Chances are if you have carpet in your home, you have also come across the challenge of keeping it clean and odour free. Carpets often absorb the smells in your home and sometimes will hold them in the fibres for a long time. Some odours are short lived and easily dissipate over time while others require special treatment to remove. What can cause odours in your carpet? Things like cooking smells, smoke, pets, mould and mildew are just a few of the things that can cause odours in your carpet.
Find the Source of the Odour
To remove these odours, the first step is to determine exactly where on the carpet the odour is coming from. It’s important to pinpoint the offending area, as this is the area you will need to treat. Once you are successful at finding the source of the odour start by cleaning the area with hot soapy water. Try to use an antibacterial cleaner or detergent such as Dawn dish soap.
Home Remedy for Odour Removal
Once you have completed this step, fill a bowl with half a cup water and half a cup of white vinegar. Take this mixture and spray it over the area that was just cleaned with the detergent. This step will help to disinfect the area. Once you are satisfied that the area is completely clean, you should open your windows to allow fresh air in and to help dry the carpet.
For smoke odours, try sprinkling baking soda over the area and let sit overnight. Then vacuum the carpet in the morning. Again, keeping your home well ventilated by allowing fresh air into your home will also help with odours.
Getting Out Pet Urine
One of the toughest smells to get out of a carpet is pet urine. It’s important to find the target area to properly clean and remove the odour from your carpet. If you are unsure, you can use a black light to help find the offending area.
To clean the area and remove the odour first blot the area with paper towels to remove as much of the liquid as possible. Do not rub as this will spread the stain and force it deeper into the carpet. Next, apply a liberal amount of a mixture of vinegar and water. The mixture should be half vinegar and half water. Allow this to sit for a few minutes then use more paper towels to soak up this liquid. Then cover the area with a clean towel and allow it to dry. Do not walk on the area while it is drying. If you still notice an odour use the baking soda and allow it to sit on the area for several hours before vacuuming.
Stubborn Odours
Sometimes odours are just too stubborn for a homeowner to remove on their own. When this happens, Kleen Rite has home cleaning professionals who can clean your carpets and remove offending odours leaving you with a fresh, clean carpet and home. If you’re in our Service Area then be sure to check out our Pricing for the various home cleaning services we offer.
