Do you own a carpet at your apartment or home? Ever dealt with carpet cleaning tasks? Consider yourself fortunate if you have never dealt with a smelly carpet. Those who have cleaned carpets at home know how laborious it is.
Carpets get dirty and spread odor if they are not cleaned for a long time. The absorbency of carpets is too strong, and it tends to hold smoke or spills smoke.
Don’t assume that you will be required to buy a new carpet if your carpet spreads a bad smell. Just a carpet cleaning powder or other cleaning items can help you get rid of this bad smell.
Why is My Carpet Getting Smelly?
Because of several reasons, a carpet gets smelly. This could be due to pet urine or any dirt brought by them. Also, if any food particles spill on the carpet and it’s not cleaned properly, the carpet will spread bad odor over time.
Fiber is the main material of carpet which can hold smells for many days. So, if you don’t clean the carpet periodically, it will start getting smelly.
So, how can you clean a smelly carpet? Read the next section.
How to Clean a Smelly Carpet at Home?
Before writing this guide, we had a session with one of the best professional cleaning services in the USA “Coit.” In the session, professional carpet cleaners shared a few simple cleaning methods that need to be done periodically. Anybody can follow and accomplish these methods efficiently. According to the discussion, let us share a few methods of cleaning a smelly carpet below.
Method 01: Enzyme Cleaner
Accidents on the carpet are a common scenario at home if you are a pet parent. Due to these accidents, sour and spicy odors can come, which are quite challenging to clean. Pet urine can ruin any carpet.
Enzyme cleaner is the best solution to get rid of pet urine odor. At any home improvement store, an enzyme cleaner is available. Moreover, you can purchase it from any eCommerce site. It boosts up the bacteria feeding process on organic matter like feces, vomit, blood, etc.
Method 02: Baking Soda
Baking soda is a common item in every kitchen. It absorbs odors and liquids effectively. So, baking soda is another best solution for cleaning a smelly carpet at home.
Take a required amount of baking soda and sprinkle it at every corner of the carpet. If the smell is subtle, give it a rest for 2 – 3 hours. While for stronger odor, you should give it a rest for at least 24 hours.
After the required time, thoroughly vacuum the powder. You may need a bag or container while cleaning the powder.
Method 03: Vinegar
Mildew can grow inside the carpet if there is a mildewed carpet odor. Removing the mildew will assist you in getting rid of the problem. The good news is, using harsh chemicals is unnecessary for this.
Make a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar and 2 cups of warm water. Give the mixture a good shake before using it and spray it on the whole carpet. Make sure you sprayed the mixture at every corner. Then give it an air-dry. During the drying time, the strongly scented vinegar will neutralize the bad odor.
If the odor is too strong, add 2 teaspoons of baking soda with it. This way, the mixture will deliver a much effective result.
Method 04: Mixture of Baking Soda and Essential Oil
If you want to add new flavor to the baking soda, it is advisable to choose essential oil. Essential oils are thick liquid obtained from certain plants. Essential oils scent is too strong, and deodorizing power is similarly effective.
First, you will need to choose any of your favorite essential oil. However, it is significantly important to consider how the essential oil scent will affect your family members and pets. Such as peppermint and cinnamon scent is unpleasant to dogs. At the same time, cats remain uncomfortable with a citrus scent.
You should purchase grape, lemon, or lavender-scented essential oils. These scents will bring a new environment for your room.
Make a mixture of 2 cups of baking soda and 15 drops of essential oil with water. Give the mixture a good shake. Then sprinkle it all over the carpet. If the carpet smell is mild, leave the mixture for the next 1 hour. If the smell is strong, leave it for at least 24 hours.
Once the required time is over, take a vacuum cleaner. Thoroughly clean the carpet. You can use carpet cleaning powders to make it easier.
How Can I Prevent a Smelly Carpet?
“Prevention is better than cure” – we all know this saying but how many of us follow it? Well, preventive measures can help you avoid cleaning a smelly carpet very often.
So, what preventive measures can I take? See below.
1. Ensure Enough Air Flow in the Room
A well-ventilated carpeted room will never give you bad odor because the bad odor will pass away with air, and they will be unable to sit on your carpet fibers. For this, keep the windows and doors open so that fresh air can play in your room.
The humidity level will also remain down if enough air can pass through your room. Mold and mildew can’t grow in low humidity areas.
2. Clean Periodically
If you regularly clean your home and carpet, the bad odor level will remain at its minimum. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean your carpet at least once a week. This way, bacteria, and dirt will not grow in your carpet.
3. Spill Cleaning in a roper Way
Many of us don’t pay attention to the spilled food on the carpet. We think of cleaning the spills later, and then, we forget. The truth is, spilling is one of the main culprits for smelly carpet.
After noticing any spills on the carpet, don’t make any delay. Take action as soon as possible, and clean the spill properly. Keep a spot cleaner ready to use and close at your hand so that you can use it at any time.
The smelly carpet is frustrating. But we are fortunate that many different methods are available to get rid of this problem.
And most importantly, all the methods are straightforward.
We all love to enjoy a soft carpet. A cleaned and soft carpet also plays a vital role in keeping you healthy.