We all deal with occasional spills and pet mishaps, and carpets can easily absorb the odors over time. Before you know it, your carpets give off unpleasant smells. While you may be tempted to mask odors with air fresheners, the source of the scent remains down in the carpet fibers and padding.
To get rid of carpet odor, you need to remove as many of the smell molecules as possible. Then you can replace the bad smell with a fresh, clean scent. So, now you need to figure out how to get dog poop smell out of carpet and make it smell good again. With some simple household products, you can get unwanted smells out of your floor coverings.
How to Get Smell Out of Carpet?
Before choosing cleaning solutions, sniff around first. Figure out what areas smell the worst or what may have caused the odor. Food spills, pet messes, smoke, and mildew have distinctive smells. Knowing the source of the odor will help you treat it effectively. You’ll use different techniques, for example, to combat a wine stain smell versus a cat urine odor.
Prepare for Cleaning
Preparation for the carpet cleaning is labor-intensive, but it makes the neutralizing process easier. Here are the things that you should do before starting the process:
- Remove all furniture, rugs, and anything sitting on the smelly carpet. The more bare floor space around the area, the better.
- Vacuum thoroughly to suck up loose dirt and odor particles from old spills. Use an odor-eliminating vacuum product if possible.
- Pre-treat any visible stains you find with a stain remover or hydrogen peroxide.
- Run a carpet rake across traffic areas to fluff the carpet fibres, allowing solutions to penetrate better.
- Sprinkle an even layer of baking soda across the whole carpet. Let it sit for several hours or overnight. This will help absorb smells from spilled liquids.
Choose the Right Solution
Now comes the fun part-attacking those carpet smells! Arm yourself with these odor eliminators:
Vinegar
White vinegar gets rid of smells, not just covers them up. Consider using a mixture of vinegar and water to apply. Use a clean towel to absorb excess water.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Its oxidizing properties destroy odor molecules. Use a 3% solution. Apply to carpets with a spray bottle, wait 5-10 minutes, then blot up.
Enzymatic Cleaner
Breaks down odor compounds. Use pet urine cleaners for animal accidents. Spray or dab on stains and let sit for 30 minutes before blotting.
Baking Soda
Absorbs odors rather than making them. Sprinkle liberally over the carpet. Let it sit for a few hours up to overnight, then vacuum up.
Borax
Boran can kill the mold spores, eliminating the mold and mildew odours. Mix borax and baking soda, and sprinkle it over the carpet. Let it sit for an hour; then vacuum up.
Vodka Spray
Vodka spray is an effective way to remove smells, especially stubborn odours like bacteria and mould. Simply spray the alcohol over the carpet, let it sit for a few minutes, and sprinkle baking soda on top. Then, vacuum up after drying.
Carpet Shampoo
If your natural remedies are not working, consider using the commercial carpet shampoo for deep cleaning and removing the odours. Be cautious to choosing the shampoo designed for smell removal, not only for stain removal.
Scrub the Carpet
After choosing the cleaning solution, take a scrub pad or toothbrush. Apply the cleaning solution, scrub in a circular motion, and let it sit in the carpet fibres. Then, take any dry cloth or towel to absorb as moisture as possible. Repeat this process until all the remaining residues are gone. Open windows for ventilation and run the air purifier to neutralize any remaining musty smell.
Let it Dry
Now it’s time to dry the carpet completely. Turn on the fans and open the windows. The faster the carpet dries, the less likely it is for odours to settle in its fibres. Turn on any portable fan to keep the air circulating in the room. When your carpet is drying, avoid walking in that area and keep the pets and children away from it.
How to Make Carpets Smell Good
After deep cleaning carpets to remove odors, it’s important to know the best way to make carpet smell fresh. Choose natural options whenever possible instead of masking smells with chemical room sprays. Making your carpets smell inviting with pleasant scents is the finishing touch to complete odor removal.
1. Use Aromatic Plants and Herbs
The best way to make carpet smell fresh without any artificial fragrances is to use plants. The leaves, stems, flowers, and oils naturally emit feel-good scents. Additionally, exposure to air purified by plants provides health benefits.
Strategically place bowls of fragrant rose petals around the room. Set out small dishes of lemon or orange peels. Hang eucalyptus branches over smelly spots. The key is to place aromatic plants near carpet level so their scent diffuses downwards. Let nature freshen up the floor!
2. Use Essential Oils
To give carpets a nice, clean smell, boil up some homemade potpourri. For a warm, inviting smell, simmer water with whole nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, and apple peels. Steep rosemary, lemon verbena, and lavender buds to make the room feel better.
Keep the pot simmering on low to permeate the room with scent molecules. The carpet fibers will soak up the fragrance. It’s like a spa treatment for your floor!
3. Simmer Herbal Potpourri
Essential oils distilled from plants have very concentrated scents. Just a few drops go a long way to leave carpets smelling fresh. Strategically place cotton balls with lemon, peppermint, jasmine, or other appealing oils around the edges of the room. The aroma will subtly spread without being overpowering.
You can also mix a few drops of certain oils into water. Put into a spray bottle to mist over carpets. Great options include lavender, wild orange, grapefruit, eucalyptus, and tea tree oil. This leaves a pleasant lingering scent.
4. Get a Dehumidifier
If your room has a high humidity level, you are more likely to develop a musty smell eventually. Therefore, investing in a dehumidifier would be a great decision for your room and health.
5. Ensure Better Ventilation
Open your windows when the weather is nice outside. Ventilation will help dissipate the unpleasant, musty odours before they settle in your carpet. Even in the cold weather, keep opening your windows for at least five minutes each time.
Why Do Carpets Get an Unpleasant Odour
Before applying any cleaning treatment to your carpet, try to understand why it gets an unpleasant odour. Here are the possible causes for this problem:
Dust and Dirt
Dust and dirt most likely accumulate in the fibres of your carpet. Your carpet is the most favourite place for bacteria and mold to hide, leading to mold growth and ultimately unpleasant smells.
Pet Accidents
If you’re a pet-owner, how can you stop them from urinating on your carpet or anywhere in the home? The smell of a pet’s urine or faeces is very troublesome and becomes intensified with the passage of time. Ultimately, your carpet becomes prone to discoloration.
Stains and Spills
If you have kids or toddlers in your living space, they are likely to spill drinks or food items, creating a mess on your flooring.
Mold Moisture
If you live in a humid area or your flooring does not dry properly, mold or mildew can grow. The molds not only leave the annoying odours on your flooring but are also harmful to your health.
Cigarette Smoke
The cigarette smoke ruins the overall environment of your space. If you are a smoker, you don’t notice the unpleasant smell, but the dwellers do.
Old Age
The age of your carpeting also impacts its appearance and elegance. The older your carpet is, the greater the chances of dust and debris accumulation, which can lead to a foul-smelling carpet.
Conclusion
You should never let your carpets smell bad! Follow the methods above if you don’t know how to get the smell out of the carpet and make it smell good. Break down the chemicals that cause smells with vinegar, peroxide, and enzymes. Over time, baking soda also absorbs odours. Lastly, use natural ideas and the best way to make carpet smell fresh, such as herbs and spices, to fill your home with fresh air. This complete guideline will eliminate all smells, so your carpets will smell as good as they look.
