The Fearsome Four of Carpet Odour
They are always waiting for you. They watch as you carefully select the colour of the new carpet for your house. Patiently, they bide their time while you have your new carpet installed all through out the house. Unaware of their presence, you proudly show your new purchase to your family and friends. When you least expect it, they pounce! What are they? They are the houseguests you never want and refuse to leave: the four agents of carpet odour. Few things can be more frustrating than a stinky carpet. You feel ashamed to invite people over; when friends ARE over, you are constantly worried that they can smell the carpet; it can even bring down the value of your house. But, the worst part is that you cannot escape. It has rooted itself where you live like an invader. Some people give up, rip up all the carpeting, and install flooring. Not everyone has that option and not everyone wants it. Carpeting in a house can add warmth and coziness. Even still, these invaders must be dealt with in quick fashion. So, who are the four worst offenders when it comes to carpet odours? You already know them all:
- Mildew- You know this smell. It is that musty smell that you encounter when entering rooms that have not been cleaned in a long time. The best way to describe a musty smell is ‘old’. Mildew is caused by moisture in your carpet.
- Pets- We love them, but our carpets don’t. Dogs, cats, rabbits and any other furry friends will permanently leave a presence in the house. They will leave dander and bring in dirt from the outside. A bigger problem is pet urine which can be a serious and persistent problem with carpets.The smell just won’t go away.
- Food & Alcohol Spills- If you can get to them right away, a food spill is not going to necessary going to leave a smell behind. The problem is when we DON’T reach them before it soaks into the carpet. Sometimes, we do not even know it has happened. One spill is not a problem; it is multiple spills over the years that have added up to leave a stink. In particular, beer will leave a very distinct odour if not taken care of immediately.
- Cigarette Smoke- Smoking has tapered off in our society in the last few decades; fewer people indulge in the habit. But all it takes is one family member or frequent house guest who smokes to allow the smell of tobacco to permeate into your carpet.
How to combat these fearsome foes? Fresh Start® Environments has the solution. Fresh Start® Environments uses Chlorine Dioxide to pull the ions out of odour-causing molecules, which effectively kills the odour. In most cases you saturate the issue and leave to completely dry, then simply vacuum. It works with all of these smells and more. Even better, it will prevent the growth of mildew and kills mould. Find out how Fresh Start® Environments can make you excited to have carpet again!
How to Make Carpets Smell Better
Vacuum frequently. Odour can come from hair or anything else that is stuck to your carpet. When you vacuum often, you don’t give the odour an opportunity to grow.
Address spills immediately. Carpet spills can significantly add to that bad carpet smell. However, if you clean up spills right away you prevent it from being absorbed into the fibres of your carpet. Pay special attention to pet accidents as those odours can be extremely difficult to remove.
Try an odour treatment. An odour treatment such as Fresh Start® Environments can effectively remove pet odour from carpets by neutralizing the odours and leaving it smelling fresh and clean.
Steam clean your carpet. Try to steam clean your carpets at least once a month. Steam cleaning gives your carpet a much deeper clean than surfacing cleaning and it is more effective at getting rid of odours. Steam cleaners can be rented from most grocery stores and are fairly simple to operate.
Air it out. Fresh air is the best remedy for any bad smell. When you open the windows, turn on the fans and allow the air to circulate, odours are released and can escape from your living space leaving your home smelling fresh.
The smell of your carpet might be one of the most frustrating things about your home. You work hard at it, but it still smells bad. Don’t give up on it! A carpet that is properly cared for can make your home warm and inviting. Sometimes you just have to experiment to find what works for your carpet. If you still aren’t having any luck in getting your carpet to smell nice, call us we can help!