After all the hard work and stress, everyone wants to feel the comfort of their own house as soon as they get inside their home. But what if your room’s carpet produces musky smells, and you can’t decide what it is? This damp smell can be of mildew, which you may get in your carpet due to a combination of moisture, bacteria, and sweat. Now the question that arises is, “How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell In Carpet?”
One more question must be striking in your mind:
What is mildew, and how did it get into my carpet? Let’s understand every possibility of its cause and find ways to treat them through this article.
What Are Mildew?
Mildew are grey or white fungal patches on cloth fabric that are generally grown due to oxygen, moisture, and food sources on a surface.
So, how do they get inside your house and carpet? Well, mildew or molds are naturally present in the air. As soon as mildew gets close to a damp surface with filth, it automatically sits there and grows in more or less 24 to 48 hours.
Are Mildews Harmful?
Mildews are not only harmful to the fabric of your carpet but also to you and your family. Let’s understand their impact on each one by one:
Mildew’s Effect On Carpet
Mildew or molds have great potential to demolish carpet fabric caused by prolonged subjection to dampness. They also have the potential to pass those fungi to other fabrics around your carpet, such as towels, curtains, bed sheets, etc.
But how could mildew be spread from one fabric to another? It can be due to moisture, as mildew spores thrive in a humid environment and grow in wet clothes quickly. So, to secure your carpet fabric and other clothes from mildew, don’t leave your clothes or carpet in the washing machine or cleaning tub for as long as 12 hours.
Mildew’s Effect On Humans
If the environment around you contains large amounts of mildew, then there is a high chance for you to have exposure to health issues such as wheezing, stuffy nose, skin and eye irritation, and respiratory problems.
Mildews produce a toxic compound called mycotoxins, which brings various health problems, as listed in the above paragraph.
So, if you are someone who is extra sensitive towards molds, then you are at a high risk of getting affected. Also, keep your children away from these fungi, as they can lead to severe diseases such as asthma, which leads us to the question: are carpets bad for asthma?
Ways To Prevent Mildews From The Carpet
To prevent mildew, you can take a few preventive measures, such as:
1. Keep your house and furniture dry by giving it proper ventilation and dehumidification.
3. Take special care during hot, humid summers and rainy days.
4. Keep your clothes and dry them regularly under the sun.
5. Keep moisture away from your carpet, as it is challenging to pull it out.
6. Vacuum your carpet at least 2 to 3 times a week and wash it every 3 to 6 months. Also, deep clean your carpet at least once in every 12 to 18 months.
7. If there is any leakage in your home, then fix it by plumbing, as it can diffuse moisture in your house.
How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell In Carpet?
Before getting into these methods, ensure that your carpet is moistureless and doesn’t have dry debris on it. For this,
- Vacuum your carpet or use a wooden broom to remove all dust from the carpet.
- Turn on the fan overhead and open doors and windows for better ventilation. By this, your carpet will ultimately become moistureless.
Method 1: Add White Vinegar And Water
This method is not only useful to remove mildew but also to kill other germs and bacteria present on the carpet. Also, by using this, you can deep clean your carpet while protecting it from discoloration.
White vinegar is not harsh on skin, but it is recommended to use a mask while adding vinegar to make a solution.
1. Add 1 cup of white vinegar in 1.5 to 2 cups of warm water and mix them well to make a solution.
2. Pour this solution into a spray bottle.
3. Disgorge it on the carpet using spray.
4. Make sure you diffuse it gently and evenly on the carpet while avoiding over-saturation. Because if the moisture increases, your carpet will take days to dry, and this can lead to an increase in mildew.
4. Let the solution stay on the carpet for several hours.
5. Wash off the carpet with clean water to remove the solution.
6. Leave the carpet under the sun for 3 to 4 hours to dry.
Method 2: Use Hot Water To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell
Mildew likes water with a bit of warmth, but they can’t survive in water with very high temperatures. You can take advantage of their heat sensitivity, and for this, you can:
1. Boil water for 15 to 20 minutes
2. Pour it on the carpet and leave it for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Wash the carpet by adding 1 tsp detergent in ½ bucket of clean water.
4. Dry the carpet to obliterate moisture.
Method 3: Sprinkle Baking Soda To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell
Baking soda is a white crystalline powdered substance that is known to give the natural odour back to fabric. This inexpensive method is widely used to keep carpets free from mildew because of its excellent results on carpet fabric, such as softening the cloth and boosting the effect of detergent powder.
However, if you have pets, then you have to be extra careful while using baking soda on the carpet, especially if you have a dog.
To use this method,
1. Sprinkle generous amounts of powdered baking soda evenly on the carpet.
2. You can also add ½ cup of baking soda into a bucket of water to make a solution. After that, pour it on the carpet, ensuring that the solution has covered the entire area of the carpet.
3. Let the baking soda stay on the carpet overnight.
4. Vacuum the carpet if you have used powdered baking soda; if not, you can skip this step.
5. Wash the carpet by adding detergent in clean water and dry it under the sun.
Method 4: Add Hydrogen Peroxide In Water
Hydrogen peroxide is a colorless liquid that acts as an odor neutralizer and brightens the color of the carpet. It has oxidizing, antimicrobial, and bleaching properties that can ensure carpet stain removal without causing any damage. It also acts as a stain remover and kills mildew effectively. However, people often ask whether hydrogen Peroxide bleaches the carpet. So, make sure you use the appropriate amount of the chemical.
If you want to use this method, then,
1. Add one part of hydrogen peroxide to 5 parts of water.
2. Store the solution in a bottle spray and sprinkle it all over the carpet.
3. You can also apply this solution to the back of the carpet for better results.
4. Leave the solution on the carpet for 10 minutes and wash it with clean water.
Get Rid Of Mildew Smell In Carpet | Conclusion
It is challenging to get rid of the strong musky odor of mildew, and it is more difficult to answer “How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell In Carpet?”. But you can easily get your desired results by following any of the methods as given in this article.
How To Get Rid Of Mildew Smell In Carpet | FAQS
Is it possible to remove the musky odour of mildew from the carpet?
Yes, it is possible by adding 2 scoops of carpet shampoo in ½ tub of water and pouring it on carpet, followed by gentle scrubbing.
How to get rid of the mildew smell from the house?
For this, you give proper ventilation to your house, and to ensure this, keep the doors and windows open. Also, you can spray any room freshener after cleaning your room thoroughly.
Does mildew smell vanish with time?
The musky odour that is brought by mildew brings the reason for suffocation in rooms. This smell may settle down with time but can’t go by itself without being treated.
Daleyza knows a lot about carpets! She has worked with carpets for over 7 years and can help with things like putting them in, keeping them clean, and replacing them. She really likes carpets and spends most of her time learning about new ways to work with them. When she’s not learning about carpets, she enjoys reading books. She’s really good at helping people choose the right carpet for their homes and making sure they’re happy with it. If you want to know more about carpets, Daleyza is the person to talk to!