Smelly Carpet After Cleaning?
Here's How to Get Rid of that Smell From Your Carpet?
You’ve probably hired the services of a Carpet Cleaning company or you cleaned your carpet yourself.
Yet, several hours later, there is this unpleasant smell coming from your carpet.
It happens, and it is not uncommon.
Don’t doubt your cleaning skills, or feel you’ve wasted your money paying professional cleaning service. There are a number of reasons that could be responsible for your smelly carpet. In this article, we will show why it smells, and how to remove the unpleasant odor.
Why Does Your Carpet Smell Worse After Cleaning?
Overwet Carpet

Often, the reason a carpet is smelly after cleaning is because of overwetting. If excess moisture soaks into the carpet padding, it will lead to the build-up of mold and mildew. It is the mold and mildew that are responsible for the bad odor coming from your carpet.
Overwetting happens when the cleaning technician is inexperienced or the cleaning machine was not powerful enough to extract all the moisture from the carpet. Plumbing leaks can also lead to carpet mold.
Old Carpet Stains

Some property owners don’t clean their carpets regularly, and this will lead to an accumulation of spills, stains, and dirt. These stains and dirt can find their way to the carpet underlay and will eventually start to smell at some point.
When the carpet is eventually given a deep cleaning, this awful odor will resurface and may persist long after the carpet has dried.
Pet Stains & Odors

Things You Shouldn’t Do When You Have a Smelly Carpet?

- Don’t Vacuum The Wet Carpet On Your Own - The combination of electricity and a soaked carpet can be very dangerous. You can damage your domestic vacuum or, even worse, get electrocuted. It’s best to let professionals use a wet vacuum cleaner to safely soak up the moisture.
- Don’t Put Furniture On The Carpet - Putting furniture on wet carpet allows for mold and mildew to grow beneath the furniture. The moisture can also damage the wood of the furniture. It best to let the carpet dry up, before returning the furniture to the room.
- Don’t Step On The Carpet While It’s Still Wet - Stepping on the wet carpet will push the water back up and re-soak the carpet. The weight of your body can also push the moisture further into the carpet underlay.

How To Fix a Smelly Carpet
The first thing to do is to open the windows to let in fresh air. This will help the carpet dry faster and prevent the build-up of a musty odor.
If your carpet remains smelly, then try any of the following remedies:

- Place bowls of white vinegar around the room and leave them overnight to absorb the odor
- Leave a box of baking soda open in the room overnight to absorb the smell
- Use a dehumidifier
- Sprinkle Borax powder on the carpet to absorb the odor
If Your Carpet Still Leaves Behind a Smell, Call a Professional Cleaning Service!
If you have applied any or all of the methods listed above, and your carpet remains smelly, it is time to call in the services of a professional carpet cleaner.
Here at Brownstown Carpet Cleaning, we are a team of well-trained experts that are fully equipped to help you get that foul odor off your carpet. Give us a call at, 734.821.6667.