuum, this will release a fresh fragrance.

Wipe Up Spills As Soon As Possible

Spills are one of the most common causes of carpet smells. You’ve probably witnessed many mishaps and unexplained stains if you have kids or pets at home.

It would help if you cleaned up any spills as quickly as possible. Some might leave a stubborn stain, while others may leak through the padding. We recommend always keeping a spot cleaner in a spray bottle on hand so that you’ll be ready all the time.

You may refer to our Complete Carpet Spill Cleanup Guide to properly learn how to take care of various carpet spills.

How To Remove Carpet Odors

If prevention falls short, here are the ways to deodorize your carpet.

Enzyme Cleaner

As mentioned earlier, the easiest technique to eliminate certain smells is to use an enzyme cleaner. Any home improvement or supply store should have these on hand. The enzymes in these cleaners facilitate the bacteria in quickly breaking down organic matter, including blood, vomit, urine, and excrement. Follow the directions on the package to apply the product.

Baking Soda

Many people keep baking soda in their pantries. But, aside from being used for baking, it’s also excellent in absorbing both liquids and smells. So, if your carpet emits a faint odor, reach for the baking soda.

Using a liberal amount of baking soda, scatter it all over the carpet. If the stench is only minimal, let the powder stay for a few hours. However, if the smell is powerful, you may need to keep it on overnight. Then, thoroughly vacuum the carpet to remove the baking soda.

Vinegar

Mildew could be developing within the fibers of your carpet if it has a musty stench. To remove odor, you’ll need to eliminate the mold. Fortunately, you won’t need any harsh chemicals to accomplish this. Vinegar is an affordable and effective solution to remove odors from your carpet.

In a spray bottle, add one cup vinegar to two cups of warm water and shake well. Spray the entire carpet with the mixture and let it dry naturally. As the solution dries, the strong vinegar smell will subside. You can also add two teaspoons of baking soda to the mix. If the odor is particularly heavy, doing this will increase its effectiveness.

Vodka

Not only can vodka be used to make great cosmopolitan drinks, but you can also use it to remove stains. After you’ve treated a spot, spritz it with vodka to remove any remaining pigment or smell.

Wait for 15 minutes for the vodka to perform its magic. Then, using paper towels, dab it away. You can also use baking soda to absorb moisture. When you’re finished, vacuum the carpet.

Borax

Borax is primarily known for its use in washing laundry, but it also works well as a carpet cleaner. Borax is inexpensive and readily available, as well as being devoid of phosphates and chlorine.

If your DIY carpet cleaner is mixed thoroughly, there should be no issues with the mixture discoloring your carpet. However, performing a spot test in a tiny, unnoticeable area before employing any cleaning techniques is always a good idea.

What If This Doesn’t Work?

Spare yourself the hassle and have your carpet examined by a professional carpet cleaner if none of the earlier suggestions, procedures, or solutions have managed to reduce the odors coming from your carpet. In most cases, enlisting the assistance of professionals is the ideal option. A knowledgeable, experienced, and trusted expert can tell you whether or not your carpet can be restored or salvaged.

Reach Out To a Professional Carpet Cleaning Company Today

SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning is the company to call if you need a dependable and professional carpet cleaning service. We have a team of experts who can handle any odor problems your carpet may have. Our technicians use state-of-the-art cleaning equipment and methods to bring your carpets back to life.

SaniClean Dry Carpet Cleaning uses a dry carpet cleaning method that ensures deep cleaning, removing stains and smells from your carpet. We don’t soak your carpets. This guarantees that there’s no risk of leaving behind moisture, which can exacerbate the foul odors of smelly carpets, as mentioned above.

Call (206) 590-7174 today to talk to one of our carpet cleaning professionals with any questions or to schedule your carpet cleaning appointment. You may also submit your inquiry through the “Request Service” form on this page.

We hope you found the above information helpful. We look forward to continuing our service to you!