My Carpet Smells Like Mildew

Water damage often has the unwelcome effect of leaving a musty odor on carpets. In some cases, it does more than just producing a terrible smell — it can point to the growth of mildew or mold, which is particularly partial to damp environments. You can protect your carpet with a few simple tips. “My carpet smells like mildew” — this article will go through remedies to fix this issue.

My Carpet Smells Like Mildew

Have the issue of, “My carpet smells like mildew?” You’ll firstly have to dry the affected area and then use a cleaning solution to remove the smell.

Drying the Affected Area

The sooner this is done, the less odorous the carpet will be and the more manageable the growth of mildew will be. If the carpet is in a room with windows, it’s best to open the windows so as to allow moisture to escape the room, creating more room for water to evaporate from the carpet.

You can also use the help of a dehumidifier, which can help you to remove moisture from the carpet fibers and the air. If you have a floor fan, that can also be useful. It increases circulation while it directly points the airflow on your carpet, which greatly speeds up the drying process.

Using a Cleaning Solution

One cup of vinegar, mixed with 2 cups of warm water can make an effective cleaning solution. The best way to use this solution is to put it in a spray bottle and then gently spray it onto areas of the carpet that has a distinct stench. It’s important to not spray too much on one area. Doing so can have the unintended effect of causing more mold to grow. It is also important to ensure that the solution has enough vinegar, as this allows it to be more effective. You can even shampoo your carpets if the smell doesn’t get removed.

Pouring Baking Soda Over Sprayed Areas

Baking soda is highly effective at absorbing odors. Combined with air drying or using a dehumidifier, it can leave your carpet with minimal odor after a short time. Another advantage it has is that it is safe around children and pets, meaning you don’t have to go through the trouble of blocking the area from them.

After the baking soda has been on the odorous parts of the carpet, you can vacuum it up. It is important that you don’t vacuum too early, as the baking soda might not have absorbed all the odor.

Using Cat Litter and Vinegar

If you have a cat, its litter might be put to good use. You can place small, open containers of it all over the room. It’s important to change the litter on a regular basis, which can allow it to absorb most of the odor over a short period of time. You can also leave bowls of white vinegar throughout the room, which quickly lifts the odor out of the area.

Bottom Line

Another thing that’s important for you to do is to fix the source of your water damage. Without doing that, more water may continue to cause your carpet to emit a foul odor. When the source of the water damage is taken care of, however, and you’ve thoroughly clean your carpet, it should be fresh and odor-free. It’s important to perform multiple checks to ensure that mold or mildew has stopped growing if you’re facing the problem of, “My carpet smells like mildew,” you can use the above remedy to fix it.